[Deep Tasting] Paying attention to Union Watch in recent years, I have noticed a pattern: stable output, occasional surprises. In today’s article, let’s continue to talk about Union Watch with everyone. Recently, Union Watch has had two “big events”.

(Bellesee series chronograph watch)

The first big event is that Union’s Bellesee series panda watch is gradually being updated and iterated to a silicon hairspring. Anyone who pays attention to Union (or anyone who pays attention to chronograph watches in general) must know the Bellesee “panda family”, which can be said to be well-known by domestic watch fans. Now, the Bellesee “panda family” is upgrading and changing its “heart”, which means that the timing of this series will be more accurate and reliable. Combined with the unique dial design, the competitive advantage is greatly improved.

(New Nora Mings chronograph watch limited edition of the 2023 Saxon Vintage Car Rally)

The second big event is that Union has launched another masterpiece in cooperation with vintage cars.

For this watch, I think Union has immersed more emotions. Because this is a new limited edition watch launched by Union to celebrate its old partner, the Saxon Vintage Car Rally, in its 20th anniversary. And Union itself was born in Glashütte, Saxony, Germany, so it is natural to have double the sentiment for this celebration at the doorstep.

(The long and close relationship between Union and the Saxon Vintage Car Rally)

Not long ago, I got this new product. We have talked a lot about Union watches before, so today, let’s chat about Union and this new watch from the perspective of a watch enthusiast.

“The feature of Union watches is very distinctive”
– @ddmdiving

This “distinctiveness” is not about taking a style to the extreme, but about expressing the same inspiration to the fullest extent possible, so that when people see a watch launched with this type of inspiration (such as vintage cars), they immediately think of Union.

Just like this new Nora Mings chronograph watch, which takes vintage cars as its inspiration. The watch uses a stainless steel case with a diameter of 42mm and a thickness of 14.45mm. The case, lugs, and crown are all polished. The dial adopts an arched structure and is equipped with mushroom-shaped chronograph buttons. The design elements on the appearance echo the classic sporty retro style, which is also the most familiar style of Union watches.

“Union has taken retro watches to the extreme”
– @newvisionno

For outsiders, they may not be very familiar with the resumes of Union’s designers, but judging from their works, they should be a group of imaginative and creative people (of course, they must also be very familiar with vintage cars). And the interesting thing is here. The Union watch, which grew up in Germany, is internally imbued with the rationality, logic, and rigor unique to Germany. Union integrates the two smoothly. You can see various creative designs from Union watches, but each design is not just “wishful thinking”.

Taking the new watch as an example, the rich brown color on the dial is derived from the body color of classic vintage cars, and the entire dial presents a lacquered effect, which is also derived from the car’s paint.

(Dial design inspired by vintage car grille)

(The new dial only has a small sub-dial)

(Calendar window with added frame for a more sophisticated look)

The design of Union dials has always been the most interesting. This time, Union drew design inspiration from the grille of vintage cars. The “grille” runs horizontally through the dial, with a 30-minute chronograph sub-dial on the left (at the 3 o’clock position) and a calendar display on the right (at the 9 o’clock position). Unlike usual, this new Nora Mings chronograph retains only one sub-dial, which is decorated with a record-like pattern and is surrounded by a polished stainless steel bezel, echoing the “grille” material and adding a metallic feel to the watch.

(White lacquered chronograph hands)

At the same time, the watch does not have a second hand. The central second hand serves as the chronograph seconds hand. In addition, Union has designed the hands responsible for the chronograph function with white lacquer paint, making them more visible on the dark dial. This is also to facilitate the distinction between basic functions and chronograph function indications. By differentiating the design of the hands, Union upholds its consistent style. The overall design of the dial is “imaginative”, while the details of the dial reflect the rigor of Germany.

(In addition to the vintage car-inspired grille, the dial also features relief letters)

(UNG-27.S2 automatic winding movement used in the watch)

(Si logo and Nivachoc shock absorber)

In terms of movement, the new Nora Mings chronograph watch uses the UNG-27.S2 automatic winding movement, equipped with a silicon hairspring and a stop-seconds device, with a power reserve of 60 hours. In addition, the UNG-27.S2 automatic winding movement uses the Nivachoc shock absorber, which is based on the famous parachute shock absorber of Breguet. Nivachoc shock absorber is a technology owned by the Swatch Group and is a standard equipment for high-end watches, including Omega and Longines.

(Hollow rotor and pearl dot decoration on the movement)

On the movement decoration, the hollowed-out oscillating weight is decorated with Glashütte column patterns and features the UNION (brand logo) mark. On the bridge, you can see pearl dot polishing, blue screws, and polished components.

Union has strict requirements for movement parts. Whether it is self-produced parts or the most basic parts purchased, they all need to be decorated, polished, and assembled in the Union factory. After that, they undergo calibration, quality control, and strict “one watch, one quality inspection” checks. Therefore, each Union movement is an exclusive movement of the brand.

(The watch also features a relief letter outer ring and two styles of straps)

The Nora Mings chronograph watch comes with two straps, one is a Cognac-colored calf leather strap that matches the color of the dial. The other is a black racing-style perforated calf leather strap, which has now become one of the iconic elements of Union’s Nora Mings chronograph. In addition, Union also provides a limited edition watch box for the watch. Inside and out, it highlights the preciousness of this “limited edition”.

The Nora Mings chronograph watch, limited edition for the 2023 Saxon Vintage Car Rally, has an official price of 27,800 yuan and is limited to 350 pieces.

Looking back at the comments from watch enthusiasts about Union watches, they are distinctive, recognizable, and extreme. To be honest, every new release of Union watches attracts a lot of attention and discussion. There are voices of liking, and of course, there are voices of not understanding. In my contact with Union, I have found that they are willing to accept various voices and hope to hear different voices. Leaving everything else aside, just based on this attitude, it is difficult for such a brand to not succeed. (Photo/Text by Zhang Dalu)