Watch Paparazzi

Athlete Alessia Zecchini spotted wearing Ulysse Nardin

World champion freediver Alessia Zecchini was photographed emerging from the water wearing what appears to be the Ulysse Nardin Diver X Antarctica — a fitting sighting given that Zecchini holds the women's constant-weight apnea world record and has dived to depths that most dive watches will never approach. The image, captured in an open-water setting with a grey wetsuit suit visible beneath, places the watch in its natural environment with rare credibility.

The Ulysse Nardin Diver X Antarctica reference 8163-180LE measures 44mm in stainless steel and carries a 300-metre water resistance rating. Its most distinctive feature is the grey fumé dial accented with a matching grey ceramic-like bezel insert, numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions, and a clean unidirectional rotating bezel graduated for dive timing. The white vulcanised rubber strap — visible in the photograph — is purpose-built for water exposure and heat resistance. Powering the case is the UN-118 automatic movement, featuring a silicon escapement for anti-magnetic performance, a 60-hour power reserve, and COSC-adjacent regulation standards, all manufactured in-house at Le Locle.

The Diver X collection represents Ulysse Nardin's most accessible and sport-forward line, yet it retains the manufacture credibility the brand built on marine chronometers since 1846. The Antarctica variant, with its cool grey palette, was developed partly in collaboration with environmental awareness campaigns — a narrative that aligns directly with Zecchini's advocacy for ocean conservation. Collector reception has been warm: the restrained colourway avoids the saturation of blue-dial dive watches and offers genuine differentiation on the wrist.

Zecchini has served as an official Ulysse Nardin ambassador, making this sighting a brand partnership activation rather than an organic spot. That said, the authenticity of the setting — wet hair, open water, a wetsuit — lends the image a documentary quality that distinguishes it from studio ambassador content. Few watch wearers can claim their wrist genuinely goes deeper than the watch's rated limit.

At retail, the Diver X Antarctica sits around $6,900 USD, positioning it competitively against the Tudor Pelagos and Oris Aquis at the upper end of that bracket. Grey-market premiums remain modest, with pre-owned examples trading at or slightly below list — making this an accessible entry into genuine manufacture horology.