Pioneering Years Of Ulysse Nardin Watches

Established in 1846 at Le Locle in the Swiss Jura, the brand preserves both the name and the ambitious spirit of its founder, Ulysse Nardin. Having apprenticed to leading Swiss watchmakers of the time, 23-year-old Ulysse Nardin set up his business, specialising in pocket watches and marine chronometers that could tell time with utmost precision. Soon, Nardin's company gained a solid reputation in manufacturing high-precision nautical timekeeping instruments, charting the course of the company's future and creating benchmarks in the military, civil, and scientific worlds.

In 1860, Ulysse Nardin acquired "father of Swiss watchmaking" Jacques-Frédéric Houriet's high-precision astronomical regulator to fine-tune his pocket chronometers, a milestone that carried the company's name around the world. Five years later, the company shifted its premises to Rue du Jardin. In 1876, the founder's death transferred the company's reins to his son Paul-David Nardin. The firm continued to expand, bagging prominent awards and recognitions along the way, such as a Gold Medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878, two Swiss patents in 1890, and many more.

By the start of the 20th century, Paul-David Nardin had created nine pocket chronometers fitted with high-accuracy tourbillon escapements. In 1902, Ulysse Nardin started supplying timepieces to the U.S. Navy and has delivered timepieces to the navies of the US, UK, Japan, and Russia. In 1911, Paul-David Nardin got his third Swiss patent, followed by several technical achievements such as producing a 13" movement for wrist and pocket watches in 1916 and the introduction of a 24" split-second pocket chronograph in 1935. The year 1975 was particularly remarkable for the numerous accolades the company received.

The Ulysse Nardin Watch Adventure - Embarking On A New Odyssey

When the Swiss watchmaking industry witnessed an upheaval with the arrival of quartz watches, businessman Rolf W Schnyder took over Ulysse Nardin. Partnering up with prominent watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, Schnyder ushered a new era for the company. In 1989, Ulysse Nardin released the limited-edition San Marco, the first minute-repeating wristwatch with an integrated Jaquemart. Completing the Trilogy of Time series, the Tellurium Johannes Kepler of 1992 joined the legacy of the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei (1985) and the Planetarium Copernicus (1988).

To mark the 150th anniversary of the company, it released the iconic Perpetual Ludwig and the Marine Chronometer 1846 wristwatch in 1996. In the following years, Ulysse Nardin continued its streak of Haute Horological achievements. Notable among them is the launch of the GMT± Perpetual (1999), the first-ever 7-day tourbillon carousel Freak (2001), the Freak Diamond Heart with a diamond escapement (2005), the Freak X and Skeleton X (2019), and the Blast Tourbillon (2020). In a landmark move, Ulysse Nardin announced a 5-year warranty on its mechanical timepieces from January 2017.

Manufacturing Milestones Of Ulysse Nardin Watches

Continuing to push the limits of Haute Horlogerie, Ulysse Nardin's first in-house calibre UN-160 was released in 2006. In the following year, the company launched the Freak DIAMonSIL®, a cutting-edge Dual Ulysse Escapement with an unusual combination of synthetic diamonds and silicium. The Freak DIAMonSIL® laid the groundwork of Innovision, Ulysse Nardin's idea of 10 technical innovations combined into one watch.

A new in-house calibre UN-118 was released in 2012 and five more (UN-690, UN-310, UN-170, UN-150, and UN-205) in the following year. In 2014, the company was acquired by the French luxury group Kering and the sixth in-house calibre UN-334 was launched in the same year. Ulysse Nardin's use of the revolutionary silicium technology since 2016 is evident in creations such as the UlyChoc shock absorber and the Blast Tourbillon. Equally admirable is Ulysse Nardin's feat in producing stunning enamelled watches since the company's acquisition of the Swiss enameller workshop Donzé Cadrans SA in 2012.

Every new achievement of Ulysse Nardin takes the brand’s technological innovations to new heights while reaffirming the Maison’s place in the world of Haute Horlogerie.