Mechanical Watches and Hand-wound Watches Ulysse Nardin A 23-year-old's Challenge

About Ulysse Nardin 2

■ A brief history of Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin was just 23 years old when he was born in Le Locle in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland in 1846.

It all began when Ulysse Nardin founded the brand that bears his name. One of Ulysse Nardin's major themes is "the sea."

Even when exposed to the raging waves of the ocean, the watch continues to keep accurate time regardless of its position.

It gained the trust of sailors and was adopted as the official watch of the navies of over 50 countries around the world.
Ulysse Nardin is one of the oldest luxury Swiss watch brands.

In the 1970s, the emergence of quartz wristwatches developed and released by Seiko dealt a major blow to Ulysse Nardin.

At one point, the brand was on the brink of bankruptcy, but in 1983, Rolf W. Schnieder acquired the brand,

Together with Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, he published the so-called Astronomical Trilogy, which contributed greatly to the revival of the brand.

However, in 2011, Rolf W. Schnieder, who had led Ulysse Nardin for over 30 years, sadly passed away.
To date, Ulysse Nardin has received over 4,300 awards, including 18 gold medals.

Not only the design, but also the high level of technology in actively applying silicon and diamond to each part.

This is why he is called a "changemaker" in the industry.
Currently, Patrick P. Hoffmann succeeds Rolf W. Schnieder as the leader of Ulysse Nardin.

In 2013, the company released the new "Stranger" model, showcasing the uniqueness of its in-house movement, and in 2014, the company released the standard collection of

Their activities as a "change-maker" show no signs of slowing down, such as equipping the "Dual Time" with a completely in-house manufactured movement.

■Collection

Complicated Timepieces Collection

This collection is symbolic of the award-winning achievements that Ulysse Nardin has achieved to date.
・ Freak Cruiser…This watch is a symbol of the Ulysse Nardin brand. This watch was released in 2001.

The most distinctive feature is that the dial and hands have been removed, leaving only the movement itself exposed.

It is a watch created through unprecedented technological development. It has a two-layer structure, with the lower layer displaying the time,

The upper bridge, fitted with a dual Ulysse silicon escapement, indicates the minutes.

By discarding the parts that are indispensable to mechanical watches, such as the anchor and escape wheel,

It is equipped with a replacement part called an impulse wheel.

It also boasts an astonishing power reserve of 7 days.

Among other things, the unique Carrousel Tourbillon is completely floating.

It is a masterpiece packed with technology that surpasses other brands. The part that shows the time is modeled after an anchor,

The design evokes the sea, which has been a constant focus for Ulysse Nardin to this day.
- Sonata: A collection released in 2003, designed based on aerodynamics.

Alarm function with cathedral gong and countdown display,
- Perpetual calendar...This is an extremely realistic perpetual calendar left behind by Dr. Ludwig.

The GMT ± Perpetual function, introduced in 1994, allows the calendar display to be changed instantly.

Another thing about mechanical watches is that you have to be careful about the time when changing the date display.

Changing the date within a few hours of the date change may cause a malfunction.

However, this collection is designed so that even if you accidentally set the date too far forward, you can still set the date back.

No need to worry about that, as this is a very practical collection.

Exceptional Timepieces Collection

This is a collection of the most luxurious watches of all timepieces, including the iconic Ulysse Nardin "Astronomical Trilogy" watches.

It is no surprise that the features implemented include a minute repeater and a tourbillon.
The minute repeaters in this collection in particular are very unique, as they are equipped with moving figures called "automatons."

In other words, it is a mechanical doll. When the minute repeater plays a sound to tell the time,

It is a luxurious creation in which the dolls move in time with the sound.

-Royal Blue...The color of the sea is one of the concepts of this collection.

When you look through the skeleton dial, it looks like it is floating in the air.

The tourbillon mechanism is a distinctive design.
・Stranger...This is a new song released in 2013. When the time changes, it becomes a classic song made in 1966.

The lathe spins and plays the melody of "Strangers in the Night" from the music box.

In 2015, a model playing the song "We Are the Champions" by the legendary British rock band Queen was released.

This piece demonstrates Ulysse Nardin's incredible technical capabilities.
- Automata series: historical figures such as "Alexander the Great" and "Genghis Khan"

The automata collection is marketed with names that are based on famous people.

Genghis Khan and other figures are depicted as mechanical dolls on the dial, and when the minute repeater that tells the time is activated,

The dolls move in sync with the movement. This kind of special watch was first made by Ulysse Nardin.

You won't be able to see it anywhere else.
・Safari…The dial is like a painting. As the name suggests, the colorful patterns depict various animals such as elephants and crocodiles.

It's not just a pretty watch, it's also a great piece with a minute repeater.
- Trilogy Set Limited Edition...These are the three watches in the "Astronomical Trilogy."

The celestial clock is priced well over 10 million yen, and it seems better to see it as a work of art rather than a clock.

Marine Chronometer Collection

This is the collection that most strongly represents the Ulysse Nardin brand image.

It is filled with masterpieces from the brand, which has been renowned as a leader in marine chronometers for over 100 years.

Among the many high-priced Ulysse Nardin watches, this one can be purchased for around 900,000 yen.

This collection is probably one of our most popular.

Marine Diver Collection

If the Marine Chronometer collection is set on the ocean, this one is set in the depths.

This watch is able to tell the time accurately to divers even in difficult environments.

These watches also come with a "power reserve" function that indicates how long they can run, making them a reliable collection.

Clasico Collection

Many of the watches from Ulysse Nardin are unique in their mechanism and appearance.

This collection has a very subdued design.
In particular, the Clasico Luna is a model inspired by the sun, but the only thing that imitates the red light of the sun is the edge of the case.

It is an adult design that is completely different from flashy designs like Safari.

■Finally

If we break down the collection further, Ulysse Nardin has produced an almost endless variety of watches.

It's sure to wow you more than any other brand.

There aren't many watches available, but if you see one, be sure to check it out!