Ulysse Nardin

Watchmaker Ulysse Nardin as a manufacturer of Marine Chronometers went self employed in 1846. The precision watches, which were in cumbersome, shock resistant wooden boxes, were used on board ships, giving good service to seamen. Reliable navigation at sea was possible with Ulysee Nardin Chronometers. But new technology pushed Ulysse Nardin rapidly from the market. Collectors, who had discovered the strong characteristics of Ulysse Nardin for themselves, could not make up for these economic losses. And it just so happened, that, investor Rolf Schnyder 1983, who had a good reputation, took over the almost bankrupt company. He compensated his lack of knowledge in the watch making by business by employing ideal staff: the horologist, astronomer and watch maker Luwig Oechslin added the technical knowledge needed to get the watch making brand of Ulysse Nardin back on its feet. The association with science and astronomy should be incorporated from now on. The first three models of the newly acquired company reflected Ochlins interests. He called the three extraordinary watches Tellurium Johannes Kepler, Astrolabe Galileo Galilei and Planetarium Nicolaus Kopernicus, and these could do a lot more than just measure time. One could read on the dial, the position of the stars in the sky. Another great shot was made by the duo, with the launching of the model Perpetual Calendar Ludwig GMT. A pusher did not only serve to change the time zones, but the date and time was also changed automatically. This is an innovation, which in the meantime is used by many other exclusive brands. A few more spectacular new editions made under the leadership of Ludwig Oechslin: Freak, a very characteristic rotating gear watch for Ulysse Nardin, and besides this a new inhibition was made, the extraordinary alarm clock Sonata. Oechslin had left the company in the meantime, and was curator in the La Chaux-de-Fonds Museum.

Despite the departure of the innovative engineer Ulysse Nardin's owner Rolf Schnyder and his team could be proud, to have made one of the most innovative brands in the world, that would continue to make surprises.

Notable watches from Ulysse Nardin: Sonata, Freak, Ewiger Kalender GMT, Marine Chronometer, Maxi Marine Diver Chronometer und Ulysse I Chronometer.