History
of ULYSSE NARDIN Watches
Ulysse
Nardin was born in Le Locle, Switzerland in 1823. Following
in his father's footsteps, he trained as a "remonteur" and
eventually set up his own workshop. In 1846, the Ulysse
Nardin company was founded. Little more than a counter,
its watches displayed high-quality craftsmanship and
were signed by their maker. It was the beginning of an
enterprise that has lasted more than 150 years. Nardin's
first watches were sold in Central and South America
through a Paris go-between, Lucien Dubois, who was Nardin's
only customer for two years.
In
1860, Nardin moved into a larger factory and the firm
became known as "Ulysse Nardin, fabricant d'horlogerie
sur les Recues 33". He also acquired a high-precision
astronomical regulator to rate his pocket chronometers.
This is the well-known regulator constructed by Jacques-Frederic
Houriet in 1768. It is now in a museum in Le Locle. Minute
repeaters, highly complicated watches and pocket chronometers
carry the reputation of the House far and wide, so much
so that the United States became a viable market for
the young firm's products in the early 1860s.
In
1862, Nardin received the "Prize Medal" --
the highest possible honor -- at the London International
Exhibition, in the category of "complicated watches,
pocket chronometers". This award put the watchmaker
in the lead internationally among pocket chronometer
makers. Three years later, the company moved again, this
time to its present location at 3 rue du Jardin. Thanks
to its reputation as the leading maker of chronometers,
the business expanded. Unfortunately, Nardin was felled
by a heart attack in 1876, prompting his 21-year-old
son, Paul-David Nardin, to take control of the company.
Paul-David
Nardin proved himself an able leader, as the firm won
a Gold Medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878,
was awarded two Swiss patents in 1890, won First Prize
at the Chicago Universal Exhibition in 1893 with a magnificent
chronometer made of silver and gold, constructed nine
pocket chronometers with tourbillon escapements -- the
list goes on and on. By 1915, the standards of the firm
were so high that at the Naval Observatory in Washington,
D.C., Ulysse Nardin took first place among 60 marine
chronometers entered. In the same trial, the company
took three of the first five places among 217 deck watches
entered.
Needless
to say, Ulysse Nardin won many more awards, further adding
to its stellar reputation as a maker of highly precise
and finely made timepieces. To put the accomplishments
of this firm into proper perspective, the Neuchatel Observatory
published its last official publication concerning the
performance of chronometers in 1975. (The performance
of mechanical timepieces was no longer relevant when
quartz watches became commercially available.)
Like
many great Swiss brands, the 1970s were not kind to Ulysse
Nardin and the firm fell on hard times. But in 1983,
an investment group headed by Rolf Schnyder purchased
Ulysse Nardin and launched the famous Astrolabium Galileo
Galilei series. Named after the great physicist, astronomer
and humanist, the watch was a remarkable improvement
on the perpetual calendar and allowed the firm to recapture
its past glory. The watch even made it into the Guiness
Book of World Records in February, 1989.
Since
then, Ulysse Nardin has produced the San Marco, a limited
edition minute repeater wristwatch available in gold
or platinum, as well as the Tellurium Johannes Kepler
and the patented GMT watch, which is intended for frequent
travelers. In 1996, the company's 150th anniversary was
celebrated with the introduction of the marine Chronometer
1846 as a wristwatch and the revolutionary Perpetual
Ludwig was named after its creator, the brilliant and
talented watchmaker/scientist, Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, the
man behind the Astolabium series.
The
single-button chronograph "Pulsometer" to commemorate
Ulysse Nardin's birth in 1823 was introduced in 1998,
yet this was eclipsed the following year when the firm
debuted the GMT Perpetual, two unique and exclusive Ulysse
Nardin creations integrated into one watch.
No
doubt the year 2000 and beyond will bring more delightful
innovations from this highly prestigious watch manufactory,
but what is certain to remain consistent is the company's
dedication to producing only the finest quality timepieces.
Indeed, their commitment to this ideal is evidenced in
a recent statement by company president Rolf Schnyder,
who remarked of his employees: "Their faith, loyalty,
talent and commitment are essential to us in our quest
to redefine the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking
and to keep Ulysse Nardin in its pre-eminent position
for the next 150 years."
Ulysse
Nardin was born on 22 January 1823 at Le Locle. After initial
training by his father, Leonard-Frederic, he is sent to William
Dubois, considered to be one of the leading precision watchemakers
of his days. The Ulysee Nardin watches company was founded
in 1846 and is an enterprise that has already lasted more than
155 years.Ulysse Nardin watches consists of Complicated Watches
Collection, Marine Collection, Dual Time Collection, Michealangelo
Collection, Ulysse Nardin Watches San Marco Collection, Ulysse
Nardin Watches Special Timepieces Collection.
Ulysse Nardin Watches - Our collection of Ulysse Nardin watches include; Ulysse
Nardin Michelangelo Lady, Ulysse Nardin Michelangelo UTC Dual Time, Ulysse Nardin
Michelangelo Chronograph, Ulysse Nardin Michelangelo Big Date, Ulysse Nardin
GMT Dual Time, Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronograph 1846, Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver,
Ulysse Nardin Marine Annual Chronograph.
