Ulysse Nardin: The art of time and innovative technology

Ulysse Nardin has been supplying marine chronometers to navies and shipping companies around the world since the late 19th century, building a reputation as a leading manufacturer. Since the brand's revival in 1983, its unique complications, silicon technology, and commitment to métiers d'art have brought new perspectives to Haute Horlogerie in the 21st century. The driving force behind these efforts is a bold attitude that always challenges the limits.

The world of Haute Horlogerie built on a mindset of pushing boundaries

　Le Locle, a mountain town in the Swiss Jura Mountains, is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the neighboring town of La Chaux-de-Fonds as an industrial city that played an important role in the history of watches. The workshop opened in Le Locle by watchmaker Ulysse Nardin in 1846 is the origin of the brand that has existed for approximately 180 years to this day.

　From the beginning, Ulysse Nardin gained fame for its pocket watches equipped with complex mechanisms, winning numerous awards at exhibitions. At the same time, as the demand for accurate timekeeping technology, essential for voyages and the acquisition of new territories, increased, Ulysse Nardin also began manufacturing marine deck chronometers for ships. Ulysse Nardin's marine chronometers achieved outstanding precision, establishing an overwhelming position in this field. Paul David Nardin, the second generation to succeed his father in 1876, also devoted himself to the production of marine chronometers, and subsequently supplied his company's products to more than 50 navies and shipping companies around the world, including Japan. In this way, Ulysse Nardin's marine chronometers became the standard for timekeeping on the world's oceans.

　While renowned as a specialist in marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin also produced high-quality pocket watches and simple wristwatches in the 20th century, but the quartz revolution that swept through the Swiss watch industry led to financial difficulties in the 1970s.

　It was businessman Rolf Schnieder who saved the company from the brink of collapse. He acquired Ulysse Nardin in 1983 and, just as marine chronometers had previously pushed the limits of precision, sought to revive the brand as a high-end luxury brand by pushing the boundaries of complex mechanisms in the field of mechanical wristwatches. His first success was the "Astronomical Trilogy," a series of complicated watches released between 1983 and 1992 with the help of the highly regarded genius Dr. Ludwig Oechslin. The ingenious functionality of the watches, which displayed a wide variety of astronomical displays within the limited size of a wristwatch, not only astonished people around the world but also shocked many brands that specialized in traditional complicated watches.

　Following the Astronomical Trilogy, the Freak, released in 2001, pushed the boundaries of fine watchmaking to a new level. Its unprecedented complication—an exposed movement that rotated within the case to display the minutes—again astonished the world. Not only the rotating flying carousel, but also the dual escapement mechanism and silicon material were impressive achievements of this limit-defying feat. While the use of silicon in movement escapements and other components is now commonplace, Ulysse Nardin was ahead of the curve with the Freak. Further refining its silicon technology with subsequent Freaks, Ulysse Nardin applied its expertise to the development of its own movements, resulting in the creation of its flagship movement, the Caliber UN-118. Silicon components, once called a material revolution, have now become the standard.

　Another notable challenge since the brand's revival has been the rediscovery of Métiers d'Art, or traditional handcrafted craftsmanship. A series of enamel dials featuring motifs of the sea and sailing ships, characteristic of Ulysse Nardin, have brought back recognition of the exceptional expertise of enamellers, which was in danger of being lost, and their precious value. This has also contributed to the revival of enamel dials, which can now be found at various luxury watch brands.

　Ulysse Nardin's tireless challenges will surely continue to change the world of Haute Horlogerie.

The cutting edge of avant-garde technology

　At the turn of the century, the Swiss watch industry was united in its search for innovative technology and design that would lead the 21st century. The Freak was a pioneer in this area, pioneering the complex mechanisms and silicon technology pioneered by Ulysse Nardin. The Freak's ever-evolving contribution to mechanical watches is immeasurable.

　At the start of the 21st century, when various luxury watch brands were releasing complicated watches featuring classic tourbillons, the Freak watch shocked the world. Its movement, with its wheel train and regulating escapement aligned in a straight line, rotated once per hour, and its highly unusual 12-hour display, featuring a flying carousel indicating the minutes and a special rotating disc, combined with a long mainspring that took up the entire case and a mechanism for winding and setting the time without a crown, all offered a mechanism and design unthinkable by conventional watchmaking standards. The name "Freak" not only refers to unusual or unusual features, but also to the ability to excite people, and this was the essence of the watch that caused a sensation in 2001.

　Furthermore, the Freak's groundbreaking technology also attracted attention: the Dual Ulysse escapement, which uses two escape wheels for improved energy transmission and requires no lubrication, and the use of silicon in its construction, an industry first. Ulysse Nardin became a pioneer in this field, founding a company called Cigatec that specializes in silicon components.

　Having astonished the world, the Freak has continued to evolve as an iconic model reflecting Ulysse Nardin's cutting-edge technology. In 2007, the Freak Diamondsil was released, featuring a dual Ulysse Nardin escapement made from a new material, Diamondsil, which is made by depositing a layer of diamond onto a silicon substrate. In 2010, the Freak Diabolo was released, replacing the carousel with a flying tourbillon and displaying the seconds. After several further variations, the Freak Vision, the first automatic model to feature a silicon balance and a unique winding mechanism, was released in 2018, continuing the lineage of innovation without interruption.

　The most notable evolution of the Freak X, released in 2019, was its aim to make the Freak more accessible, including in terms of price. The UN-230 movement is a new caliber that combines the in-house UN-118 used in the Marine Chronometer Manufacture and Freak Vision's automatic UN-250. The flying carousel has a simpler structure with fewer gears, increasing the visibility of the skeletonized structure. Other new features include a slimmer case with a diameter of 43mm, the smallest in the series, and a new crown for winding and time adjustment, which was previously unavailable.

　Another key innovation of the Freak X is the addition of a case made from carbonium, a new material made from off-cuts from aircraft manufacturing. In fact, Ulysse Nardin has used carbonium in the Freak One and Diver OPS models, which are reinterpretations of the original Freak style, and is also focusing on promoting this high-tech, sustainable material with a low environmental impact.

　The most innovative model of all time is the Freak S, released in 2022. The Flying Carousel Caliber UN-251 is an extremely technical model with a pair of silicon balance wheels and diamond-plated escapements linked by a vertical differential system.

　Freak is a one-of-a-kind, avant-garde, complicated watch that continues to evolve through a series of innovations, even more than 20 years after its first release.

A symbol of new modernism born from a redefinition of tradition

　"BLAST" is a contemporary haute horlogerie collection centered on innovative skeleton models equipped with tourbillons. This unique collection brings together the brand's expertise and challenges the limits of technology and design, with the "Hour Striker" and "Freewheel Marquetry" models standing out in particular. This redefinition of tradition accelerates the modern evolution of wristwatches.

　Ulysse Nardin has chosen "X" as the theme for its new collections in 2019. Embracing the various meanings of "X," which refers to the unknown, "Xtreme," and "Xcite," the brand unveiled the "Freak X" and "Skeleton X" watches, designed to inspire curiosity. The subsequent "Blast" model, released in 2020, further develops the theme, combining a new case inspired by stealth aircraft with the newly developed automatic tourbillon, Caliber UN-172. While the collection's core feature is a flying tourbillon utilizing silicon, what Ulysse Nardin expresses with the Blast is the modern evolution of Haute Horlogerie through a redefinition of tradition.

　The iconic model is the Blast Hour Striker. The Hour Striker, which has been an icon of the brand since 1992, features an automaton that strikes the bell in tandem with the repeater's striking mechanism. However, this 2021 model focuses solely on the acoustics of the striking mechanism and is equipped with a new mechanism developed in 2019 in collaboration with French audio technology company Devialet. This cutting-edge mechanism connects the gong and titanium diaphragm with a lever to amplify the sound.

　The "Blast Freewheel Marquetry," released in 2023, not only features a tourbillon and a movement with a floating gear train, but also uses the traditional straw marquetry previously experimented with on the dial of the "Freewheel," realizing it in blue silicon, creating a skeleton design with a beauty reminiscent of modern art. Ulysse Nardin is at the forefront of Métiers d'Art, which requires the highly skilled handwork of skilled artisans.

Two major standards that convey our deep bond with the sea

　The vintage-look "Marine" and "Diver" watches are linked to Ulysse Nardin's origins, the ocean and the tradition of marine chronometers. The fusion of historically based design with cutting-edge in-house movements made from high-tech materials expresses not only an homage to the past, but also the brand's pride as a specialist in marine timepieces that transcend the ages.

　In 2017, Ulysse Nardin released the Marine Torpilleur, a watch that reaffirms the brand's deep connection to the sea. This model has several roots. The vintage look, which incorporates the distinctive dial of a marine chronometer into a wristwatch, dates back to the Marine Chronometer 1846, released in 1996 to celebrate the company's 150th anniversary. In terms of high performance, the Marine Chronometer Manufacture, released in 2012, features the new Caliber UN-118 movement, which incorporates a diamond-molded escapement and a silicon balance spring. The Marine Torpilleur truly represents a modern continuation of Ulysse Nardin's signature marine chronometer with its classic design and highly precise, cutting-edge movement.

　While Ulysse Nardin's current diver's watches continue to evolve with the addition of new-generation models emphasizing high-tech and sustainability initiatives, one model that remains relevant is the 2018 release of the Diver 42mm. Featuring a simple three-hand time display and a downsized case, this 300m water-resistant diver's watch was inspired by the 1964 Diver Le Locle, and details such as the angular hands and indices on the dial and beige accents exude a retro feel. The GPS coordinates inscribed below the dial, indicating the location of Le Locle, the brand's headquarters since its founding, are also significant. They serve as a symbolic signature of Ulysse Nardin's pride in its long history as a specialist in maritime timepieces, established in the Swiss mountain region since the 19th century.