Ulysse Nardin’s Relevance In The Watchmaking History

By Author: Deepika Mahajan
Total Articles: 5
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The world of watchmaking is driven by innovative technology and sheer drive. All the greats in the industry have something in common and that is the sheer will to overcome limitations. This very spirit has been the driving force of Ulysse Nardin watches for over 170 years now. The enterprise was founded in 1846 by a young and ambitious Ulysse Nardin in Le Locle, Switzerland. The 23 years old Nardin was a specialist in complications and took pride in being an expert watchmaker. His vision for the business was clear as crystal. With a mission to establish a successful business in the Swiss watch industry, he set his aim on marine chronometers and precision pocket timepieces.
It was not long before Ulysse Nardin started supplying precision timekeepers to international merchants. Over the course of the company’s existence, many innovations have taken place and milestones have been achieved. What has remained constant, is the will to succeed and overcome the greatest of odds. Some of the greatest pieces of technology with a fair share of crazy aesthetics are ...
... the perpetual calendar and the incorporation of silicon components in the Freak collection.
Ulysse Nardin watches are somewhat of an authority and a benchmark when it comes nautical timekeeping. To add the cherry to the cake, collections like Freak, Diver, and Marine simply put the brand on the world map with their disparate and superlative designs.

Precision Movements

Ulysse Nardin watches are so unique that they might as well be mentioned among the wonders of the world. The Swiss watchmaker seems to do everything in its capacity to set itself apart from the competition. This includes utilising materials like silicium.
Another major contributor to its cult status is its ability to manufacture in-house movements and associated components. Ulysse Nardin is among the very few watch manufacturers in the entire world that can produce its own precision movements. This level of excellence has earned this horologist from Le Locle, Switzerland its reputation as a worthy member of the Haute Horlogerie industry.
As far as movements are concerned, a major milestone in the watchmaker’s elaborate history is the UN-118. The movement featured a balance wheel and a silicon escapement beating at 28,800 VPH. Another movement that impressed watch connoisseurs was the remastered UN-150. The movement displayed a power reserve of 48 hours. The horologist also fosters hand wound movements that boast a power reserve of up to 7 days. The latest in the brand’s line of mechanisms is the Automatic UN-230 movement that runs at the core of the 2019 Freak X, beating at 21,600 VPH.
High-End Collections
The brand currently focusses on five major collections that have become the poster boys for global watchmaking excellence. Ulysse Nardin watches price may seem a little farfetched at times, but the watches do have their ways to justify them. Talking of high-end collection, there is one particular collection that comes to mind, the Freak.
The Freak
The watch collection was playfully named ‘Freak’ when it was launched in 2001. The impact that the timepiece created on the watchmaking industry was huge. Today, the world not only respects this Ulysse Nardin watch for its avant-garde use of silicon but also accepts it as a part of the industry’s mechanical heritage. The initial years of the collection were rather vague and unclear in terms of the success it would achieve. Nonetheless, the watch was a sight of pure amazement from day one. The original Freak had a venerable design that featured a dial with an open view of the mechanism (which also acted as the minute hand). The Freak’s winding mechanism is innovative too. You see, it did not have a crown. Instead, the back of the case had to be notched and the bezel had to be turned in order to set the time.
Ulysse Nardin launched multiple variations of the watch over the years such as the Freak Cruiser, FreakLab, and the FreakWing. Being a contentious timepiece almost all its life, the Freak deserves its title as an avant-garde invention. Recently, the brand included the Freak X, along with the Freak Out and the Freak Vision as the newest members of the Ulysse Nardin family.
Needless to say, Ulysse Nardin is definitely one of the top watch brands at present and its relevance in the history of watchmaking is undeniable. Check out best collection of Ulysse Nardin for men at Kapoor Watch Company.

Deepika Mahajan is a writer from 7 years who has the best knowledge of lifestyle, fashion & jewellery watches.