Ulysse Nardin Executive Dual Time 243-00/42 Replica Watch

Ulysse Nardin's unique brand story

Ulysse Nardin - The best chapter in the history of Haute Horlogerie

Picture this: in the remote Swiss mountains, a young boy sits in the studio next to his father, learning the amazing and intricate art of watchmaking. He studied and practised art, and when he was just 23 years old, his entrepreneurial nerve struck him and he started his own brand, Le Locle, in his hometown, creating complicated timepieces.

Today, 174 years later, we know the brand by the name of its founder, Ulysse Nardin. Ulysse Nardin grew up in the Swiss Jura mountains far from the sea, but by far the biggest inspiration for him and his brand remains the sea and its nautical world. Ulysse has become the "it" brand for sailors, divers and the nautical world with its popular, precise and complex marine chronometers.

The brand is very proud of its history and its popularity in the sailing world. This is very evident in the brand's logo. The logo is designed to highlight all the key characteristics of the brand. The logo has an anchor between the two words - Ulysse Nardin (founder).

Even the brand's color scheme is designed to highlight their inspiration - navy blue and white. Once the brand has built a reputation and has been in watchmaking for a long time, it adds to its logo the year it was founded – since 1846. Other than that, we've all heard of Switzerland for some reason, right?

Their Swiss Army Knives, their classic watches, mouthwatering Lindt chocolates, and of course Yash Raj Chopra, their snow-capped mountains and beautiful grasslands!

Ulysse Nardin made sure that it was an important element of a Swiss watch, so added its origin - Le Locle, Suisse.

All references to their experiences and origins come together to tell potential buyers that Ulysse Nardin is the perfect buy you can buy and you won’t regret.

Early History:

Ulysse Nardin was born in Le Locle, Switzerland in 1823. At that time, during the long, cold winters, people had to do things other than farming to survive, so in Switzerland, many households produced timekeeping tools. Born into a family of watchmakers, Ulysse Nardin began studying art at an early age under the apprenticeship of his watchmaker father, Léonard-Frédéric Nardin. He then moved on, honing his craft under the tutelage of Frédéric-William Dubois and Louis JeanRichard-dit-Bressel, the master watchmakers of the era.

In 1846, at the age of 23, Ulysse Nardin founded his eponymous brand, headquartered in Le Locle, which has not yet settled down. Despite growing up in the mountains, Ulysse was inspired by the ocean and made nautical timing instruments. He was the first to produce such a precise marine chronometer. He quickly became a popular name on merchant ships and navies around the world. Obsessed with perfection and accuracy, Ulysee Nardin was the best of his time. In 1860, he purchased an astronomically adjusted clock made by Jacques-Frederic Houriet in 1768 in order to more accurately calibrate the timing of his pocket timepiece. His pocket and marine chronometers remain reference products for civilians, military and scientists.

The company soon became known for its minute repeaters, complicated watches and pocket timers.

During this period, the French and British became famous for their timepieces. So Ulysse went to London to challenge for the best pocket chronometer. In 1862, at the London International Exhibition, he was awarded a medal for "Complications in the Timekeeping of Watches and Pocket Watches". This award is considered to be the Oscars of the British watch industry. In 1867, Nardin also received the first certificate for a marine chronometer from the Neuchâtel Observatory.

Since then, Ulysses has never stopped to look back. It has faced lows, but it always comes back with a stronger energy full of innovation, precision and class.

According to the latest official report from the Neuchâtel Observatory in Switzerland, between 1846 and 1975, Ulysse Nardin received various awards and honors for its marine chronometers, including 4,324 certificates out of 4,504 submitted, 2,411 special Awards and 18 Gold Medals at International Exhibitions and World Fairs.

Sadly, Ulysse Nardin passed away in 1876 at the age of 53. His son Paul-David Nardine succeeded as head of the company.

Paul-David Nardin was no less than his father, just as Ulysse Nardin continued to perfect the nautical chronometer, winning various awards and awards over the years. In 1890 he was awarded two Swiss patents, a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exposition, and more until the 19th century.

Ulysse Nardin and the U.S. Army

Paul-David Nardin helped miniaturize many of the elements in the chronometer, thus creating a small timepiece that is easier to carry and use on board. As a result, they kept supplying more watches to the military and received various awards from numerous astronomical institutions. Catering to the American market was Ulysse's lifelong desire, and so was his son, who soon became an official supplier to the U.S. Navy.

The brand regularly wins the Washington Naval Observatory and soon began supplying watches for the U.S. Navy's torpedo boats, supplying them with case backs with the watch number engraved on it and "U.S. Navy" engraved on it.

The company has been supplying timepieces to navies around the world including the US, France, UK, Russia and Japan. About 50 naval and international shipping lines are equipped with Ulysse Nardin chronometers.

The Ulysse Nardin by Rolf Schneider
In the 1970s and 1980s there was the quartz crisis (upheaval due to the emergence of quartz watches that replaced mechanical watches.) This largely influenced the Swiss watchmaking industry, which chose to focus on the ancient art of mechanical watchmaking. But when Rolf W. Schnyder bought the company in 1983, even this setback turned into an opportunity and the brand got bigger. Together with distinguished watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, Schnyder managed to revive the brand. They specialize in creating timeless classic watches with modern materials and technologies like silicon.

On the occasion of the brand's 150th anniversary, Ludwig Oechslin designed the first marine chronograph watch "Marine Chronometer 1846" and the first perpetual calendar called "Perpetual Ludwig".

Together, Schneider and Ludwig produced some of the greatest masterpieces in watchmaking, including the Trilogy Watch, the Galilean Astrolabe, the Copernicus Planetarium and the Johannes Kepler Telluride.

In 2001, as one of the most famous watches in Athens, the Freak was launched, with several technical patents. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Ulysse Nardin has been one of the most creative and innovative brands, and without interruption.

By 2006, the brand had embarked on its full in-house vertical manufacturing journey. That year, Ulysse Nardin released its first in-house movement, the UN 160. Since then, it has seen a series of different movements.

Unfortunately, in 2011, the brand was shocked by the death of Rolf Schnder. Schneider impressed the company with his vision and leadership.