After learning the trade from his father, Leonard-Frederic Nardin, and two other watchmakers, Frederic William Dubois and Louis Jean Richard-dit-Bressel, Ulysse Nardin has founded his own watchmaking company in Le Locle, Switzerland, when he was just 23. It was back in 1846, and the company that still bears his name has quickly started to make a name for itself, by designing and manufacturing some of the world’s most incredible timekeeping wonders.
Ulysse Nardin paved the company’s future with brilliant pocket watches and highly accurate marine chronometers, that were really popular among civilians and many Naval forces across the world during the 19th century. Since it was founded, for 170 years, the renowned Swiss watchmaker has forged ahead, fusing bold innovation with undeniable style, to create some of the most interesting timepieces out there.
Their latest creation in this highly demanding field of high-end watchmaking is called the Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar, and it’s yet another brilliant tribute to Ulysse Nardin’s rich history with the sea and a new statement of technical performance and beautiful design.
Premiered earlier this year at Baselworld, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the brand’s Marine collection, this new marine-themed beauty is powered by a newly developed in-house calibre called UN-153 that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, proof of its extreme precision.
The entire mechanism inside Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar seems to be a complex work of art, even though it uses just a few parts, a brilliant caliber imagined by Ludwig Oechslin, the same watchmaker who created many of the brand’s most innovative pieces. The annual calendar has to be adjusted just once a year, at the end of February, and the best thing is that it can be adjusted forwards and backwards right from the crown.
The watch has the same beautiful forms as sailing instruments, with a ribbed bezel, an elegant screw-down crown, a full lug and a stunning 43 mm case, holding the precious mechanism inside, which can be seen through the sapphire caseback, revealing the oscillating weight with two wonderful anchor motifs.
Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar will be available in several gorgeous versions, and we think it’s going to be really hard to pick your favorite between a cool white dial with black numerals, a deep blue dial with white indications, or a stunning rose gold version with the same blue dial, but featuring Roman numerals in gold. Whatever your choice might be, we’re sure this gorgeous timepiece would be the best Christmas present!
I partnered with the brand to write this article but every word is mine
