An Evening with Rolf Schnyder – The Story of Ulysse Nardin and its Rebirth
Ulysse Nardin was born in 1823, the son of a reputable Swiss watchmaking family. His early training as a watchmaker was conducted by his Father. After studying and completing his apprenticeship with several leading Swiss watchmakers he founded the eponymous Ulysse Nardin watches brand in La Locle, Switzerland.
His initial interest was in the design and manufacture of pocket watches, clocks and marine chronometers. His aim was to produce these with the highest possible level of accuracy. Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the brand received numerous awards including 18 International gold medals for chronometric performance.
The late 20th century invention of the quartz movement had a disastrous impact on the Swiss mechanical watch houses, no more so than Ulysse Nardin. By 1980 it appeared that the end of the brand was close.
A Swiss industrialist named Rolf Schnyder recognised that the beauty of a mechanical watch was not just about accuracy but represented a basis for developing a timepiece of beautiful innovative design. “A watch is generally a man’s only statement piece of jewellery, the relationship a man has with a mechanical watch is very special” said Schnyder.
In 1983 Schnyder decided to breath new life into Ulysse Nardin and restore the brand to it’s former glories creating real horology. When he visited the manufacturer for the first time he found a single building, virtually empty. One watchmaker was employed, the business needed to be rebuilt ground up.
Schnyder recognised that he needed creative and technical support and therefore recruited Ludwig Oechslin an exceptional watchmaker/designer and Pierre Gygax who became Technical Director responsible for production. Their contribution included the ability to take radical ideas and deliver the most innovative mechanisms. These appointments Schnyder described as the real contribution to building a creative trinity.
It took Schnyder and his team two and a half decades to return Ulysse Nardin to be recognised as a brand at the forefront of producing exciting, fearless innovative, complicated timepieces. Key to his success was the belief that whilst accuracy remained a priority, the brand would be known for unique case design, imaginative dials and exceptional complications.
In recognition of his contribution to watchmaking Rolf received the Spirit of Enterprise Gala award in 2003 by the Musee International d’Horlogerie.
Watchmaking at this level is truly an art form. Over the last thirty years a number of timepieces standout and truly represent Schnyder, Oechslin and Gypax’s vision.
A watch with no hands?
It doesn’t sound possible but The Freak has no hands and no crown. The entire movement is driven by the mainspring and rotates in such a way that the movement is the instrument for telling the time. The manual winding is done by turning the case back. The escapement is made from silicon which is strong, light and does not require lubrication. A 7 day power reserve ensures your watch doesn’t stop when unworn for a few days! The movement is contained in a 43mm to 45mm case and since the initial inception twelve editions have been produced.
The sound of a cathedral chime
Rolf Schnyder stated that “The Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral alarm had to be better and more functional than anything else that had come before!” The Sonata was designed as the ultimate GMT alarm watch, a watch that includes an alarm countdown, described as the progression of time. This is the first alarm watch that could distinguish between am and pm and therefore can be set 24 hours in advance. The alarm time can be set, and is accurate to the minute. The dial is stunning and includes a big date, alarm setting, the count down and dual time dial. Finally the sound. The alarm is created by a hammer striking a gong producing the most beautiful tone (check it on youtube) and is so much better than a buzz!
The Sonata has a 42mm case and is powered by a Ulysse Nardin automatic movement.
This is in my top 10 watches of all time but that’s for another article…
A floating tourbillon
The tourbillon was invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet 220 years ago. The tourbillon regulates the movement therefore improving the accuracy of an automatic watch.
At the Basel watch fair in 2005 a number of luxury watch brands released tourbillon complications including, Jaeger – LeCoultre, Parmigiani Fleurier and Vacheron Constantin. Ulysse Nardin’s collection included the outstandingly beautiful Royal Blue Tourbillon.
The mechanism has had a number of the metal elements removed, the plates and bridges are made from blue sapphire crystal. The flying (floating) tourbillon appears to be unconnected to the movement. It is only joined in one place by the gear train. The watch back is made from sapphire crystal making the watch movement fully visible. The case is made of platinum, the bezel, lugs and crown are beautifully set with diamonds and sapphires. This is truly a complicated watch but also a work of precision creative art.
A night to remember with Rolf Schnyder
Leading the Watches of Switzerland business as Group Tradng Director, I had the pleasure of supporting Rolf in relaunching Ulysse Nardin watches to the UK market in 2006.
On November 23rd 2006, we held a private dinner at The Walbrook Club, the most discreet private members club situated in The Square Mile of London. Overlooking the garden of The Church of St Stephen the dining room led by Albert Roux of Le Gavroche was the perfect setting. The dinner was attended by a hand-picked list of 40 VIP customers, journalists, watch collectors and aficionados.
Following an exquisite five course dinner, Rolf spoke passionately for an hour about the history of Ulysse Nardin, how he revived this beautiful brand and his vision for the future, His love and devotion was evident for all to see. The audience listened intently to Rolf describing in detail, the design and production of the unlubricated silicon escapement movement that eradicates friction, used in The Freak collection, and the brands status as designing the most exciting complications with technical advances.
During a Q&A session Rolf was asked many questions about the development of complications, perpetual calendars, minute repeaters and marine chronometers. A number of questions were asked concerning the brands enamelled erotic and maritime dial designs. The masterpiece Genghis Khan minute repeater tourbillion and the award winning Astrolabium Galileo Galilei were also the focus of a number of questions regarding their complicated movements. Finally, he was asked by a collector if he still retained one of the original Ulysse Nardin Freak watches of which only a few were produced. He proudly stated that he personally had one safely locked in his safe. “I will give you £150,000 for it” stated the collector. Rolf politely declined the offer, it was not for sale, for him his personal collection includes several significant landmark timepieces in the recent history of Ulysse Nardin. These timepieces represent 40 years of unwavering commitment and creative work, no amount of money would persuade Rolf to part with these.
Sadly, Rolf Schnyder passed away in April 2011 at the age of 75 after a short illness.
His legacy remains intact as Ulysse Nardin continues to be integral to the innovative design of Swiss complicated watchmaking.
