Ulysse Nardin

Who are Ulysse Nardin?

Ulysse Nardin is a Swiss watchmaker based in Le Locle, founded there in 1846 by Ulysse Nardin. It made its name with marine chronometers, and since 2001 has been known for the Freak and for silicon movement parts. This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a pre-owned Ulysse Nardin in the UK.

The company has changed hands twice in recent decades. Kering, the French luxury group, bought it in 2014 and sold it, together with Girard-Perregaux, to the brands’ management in 2022 (Kering). Ulysse Nardin now describes itself as an “independent and integrated Swiss manufacture” (Ulysse Nardin).

The history of Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin’s history runs from a Le Locle chronometer workshop to a modern manufacture. The key dates are the founding (1846), a century of marine chronometers, the relaunch under Rolf Schnyder (1983), the Freak (2001), Kering’s ownership (2014–2022) and independence since 2022.

Founding. Ulysse Nardin was born in 1823 into a watchmaking family and founded his workshop in Le Locle in 1846 (Ulysse Nardin). In 1865 the business moved to Rue du Jardin 5, which is still its address (Ulysse Nardin). The sources describe the first big award differently: the brand says it won its first chronometry gold medal by 1862, while Wikipedia says it won a prize medal at the London International Exhibition that year.

Marine chronometers. A marine chronometer is a precise clock carried on a ship to work out longitude. Ulysse Nardin received its first series of Neuchâtel Observatory certificates for marine chronometers in 1867, and its founder’s son Paul-David Nardin took over after his death in 1876 (Wikipedia). Paul-David won a Grand Prix and gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889 (Ulysse Nardin). Deliveries of marine chronometers to the US Navy began in 1902 (Wikipedia). The brand says that in its centenary year, 1946, 77% of the marine chronometers awarded by the Neuchâtel Observatory were its own (Ulysse Nardin). When the observatory published its last report in 1975, it credited the company with 4,324 certificates from 4,504 submissions, 1846 to 1975 (Wikipedia).

The quartz crisis and Schnyder. The quartz crisis of the late 1970s and early 1980s hit the company hard (Wikipedia). In 1983 Rolf W. Schnyder bought it from the Nardin family after five generations (Ulysse Nardin). With the scientist and watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin he created the Trilogy of Time: the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei (1985), the Planetarium Copernicus (1988) and the Tellurium Johannes Kepler (1992) (Wikipedia). For the 150th anniversary in 1996 the brand launched the Marine Chronometer 1846 wristwatch and a perpetual calendar that could be set forwards or backwards from the crown (Wikipedia; Ulysse Nardin).

The Freak and silicon. The Freak was launched in 2001 (Ulysse Nardin). Its idea began with a 1997 design by Carole Forestier-Kasapi, which Oechslin then reworked for production (SJX Watches). In 2003 the company opened a site in La Chaux-de-Fonds for movement and design development (Ulysse Nardin).

Kering. Schnyder died suddenly in 2011, and his wife Chai Schnyder took over; the same year the company bought the enamel dial maker Donzé Cadrans (Wikipedia). In July 2014 Kering announced it would buy 100% of Ulysse Nardin and put it in its watches and jewellery division, with the management team staying in place (Kering). Patrick Pruniaux, a former Apple executive, became chief executive in 2017 (Ulysse Nardin; Wikipedia).

Independence. In January 2022 Kering announced the sale of Sowind Group SA, the company that owns Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux, to its management, and it completed the sale on 31 May 2022 (Kering). In 2023 the Freak ONE won a prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (Ulysse Nardin).

What is Ulysse Nardin known for?

Ulysse Nardin is known for marine chronometers, for the astronomical watches made with Ludwig Oechslin in the 1980s and 1990s, and for the Freak, the first watch to use silicon components. It makes its own movements and owns suppliers of dials and silicon parts.

Marine chronometers. Kering’s 2014 announcement described the brand’s identity as based on “historical expertise in marine chronometers and ultra-complication watches” (Kering). The Marine collection draws on that history.

Astronomical complications. The Astrolabium Galileo Galilei of 1985 was listed by Guinness in 1989 as the world’s most functional watch, with 21 functions (Wikipedia).

Silicon. The Freak of 2001 used silicon parts in its escapement (Ulysse Nardin; SJX Watches). The brand describes silicon as lighter than steel and self-lubricating (Ulysse Nardin). In 2007 the brand introduced Diamonsil, a silicon and synthetic-diamond material (Wikipedia). Kering said in 2014 that this work gave Ulysse Nardin the ability to make its own regulating parts (Kering). SJX Watches reports that the escapement in the first Freaks sometimes malfunctioned, and that most had their escape wheels replaced at service, which matters if you are looking at an early example.

Making its own parts. Wikipedia lists the brand’s sites: La Chaux-de-Fonds for research and movements, Le Locle for enamel dials at Donzé Cadrans, and Sion for silicon parts made by Sigatec. The UN-118, launched in 2012, was its first automatic calibre made entirely in-house (Wikipedia). Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why buyers ask.

Which Ulysse Nardin collections are there?

Ulysse Nardin’s current range has five collections: the Freak, the Blast, the Diver, the Marine and the Classico. The Freak and Blast are its most technical watches; the Diver and Marine draw on its connection with the sea.

The collections table on this page gives the year each family began, where known, and a one-line description. A few points help when you are reading listings:

• Freak generations. There have been many Freak models since 2001, with different escapements and materials. Check exactly which version and calibre a listing describes, and whether an early watch has had its escapement replaced at service (SJX Watches).
• Diver and water resistance. Some Diver models use recycled or upcycled materials, including straps made from recycled fishing nets (Ulysse Nardin). Ask when the water resistance was last tested; our guide to water resistance explains the ratings.
• Limited editions. The brand makes collaborations and numbered series, such as the UR-FREAK with Urwerk in 2025 (Wikipedia). Check that the number on the watch matches the papers.

Who owns Ulysse Nardin?

Ulysse Nardin is owned by Sowind Group SA, a Swiss holding company that also owns Girard-Perregaux. Kering sold its entire stake in Sowind to the company’s management in a deal completed on 31 May 2022. Patrick Pruniaux is chief executive of both brands.

Kering first took a stake in Sowind, then the owner of Girard-Perregaux, in 2008 and raised it to a majority in 2011 (Wikipedia, Sowind Group). It bought Ulysse Nardin from the Schnyder family in 2014 (Kering; SJX Watches). When the sale was announced in January 2022, the buyer was described as Sowind’s management and board, which then included Pruniaux and Kering’s group managing director Jean-François Palus (Watchonista). The value of the deal was not disclosed (SJX Watches).

We found no public list of Sowind’s current shareholders. Because the company is private, it does not publish results.

Buying a pre-owned Ulysse Nardin in the UK: what to check

Check that the reference and serial numbers on the watch match its papers, that the papers and any service records are genuine, and that the watch is not recorded as stolen. For a watch bought new from 2017, check whether it was registered for the extended warranty.

1. Papers and the full set. Ask exactly which items are included, such as the warranty card, box and service receipts, and whether they are originals. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves and what it does not.

2. Reference and serial numbers. The numbers on the watch should match the warranty card and any receipts. A seller who will not show them before you pay is a reason to walk away.

3. Authenticity. Fake Ulysse Nardin watches exist. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

4. Stolen-watch check. Before you pay, check the serial number against a stolen-watch register and ask the seller to confirm the watch is not reported lost or stolen. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers and how to use them.

5. Servicing. Ask when the watch was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork. For a Freak or a tourbillon, ask whether the service was done by Ulysse Nardin, since parts such as silicon escapements are specific to the brand. For an early Freak, ask whether the original escapement has been replaced (SJX Watches).

6. Warranty. From January 2017 Ulysse Nardin offered a five-year warranty on its mechanical watches, provided the owner registered the watch on its website within a year of purchase (Worldtempus). We could not confirm the current terms, or whether the remaining warranty passes to a second owner. A dealer’s own warranty is a promise from the dealer, not from Ulysse Nardin. See watch warranties explained.

7. Who you buy from. There are three main routes in the UK:

Sources: Worldtempus, Ulysse Nardin announces 5-year warranty (checked 29 October 2026).

We found no Ulysse Nardin-run certified pre-owned programme; the certified pre-owned Ulysse Nardin watches we found were sold under retailers’ own schemes. For how independent dealers compare with appointed retailers, read grey market versus authorised dealer.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Where was Ulysse Nardin founded?

In Le Locle, Switzerland, in 1846, by Ulysse Nardin. The company is still based there, at Rue du Jardin 5 (Ulysse Nardin).

Who owns Ulysse Nardin?

Sowind Group SA, which is owned by its management. Kering sold its entire stake in Sowind in a deal completed on 31 May 2022 (Kering).

Is Ulysse Nardin still part of Kering?

No. Kering owned Ulysse Nardin from 2014 until 2022, when it sold Sowind Group, the owner of Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux, to its management (Kering).

Are Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux the same company?

They are separate brands with the same owner, Sowind Group SA, and the same chief executive, Patrick Pruniaux (Kering; Watchonista).

What is the Ulysse Nardin Freak?

A watch launched in 2001 that the brand describes as having “no dial, no hands, no crown”. It was the first watch to use silicon components (Ulysse Nardin; SJX Watches).

What is the Ulysse Nardin Trilogy of Time?

Three astronomical wristwatches designed with Ludwig Oechslin: the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei (1985), the Planetarium Copernicus (1988) and the Tellurium Johannes Kepler (1992) (Wikipedia).

Does Ulysse Nardin make its own movements?

Yes. Its first automatic calibre made entirely in-house, the UN-118, came in 2012, and it has its own sites for movements, enamel dials and silicon parts (Wikipedia).

How long is the Ulysse Nardin warranty?

From 2017 the brand offered five years on mechanical watches registered online within a year of purchase (Worldtempus). Check the current terms with the brand or the seller.

Can I buy a pre-owned Ulysse Nardin without papers?

You can, but without papers you rely more heavily on the seller’s written guarantee, an independent watchmaker’s check and a stolen-watch check. Agree in writing that you get a full refund if the watch is later found not to be genuine.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Ulysse Nardin or Sowind Group.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.