Javier Alvarez

Ulysse Nardin is an independent, high horology Swiss Maison, designing and manufacturing advanced timepieces through pioneering technology and unmatched craftsmanship. Founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland, the Manufacture quickly became renowned for its precision timing instruments, critical to ocean exploration. Over five generations, the Nardin family produced the most reliable marine chronometers, trusted by leading navies and used by scientists in fields like geodesy, astronomy, and earth sciences. Ulysse Nardin has led innovation in chronometry, in-house movements, and material R&D, accumulating over 4,300 technical and design awards. The Manufacture introduced groundbreaking pieces like the first chiming watch with Jacquemarts automatons, the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei, and the first perpetual calendar that could be set both forwards and backwards via the crown. Pioneering the use of silicon in horology, Ulysse Nardin also developed DiamonSil®, a revolutionary surface treatment. The Freak, launched in 2001, epitomized Ulysse Nardin’s unique approach, combining high technology and craftsmanship. More than 20 years later, the Freak [ONE] was awarded the “Most Iconic Watch” prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Ulysse Nardin and its sister Maison Girard-Perregaux form an independent collective of high horology Manufactures, named Sowind Group SA. In 2024, the collective became the first company in Switzerland’s luxury industry to be recognized by Deloitte as one of Switzerland’s Best Managed Companies, a distinction it has continued to earn in 2025 and 2026.