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Ulysse Nardin

Founded in Le Locle in 1846 and independent again since 2022, Ulysse Nardin built its name on marine chronometers and then spent the 2000s doing what no traditional house would - silicon, no dial, no hands. Haute Time has covered the Freak from the first carrousel to the Freak S.
273Stories published
1846Maison founded
5Current collections
Ulysse Nardin Freak S skeleton carrousel movement
The Answer
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Ulysse Nardin is a Swiss watch manufacturer founded in Le Locle in 1846, historically the leading maker of marine chronometers for the world's navies. Its principal collections are the Freak, Marine, Diver, Blast and Executive. The maison pioneered silicon components in series watchmaking with the Freak in 2001 - a watch with no dial, no hands and no conventional crown, in which the entire movement rotates to tell the time. Ulysse Nardin returned to independent ownership in 2022 through a management buyout from Kering.

Ulysse NardinFounded 1846Le LocleFreakMarine ChronometerSilicon EscapementIndependentDiver

The Collection

Freak
Carrousel · 43-45mm
Cal. UN-230 / UN-251
Marine
Chronometer · 42-44mm
Cal. UN-118
Diver
Dive · 42-44mm
Cal. UN-816 / UN-118
Blast
Skeleton · 45mm
Cal. UN-172 / UN-372
Executive
Contemporary · 43mm
Cal. UN-278

Latest Ulysse Nardin Coverage

All 273 Stories ›
News

Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Moonstruck Puts the Cosmos on the Wrist in Rose Gold

By Adrienne Faurote · July 23, 2026
News

Ulysse Nardin Marks 25 Years of the Freak With Its Most Wearable Version Yet

By Haute Time · June 19, 2026
News

Ulysse Nardin Celebrates 25 Years of the Freak With Exclusive Gumball 3000 Limited Editions

By Adrienne Faurote · June 8, 2026
News

Missing, Ultra-Rare Watches Appear at Auction

By Andre Frois · May 27, 2026
Events

Ulysse Nardin Unveils the Super Freak at Watches & Wonders 2026 — The Most Complicated Time-Only Watch Ever Made

By Adrienne Faurote · April 13, 2026
News

Ulysse Nardin Introduces Another Freak: The Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2

By Adrienne Faurote · February 26, 2026
All 273 Ulysse Nardin Stories

Milestones

1846
Ulysse Nardin founds the house in Le Locle; marine chronometers become its reputation.
2001
The Freak debuts - a dial-free carrousel movement and the first series use of silicon in watchmaking.
2014
The in-house calibre UN-118 arrives with a silicon hairspring and DIAMonSIL escapement.
2022
A management buyout returns Ulysse Nardin to independent ownership.

Frequently Asked

What is the Ulysse Nardin Freak?
A watch with no dial, no hands and no conventional crown. The movement itself rotates inside the case - the baguette-shaped carrousel makes one full turn an hour to indicate minutes - and it was the first series watch to use silicon components when it launched in 2001.
Is Ulysse Nardin independent?
Yes. Kering sold Ulysse Nardin in 2022 in a management buyout, returning the maison to independent ownership after nearly a decade inside a luxury group.
What is Ulysse Nardin known for historically?
Marine chronometers. The house supplied deck watches and chronometers to more than 50 navies and won more chronometry prizes at the Neuchatel Observatory than any competitor - which is why the Marine collection still carries the name.
Where can I read Ulysse Nardin reviews from a watch publication?
Haute Time has published more than 150 Ulysse Nardin stories since 2006, including Freak launches, Diver releases and interviews with the maison's leadership.
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