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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. Knockoff Watches Wholesale has covered the Freak from the first carrousel to the Freak S.
269Stories published
1846Maison founded
5Current collections
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 269 Stories ›
All Features
The 5 Watch Complications Every Collector Should Understand
News
Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Moonstruck Puts the Cosmos on the Wrist in Rose Gold
News
Ulysse Nardin Marks 25 Years of the Freak With Its Most Wearable Version Yet
News
Ulysse Nardin Celebrates 25 Years of the Freak With Exclusive Gumball 3000 Limited Editions
News
Missing, Ultra-Rare Watches Appear at Auction
Events
Ulysse Nardin Unveils the Super Freak at Watches & Wonders 2026 — The Most Complicated Time-Only Watch Ever Made
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.
Timely FAQs
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?
Knockoff Watches Wholesale has published more than 150 Ulysse Nardin stories since 2006, including Freak launches, Diver releases and interviews with the maison's leadership.