from the United States visited the Ulysse Nardin factories

 in Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland.

After a short introduction by Rolf Schnyder, owner and President

of Ulysse Nardin, we did a factory tour ofUlysse Nardin in

Le Locle. The premises have been newly renovated and an

additional building been added to the initial Ulysse Nardin factory.

Rolf Schnyder welcomes the Group at the UN headquarters in Le Locle.

In the R & D Department, new ideas become a concept. We would have

loved to find out what new developments are in the pipeline. Like all of

us we have to wait until Basel 2003! Lucas Humair, head of the R &D

refused to tell us what he is working on: “we are working on some

 complicated movement designs, which will become reality in 3-4 years”.

Joel Teutschmann assembling a Ulysse Nardin Freak. Only three watchmakers have the

training and knowledge to assemble this very complex timepiece with its oversized mainspring

and Dual Direct Escapement.

A special tool is needed to test the Freak movement before it can be cased.

Each Freak movement is tested over a period of 16 days before it is cased.

Again, special equipment is needed to test the movement.

Pierre Gygax (with white shirt) is overseeing the assembly of Marine Chronometer 1846 movements.

The assembly of a GMT Perpetual movement is reserved for just a handful of watchmakers.

The assembly of Marine Chronometer 1846 movements

requires a steady hand and attention to detail.