Ulysses Nardin whit questionmarks

Skrotis · Jun 6, 2015

Hi bought this watch on auction a month ago, i thought i bought a watch from the early 40s because of design and the size of the watch.
Arriving one week later i find out that the case is signed Le Coultre Co and the movement signed Ulysses Nardin Chronometer Co.
As i understand the movment marked NOA was shipped from Swiss whitout the case for assembeling in USA, Le Coultre was doing it in the same way because of taxes.
Does anyone know if these Companys coorperated or is it a creative watchmaker in the early 50s.

Gratefull for any info.

Regards

Tony C. · Jun 6, 2015

Very odd. I'm not aware of any such partnership, but I'm not a U.N. expert, either.

Color me skeptical, as, among other reasons, the movement and case don't exactly appear to be a match made in heaven...

Skrotis · Jun 6, 2015

Hi Tony
The ring around the movment that looks od is a part of the locking system for the case.(Sorry English not to god)
The ring is suposed to put some pressure on the backcase.
I guess a part of life sometimes you win and sometimes you lose i think i lost this time.

Patrik

gatorcpa · Jun 6, 2015

Skrotis
Does anyone know if these Companys coorperated or is it a creative watchmaker in the early 50s.

I'd say more like a creative watchmaker in the 2000's. To my knowledge, there was no cooperation between Ulysse Nardin and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Steel cases like those were used for both US LeCoultres and JLC's in the rest of the world.

Movement is a Ulysse Nardin product, but in those days, UN did not make their own movements. They purchased existing models from established Swiss movement makers and did their own branding.

Not too much different than the Omega Moonwatch.
gatorcpa

lenny · Jun 6, 2015

Also, the U.S. import code for Lecoultre was VXN. NOA was only for Ulysse Nardin. No evidence for them mixing (to my knowledge).

Skrotis · Jun 7, 2015

Good morning from Sweden

Thanks for your answers and time.

In Sweden we dont se to many vintage UN so the knowledge is not to big.

The reason why i belive this is a old marrige is the condition and history of the Watch. I found it on a estatesale in
the North part of Sweden together with a Omega pocketwatch, estimated to 100 usd the Ulysses came on a old JB
braclet from the early 60s.The only thing i did was to put a new glas on there is some corosion on the spring ring at the
backcase and the movment really needs a cleanup. looking on the total amount of corosion on the case and hands it seems to fit.

Did they stamp the cases whit importcod to or only the movments?

Regarding the movement i cant find this base caliber from Felca or Peseux but the serialnr from UN dates it 1951-52.

Do anybody recognise this basemovment?

We al know that something is wrong but i like the design and it made me curious.

Regards

Patrik

gatorcpa · Jun 7, 2015

The import codes were only used on movements intended to be exported from Switzerland to the USA. Although, I suppose it is possible that the same movements could have been sent to other countries that taxed gold watch cases.

This "national production" system was only used with gold filled and 14K gold cases, at least here in the USA.

Since your watch is steel, don't know what happened there.
gatorcpa

lenny · Jun 7, 2015

Look at the movement carefully - there might be a mark/logo/number somewhere...
I don't think they made their own movements then, so perhaps it is an ETA base?

Skrotis · Jun 9, 2015

Good morning from Sweden

Found out that the base movement is a Aurore-Villeret 423 (thanks Lenny)

Thanks for your time and help.

Regards