Manufacturer: Ulysse Nardin Year: 1968 Reference No: 7536-2 Movement No: 7’500’999 Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, N13B, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel generic beads-of-rice bracelet of recent production Dimensions: 38mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, and movement signed.
Catalogue Essay
Combining elements of two of the most iconic sportswatches of the mid-century, the Ulysse Nardin chronograph reference 7536-2 is a surprisingly welcome addition to that most fruitful era of complicated wristwatches. Ulysse Nardin at the time was not known to focus on such timepieces, so the creation of one was unprecedented. With a bezel reminiscent of the Omega Speedmaster, the same Singer dial and layout of a Rolex Daytona, and a workhorse Valjoux 72-based movement, it combines all these desirable elements into a case exactly one millimeter larger than the Daytona.
The present example has a dial that has turned a rich chocolate brown, a process called “tropicalization”, with a very lightly faded bezel. This reference has made appearances in two Phillips thematic auctions, including the exceptional START-STOP-RESET sale in 2016. With wide, bold chamfers to the lugs, the engraving to the caseback still crisp and visible, this example, fresh to the auction market, is presented in excellent and, in our opinion, unpolished condition.
Founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland, Ulysse Nardin is a widely acclaimed Swiss watch manufacturer that earned recognition for its precision chronometers during the early to mid-twentieth century. Ulysse Nardin himself was a trained watchmaker under the guidance of his father, Leonard-Frederic Nardin, as well as master watchmakers Frederic William Dubois and Louis Jean Richard-dit-Bressel. Collectors in particular seek this brand's oversized vintage chronograph wristwatches, including the reference 7536-2.
