Ulysse Nardin Split-Seconds Doctor's Pocket Watch

Technical characteristics

Type

Chronograph & split-seconds watch

Maker

Ulysse Nardin

Regulator

Swan-neck micrometric

Escapement

Straight line lever

Case Material

18K gold

Serial Number

12165

Place recorded

Switzerland

Total Diameter

56 mm

Movement Diameter

42 mm

Maker / attribution

Ulysse Nardin

Design

Visible features

• Red Arabic numerals on the white enamel dial • Translucent basse-taille enamel initials on the case back • Grisaille portrait of a woman on the inner gold cuvette • Pulsometer scale calibrated for 30 beats

Case and Dial Design

The watch is housed in a four-body "bassine" case crafted from 18K gold. Inside, the watch features a hinged gold cuvette that serves as a protective cover for the movement. This cuvette is decorated with a grisaille enamel portrait, which is rendered with significant technical detail, depicting a lady. The dial is finished in white enamel, providing a high-contrast backdrop for the red Arabic numerals that denote the hours. The perimeter of the dial features both a minute and seconds track, as well as an outermost pulsometer scale. This specific scale is calibrated to measure pulse rates based on 30 heartbeats, indicating the watch's specialized function for medical applications, commonly referred to as a doctor's watch.

Signatures and Condition

The watch is signed on both the dial and the case, confirming its origin from the Ulysse Nardin manufacture in Locle. The dial is given a grading of '2,' indicating a high level of preservation. According to the accompanying notes provided in the source, Ulysse Nardin watches featuring painted enamel cases are considered rare. The combination of the specialized pulsometer complication and the decorative grisaille enamel work positions this piece as a distinctive example of early 20th-century horological production.

Movement and Complications

The movement is a 42 mm (18 1/2''') caliber, rhodium-plated to provide corrosion resistance and a clean aesthetic. The mechanism is a split-seconds chronograph, which allows for the timing of two simultaneous events or the recording of intermediate pulses, essential for medical diagnostics. The watch includes a 30-minute totalizer register to track elapsed time. The construction utilizes 25 jewels, which serve to reduce friction at critical points within the gear train and complications. Technical regulation is managed by a cut bimetallic compensation balance, intended to counteract the effects of temperature fluctuations on the oscillation period of the balance wheel. To ensure isochronism, the watch is equipped with a blued steel Breguet balance spring. Fine adjustments are facilitated by a "swan-neck" micrometric regulator, which allows for precise regulation of the timekeeping rate, reflecting the precision-focused engineering associated with the Ulysse Nardin manufacture during this era.

Identification

Serial number

12165

Source note

Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.