Ulysse Nardin Tourbillon Regulator Pocket Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1940
This pocket chronometer, dated to approximately 1940, was produced by James C. Pellaton for Ulysse Nardin in Le Locle, Switzerland. The watch is encased in 18K gold and features a four-body bassine-style case with a polished finish and a hinged gold cuvette.
Its white enamel dial displays Breguet-style numerals, an outer minute track, and a recessed subsidiary seconds dial, complemented by blued steel Breguet hands. The movement is a 44.8 mm rhodium-plated Le Locle Technicum caliber, characterized by a curved center bridge and narrow fausses côtes finishing. It houses a three-arm equidistant Pellaton tourbillon carriage, an anibal-brass Guillaume balance with a Phillips outer terminal curve hairspring, and a Swiss calibrated lever escapement.
The timepiece is jeweled to the center and includes a micrometric screw adjustment for the regulator. The object is accompanied by its original fitted leather box.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Tourbillon & karrusel watch
- Maker
- James C. Pellaton, made for Ulysse Nardin
- Case serial
- 647864
- Publication
- Le Tourbillon by Reinhard Meis
- Balance type
- Cut anibal-brass Guillaume balance
- Case diameter
- 53 mm
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Movement serial
- 123232
- Movement caliber
- Le Locle Technicum caliber
- Maker / attribution
- James C. Pellaton for Ulysse Nardin
Design
- Case and Dial
- The timepiece is housed in an 18K gold case of a four-body bassine construction. It features a polished exterior surface and includes a hinged inner gold cuvette protecting the movement. The crown is designed for keyless winding. The dial is composed of white enamel and follows a traditional layout with Breguet-style numerals. Minute divisions are marked along the perimeter, and a sunk subsidiary seconds dial is located at the bottom. The display is completed by blued steel Breguet-style hands.
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial with Breguet numerals • Tourbillon carriage visible on the movement • Blued steel Breguet hands • Polished gold case finish
- Movement and Escapement
- The 44.8 mm movement is rhodium-plated and follows the Le Locle Technicum caliber specification. The architecture features a curved center bridge and narrow fausses côtes decoration. The mechanism is jeweled to the center, with the escapement also featuring endstones. A three-arm equidistant Pellaton carriage governs the tourbillon. The regulation is achieved through a cut anibal-brass Guillaume balance paired with a blued steel hairspring containing a Phillips outer terminal curve. The index regulator includes a gold scale plate and utilizes a micrometric screw adjustment for the pins.
- Signatures and Provenance
- The watch bears signatures from both the movement maker and the brand. Pellaton has signed the movement, while Ulysse Nardin is signed on the dial, the movement, and the original fitted leather box. The case is punched with the maker's trademark. Documentation regarding the object is verified by its inclusion in the 1990 publication 'Le Tourbillon' by Reinhard Meis, appearing on page 165. The auction house reports the condition of the case, movement, and dial as being in 'As new' condition.
Identification
- Serial number
- 123232
- 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.
Research required
- Research required: Attribution of manufacture to James C. Pellaton relies on auction house identification
- Research required: Exact dating to circa 1940 is an auction house estimation