Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin has made marine chronometers in Le Locle since 1846 and, since the Freak of 2001, some of the most unconventional mechanical watches in Switzerland. BeepWear lists 17 pre-owned Ulysse Nardin watches from $11,000 to $72,100 with a median of $14,300: seven Divers, three Marine Torpilleurs, five Blasts and two Freak Xs. Each is inspected before listing and photographed as the actual watch, and orders ship insured within the United States.

Which Ulysse Nardin watches are in stock? Seven Divers: a 44mm 1183-170-3/92 at $11,000, the Diver X NEMO Point 44mm limited edition at $11,700, a 42mm 8163-175/GREY-5N at $11,800, the Diver Net Azure 44mm at $14,300, the Diver X Skeleton Azure 44mm at $28,600, and two 39mm Lady Divers at $13,600 and $18,100. Three Marine Torpilleurs: a 42mm 1183-310-7M/40 at $11,400, the Dual Time 44mm at $13,000 and a 42mm 1182-310-3/42 at $24,200. Five Blasts: two Dual Time 42mm at $11,000, two Skeleton X 42mm at $25,000 and the Blast Tourbillon 45mm at $72,100. And two Freak Xs at 43mm, the TI Black at $29,500 and the OPS at $37,500.

What does a pre-owned Ulysse Nardin cost? Nine of the 17 are under $15,000, which on this brand means the standard Divers, the Blast Dual Time and the entry Marine Torpilleur; that is the practical starting point. Six sit between $15,000 and $30,000: the black Lady Diver, the precious-metal Marine Torpilleur, the two Skeleton Xs, the Diver X Skeleton and the Freak X TI Black. Two are above: the Freak X OPS at $37,500 and the Blast Tourbillon at $72,100. Skeleton work and complications drive the spread more than case size does.

What is the Freak, and why does the Freak X cost less? The original Freak of 2001 had no dial, no hands and no crown: the whole movement turned once an hour to show the time and was set from the bezel. It was also the first wristwatch with a silicon escapement. The Freak X, launched in 2019, keeps the rotating movement as the minute hand but adds a conventional crown and an automatic calibre, which made it simpler to build and brought the price down. The two on this page, at 43mm, are the way most buyers get into the Freak family.

Diver, Marine Torpilleur or Blast? Three different ideas. The Diver is the 300m sports watch, offered here in 42 and 44mm and in a 39mm Lady Diver; the Net Azure variants use recycled fishing-net material for the strap, and the NEMO Point edition is named for the point in the Pacific farthest from any land. The Marine Torpilleur is the dress-leaning descendant of the firm’s marine chronometers, with a power-reserve display and a small seconds; the Dual Time adds a second zone. The Blast, launched in 2020, is the angular skeletonised line: the Skeleton X shows its movement through an X-shaped frame, and the Blast Tourbillon carries a flying tourbillon.

Is Ulysse Nardin a good brand to buy pre-owned? It is one of the few independent Swiss manufactures that makes its own escapements, and its watches are technically ambitious for the money. The pre-owned discount against retail is wide, because the brand is less traded than Rolex or Omega, so a used Ulysse Nardin is often the best value on this site per dollar of watchmaking. The trade-off is that resale is slower; buy one to keep.

What should you check before buying a used Ulysse Nardin? On a Freak X, pull the crown and set the time: the rotating movement should move smoothly with no play. On a Diver, check the bezel clicks and that the crown screws down. On a skeletonised Blast, look at the bridges under a light for any corrosion or dust under the crystal, since there is no dial to hide it. Ask for the service history on anything with a tourbillon. Every piece here was inspected before it was listed.

How does BeepWear list and ship these? One listing per watch, with the reference in the title and the current price. Orders ship insured within the United States; the authenticity guarantee, the returns policy and the warranty terms each have their own page. The Divers also appear in the dive watches collection and the skeleton pieces under skeleton watches.