Those of you who have been following us for some time have surely sensed our passion for telling you watchmaking stories that go beyond the conventional.
Precisely for this reason, we are here today to tell you what represents a true record-breaking story of one of the most unique watches in the world, namely, the Ulysse Nardin Astrolabium Galileo Galilei.
Belonging to the famous “The Time Trilogy” collection of three astronomy-related watches, the Astrolabium represents a concentration of complications and functions.
Within this article, after a brief nod to the path that led to the creation of the watch, we will take you on a tour of all the details of this space timepiece.
Rolf W. Schnyder
As is well known to all, the 1970s marked a turning point but, more importantly, a point of uncertainty for the world of watchmaking.
In fact, in those years, following the advent of quartz watches from Japan, the mechanical timepieces of many maisons, including Ulysse Nardin, faced a major crisis.
In 1983 Ulysse Nardin was at such a high level of difficulty that it was considered the low point in the maison’s history.
At this point, in order to restart and make one of the world’s oldest watch companies, founded in 1864, shine, a turnaround was needed.
And it is precisely here that a figure intervenes who will be crucial to the brand: Rolf W. Schnyder.
Schnyder, a Swiss businessman who began his career in the advertising department of Jaeger-LeCoultre, opened a watch component factory in Thailand in 1968 after working for a Swiss company that distributed products, also in Thailand, including watches.
In 1973, after selling the shares of the first company he founded, he opened “Precima” in Malaysia, a company also producing watch components.
In 1983, upon his return to Switzerland, Schnyder learned that the Ulysse Nardin maison, a leading maker of marine watches and instruments, was up for sale.
Despite the economic situation and the difficulties the manufactory was in, Schnyder decided to purchase it with the idea that he might be able to restore the company to its former glory.
He became the CEO of Ulysse Nardin and, aware of the maison’s cultural heritage, Schnyder wants to start creating high-quality watches.
However, to turn the brand around so that it could compete with all the others again, it needed something unique and, most importantly, something never seen before.
Schnyder then set out in search of cues but, first and foremost, someone who could help him in his efforts to revive the maison.
While visiting the workshop of renowned watchmaker Jörg Spöring, Schnyder notices, hanging on a wall, a completely unique clock. It is a timepiece (astrolabe) featuring an astronomical dial that can locate and calculate the position of the Sun and stars, depending on the day of the year and the hour, for a given latitude.
This clock, made by Ludwig Oechslin, an apprentice of watchmaker Spöring, immediately attracts the attention of Schnyder, who is fascinated by it. Schnyder then contacted the maker of the timepiece to ask him if it would be possible to turn that wall clock into a wrist astrolabe.
Oechslin granted Schnyder’s request, and in 1985, at the Basel Watch Fair, to the amazement of the entire audience, he was loaned the Astrolabium, a watch that pays homage to astrophysicist Galileo Galilei and contains within it a highly complicated astronomical mechanism never before created in a wristwatch.
The Trilogy of Time
Within a short time of the Astrolabium’s unveiling, the watch was immediately listed in the Guinness Book of World Records and in the permanent collections of several museums around the world. The great success of the Astrolabium, in addition to relaunching Ulysse Nardin, allowed Schnyder to set to work on what would be the next steps for the maison. In 1988 a new successor dedicated to the astrophysicist Nicholas Copernicus was unveiled in the wake of the Astrolabium.
This was a watch also developed by Ludwig Oechslin that took the name Planetarium Copernicus and that, compared to the first, integrated the movements of the planets. The icing on the cake came in 1992 when the last of the three watches was unveiled, which went on to make up what the house called the “Trilogy of Time”.
The latter clock, named Tellurium Johannes Kepler, paid tribute to astrophysicist John Kepler and depicted the Earth-Moon-Sun system together with the changing illumination of the globe by the Sun
Rightfully entering watchmaking history, these three timepieces have been able to demonstrate all the savoir-faire of one of the world’s most innovative and capable watch manufactures in just 10 years since Rolf W. Schnyder took the reins of the maison.
In 2010, to celebrate the Time Trilogy, Ulysse Nardin launched an exclusive set of the three watches revisited in some aspects including the case, which, unlike the previous models, is made of platinum.
The Astrolabium
The Astrolabium Galileo Galilei owes its origin to the astrolabe (from the Greek “astrolabos” meaning “instrument for taking the height of the stars”), which is an astronomical instrument that provides a representation of the sky projected onto a plane.
This instrument, innovative for its time, was able to show the positions of the Sun, Moon and stars as seen from Earth. It was invented by the Greek Hipparchus (190-120 BC) and developed by Ptolemy, but its widespread use came with Arab astronomers from the 8th century onward.
The main use of this instrument is related to astrology, the teaching of astronomy and the calculation of time through observation of the Sun or nighttime stargazing. In 1485, the astrolabe was adapted to maritime navigation, and its traditional purposes turned out to be observation and visualization.
The Astrolabium Galileo Galilei
Unlike the traditional instrument, Ulysse Nardin’s wrist astrolabe merely displays astronomical information, without offering the ability to observe celestial bodies.
In the Galileo Galilei Astrolabium, observation to determine the exact time, unlike traditional astrolabes, is superfluous because the Ulysse Nardin watch, in addition to enclosing within it an ancient instrument of observation, is a true mechanical clock indicates the exact time.
In terms of the history of watches inside which an astrolabe is enclosed, however, we need to take a step back in that the Ulysses Nardin is, yes, the first wristwatch with such an instrument, but not the first watch ever to contain it.
In fact, clocks with astrolabe dials have existed since the 14th century, and it was one such clock, the 17th-century Farnesian clock, that provided Ludwig Oechslin with the knowledge he needed to miniaturize the complex mechanisms to the point where they could fit into a wristwatch.
The difficulties of carrying an astrolabe clock, (which were large in size) above a person’s wrist, were by no means few.
After developing the mathematics for the Farnesian clock, Ludwig Oechslin was able to theoretically transfer the system to a small wristwatch.
Further difficulties were not long in coming, however, regarding the materials of the components that were to animate the multiple complications of this astronomical watch. A wristwatch, in fact, unlike a large astronomical watch, goes almost everywhere with the wearer and must therefore withstand all the shocks, large and small, and contact with water that occur in an ordinary day.
The solution was had by adopting aerospace technology through which new alloys were developed that could make the watch components ultra-light but, at the same time, very strong.
After no small amount of work, Oechslin succeeded in making the watch envisioned by Rolf W. Schnyder in a case only 40 mm in diameter and just 12.8 mm thick. Thanks to meticulous work on the clock’s mechanics, incredible precision of the clock’s complications was achieved (the computational basis of the Astrolabe mechanism leads to an error of one day after 144,000 years).
The Astrolabium represented a real innovation in that never before had a universe with Sun, Moon and stars been enclosed within an instrument as small as a watch.
The operation and directions of the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei
As with any astrolabe, we find a planispheric projection of the stellar sky above the observer. In the case of this watch, the dial corresponds to the mother of old astrolabes, that is, a projection of a hemisphere extending from the observer to its center.
The visible horizon is a circle extending around the observer, and celestial objects (stars and planets) appear to be fixed on a sphere extending upward from the horizon. Because the Earth blocks the observer’s view downward, only the upper half of the sphere can be seen.
It should be specified that each observer on Earth has an individual sphere extending around him, and the position of celestial objects relative to this sphere depends on his position on the globe. For example, if the observer is at the North Pole, the North Star is directly over his head, but from the equator the North Star is observable on the horizon.
Therefore, the astrolabe can only be used correctly if it is “calibrated” to the position of the observer on the globe.
Latitudinal position (north-south), must be made during the fabrication process, as the gratings printed on the dial (or matrix) change depending on whether the observer is further north or further south of the Earth.
The longitudinal (east-west) position of the observer is important because of differences in weather: locations in the east see the Sun rise earlier than more westerly locations.
Regarding the operation specifically of the watch (from here on, the letters and numbers in parentheses will refer to the image above), starting with the bezel (A), this has a 12-hour graduation (Roman numerals) for normal time and a 24-hour graduation (Arabic numerals) for solar time (local time) and all astronomical data.
The dial depicts the Earth in planispheric (flat) form, and the horizon line (6) separates the visible part of the sky (silver-colored top) from the gray areas below, which represent the invisible part of the firmament hidden behind the Earth.
When the measuring edge of either the Sun hand (14) or Moon hand (13) is in the upper silver zone, the Sun and/or Moon are visible in the sky at that precise moment.If the measuring edge of either hand is in the lower gray zone, the sphere is hidden from the Earth.
Quadrants are calculated and made based on the latitude of a specific place, in this case it was made for 46° north (Geneva or Chicago).
Completing the dial we find several elements:
(1) The grid indicates the cardinal points: north, south, east and west.
The concentric circles are:
(2) The Tropic of Cancer (summer solstice + 23.5°).
(3) The Equator (equinox 0°).
(4) The Tropic of Capricorn (winter solstice – 23.5°).
These circles define the maximum, average and minimum position of the Sun during the year.
(5) The azimuths of the Sun and Moon are indicated by the ascending lines above the horizon.
(6) The horizon, as it can be observed from a specific point.
(7) The two eccentric circles above the horizon are altitude indicators.
(8) The twilight line indicates dusk on the right and dawn on the left.
(9) Time-hour line (only on old models).
The network composed of two parts :
(10) The ecliptic represents the celestial vault (firmament), divided into 12 segments (12 zodiac signs).
(11) The equator represents the calendar with monthly graduations.
The grid takes 23 hours 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds to complete one full revolution, for a 365-day year 5 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds. This takes into account all leap years in the Gregorian calendar currently in effect.
Lancette:
(12) Day Window: absent on the original 1985 model.
(13) Dragon’s Hand: the dragon’s hand moves at almost the same speed as the grid, but makes one extra revolution every 18,611 years. It indicates solar and lunar eclipses only when it is aligned simultaneously with the hands of the Sun and Moon.
(14) Moon hand: makes one revolution every 24 hours and 49 minutes.
(15) Sun hand: makes one revolution every 24 hours.
All indications of the Sun and Moon hands are given by their measuring edges or the intersection at which each crosses the ecliptic.
The simplest function of the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei, namely the display of traditional time, is done by the (16) hour and (17) minute hands and by the Roman numerals on the bezel.
Solar time (time when the Sun is at its zenith at noon), set according to the degree of longitude of a given location, is indicated by the tip of the Sun hand (14) and the arabic numerals on the 24-hour scale shown on the bezel.
While Central European Time (CET) is the same for Amsterdam and Vienna, local time within the normal time zone varies from place to place, based on longitude.
This means that if the hour and minute hands indicate 6 p.m. in Amsterdam and Vienna (daylight saving time during winter), the actual local/solar time is 5:20 p.m. for Amsterdam and 6:08 p.m. for Vienna.
During daylight saving time, however, the time is advanced by one hour. So, when the hour and minute hands indicate 7 p.m., daylight saving time in both cities, the Sun hand indicates the local time of 5:20 p.m. for Amsterdam and 6:08 p.m. for Vienna.
Month indication, on the other hand, is displayed by the tip of the Sun hand. The date can be estimated from the intersection of the measuring edge with the month ring. When the measuring edge is aligned with the line separating two months, there is an indication of the first day of a month.
The dial reading can also provide an indication of the zodiac sign, which is indicated by the intersection of the measuring edge of the Sun hand with the ecliptic of the grid.
The small circle above the center of the dial represents the zenith, that is, the point in the sky directly overhead while the horizon line (6) for our geographic latitude (46° north) demarcates day and night.
The twilight zone is gray in color and starts from the horizon line to the twilight line.
Sunrise and sunset, on the other hand, occur when the intersection of the Sun’s hand, crossing the outer edge of the ecliptic, reaches the horizon line.
On the left (East) side is sunrise and on the right (West) side is sunset; because the Sun’s hand and the ecliptic turn at different speeds, the time varies every day.
The time required for the intersection of the Sun’s hand with the ecliptic to cross the light gray area represents the hour of twilight or dusk; sunrise is shown on the left, twilight on the right.
Sunrise begins at the point where the intersection of the Sun’s hand and the ecliptic cross the twilight line and ends at the point where they reach the horizon and the Sun becomes visible in the sky.
Twilight begins at the point where the intersection of the Sun’s hand and the ecliptic crosses the horizon (sunset) and continues until the intersection reaches the twilight line.
The rising and setting of the Moon occurs when the horizon line is crossed by the intersection of the measuring edge of the Moon’s hand and the outer edge of the ecliptic.
Further indicating the dial are the fixed stars visible in the night sky after sunset that are indicated on the dial. For example, Sirius is at the end of December at 11 p.m. in the night sky exactly to the south, that is, at XII o’clock; while six months later, at the end of June, it is in the daytime sky and therefore not visible to the eye.
As for the phases of the moon, the angle that the hands of the Sun and Moon form with each other on the Astrolabe is exactly the same as the Sun and Moon form with each other in the sky.
If both the measuring edges of the Sun and Moon hands are above the horizon line in the silver zone, then both of these celestial bodies are visible in the sky.
The following examples are illustrated by the image below.
The hand of the Sun is behind the hand of the Moon; therefore, the New Moon is expected within a few days (waning Moon).
The Sun hand is fully aligned with the Moon hand and shows a new moon.
The hand of the Sun has passed that of the Moon, so the Moon is beginning its crescent phase.
The hand of the Sun is exactly opposite to the hand of the Moon and indicates a full moon. This can also occur during the day or night.
If the hands of the Sun, Moon and Dragon are aligned, an eclipse of the Moon is indicated when there is a full moon, while an eclipse of the Sun is indicated when there is a new moon. By pointing the Sun’s hand at the Sun or, at night, pointing the Moon’s hand at the Moon, the cardinal points can be identified. The concentric circles placed on the dial represent the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Additional, even more technical and extraordinary indications are provided by the ability to consult the positions of the Sun and Moon, the indication of time hours, fixed celestial coordinates, and local celestial coordinates.
Powered by an automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve, Caliber UN-97 can be observed through the glass aperture on the back of the watch.
Our opinion
Having reached this point we could say that we have exhausted all the information that can be provided about this watch.
But I’ll tell you what, I didn’t go into too much detail so that it could be an article written in the clearest and simplest manner also because, as soon as I found myself with this veritable triumph of horological complications on my wrist, I didn’t know where to start in order to read all the information offered.
Undoubtedly, some of you may think that, given the countless technologies in the present day, this is a superfluous (grant me this term) watch.
What we need to consider, however, is that beyond electronic instruments capable of giving us the same even more accurate information, here we are faced with a true triumph of mastery and craftsmanship resulting in the creation of a completely mechanical object with high precision.
Beyond being a perfectly wearable watch (due to its shape and small size), this object represents a true living sculpture capable of intriguing and making any enthusiast fall in love with it once he or she discovers everything behind such a timepiece.
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Credits foto Astrolabium in yellow gold: Italian Watch Spotter
Sources:
Ulysse Nardin
Phillips catalogue, “The Geneva Watch Auction: SEVEN”
Pandolfi, “Un orologio da Guinness dei Primati: Astrolabium Galileo Galilei di Ulysse Nardin“
Sotheby’s catalogue, “Important Watches”, New York 24 June 2020
Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Astrolabium
Wikipedia, Rolf W. Schnyder
