Swiss silver split-seconds chronograph with register Circa 1956

Silver deck chronometer by Ulysse Nardin
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An extremely rare, large Swiss silver open faced keyless lever pocket deck chronometer with split-seconds chronograph and 30-minute register, circa 1956. The watch features a rhodium-plated movement with an Ankerchronometer, Geneva striping, 26 jewels, fast-beating straight-line lever escapement, blued steel Breguet balance spring, and a micrometre index regulator. The matte silver dial has painted Paris numerals, an outer minute track with Arabic five-minute/second numerals, an outer chronograph ring divided into one-tenth of a second, a subsidiary seconds and 30-minute register, and original blued steel Breguet hands. It is marked as CHRONOMETRE. The polished screwed silver case has a co-axial button in the crown for the start/stop and between 10 and 11 for the split seconds. Both the dial and movement are signed. This extremely rare chronometer comes with an extract from the archives, confirming the limited series of this watch to 402 pieces, which were made in 1956.
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Diameter: 65 mm
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Weight: 252 g
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Signed: Ulysse Nardin Le Locle
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Ulysse Nardin SA is a Swiss luxury watchmaking company. Founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland, bearing the name of its founder, Ulysse Nardin. It has remained in continuous production since. The company became best known for manufacturing highly accurate marine chronometers (of which the anchor in the company logo is a reminder nowadays) used by over 50 of the world’s navies from the end of the 19th century till 1950. Furthermore, pocket watches with complications such as moon phases, a perpetual calendar, repetition and an alarm function were produced. According to the last official report of Neuchâtel Observatory in Switzerland, Ulysse Nardin had won numerous awards and honours for its marine chronometers from 1846 to 1975, including 4324 certificates, 2411 special prizes and 18 gold medals at International exhibitions. Ulysse was born in 1823 in Le Locle, Switzerland. He first trained as an apprentice horologist under his father, Léonard-Fédéric Nardin and perfected his skills under the tutelage of Frédéric-William Dubois and Louis JeanRichard-dit-Bressel. Two master watchmakers who were experts in precision watches and whose fame extended beyond the mountains of Neuchâtel. Ulysse established his own workshop at the age of 23. Despite growing up in the Jura mountains, he was fascinated by the sea and produced nautical timekeeping instruments. The number of employees in 1900 was an impressive 300. The company was taken over and re-invigorated in 1983 by Rolf W. Schnyder, who transformed it into a profitable business. Since 2014, it has been a subsidiary of the French luxury group Kering. Ulysse Nardin has operated out of the same building headquartered in Le Locle since 1865.