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Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur 42mm Stainless Steel Case And Bezel
Ref. 1183-310/40
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Stepping up in Ulysse Nardin's range
The Marine collection traces its authority back to the precision deck chronometers Ulysse Nardin supplied to navies throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Torpilleur carries that lineage into a wristwatch, borrowing the language of those instruments — Roman numerals, a small seconds subdial sitting opposite a power reserve indicator — and arranging them on white lacquer with the kind of clarity that was never decorative but always functional. At 11.4mm thick, the watch sits closer to the wrist than many dress pieces of comparable diameter, which gives the alligator strap room to fold cleanly and the whole thing to disappear beneath a cuff. The UN-118 is COSC-certified and built around a DIAMonSIL escapement — silicon lever and escape wheel with a diamond-like coating — which removes the need for lubrication at those components and holds its rate without the degradation that eventually affects conventional lever geometry. Sixty hours of reserve means a watch left on a Friday evening is still running Monday morning.
- Reference
- 1183-310/40
- Brand
- Ulysse Nardin
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 11.4mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- UN-118
- Functions
- Date, Small seconds, Power reserve indicator
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 60 hours
Learn more about Ulysse Nardin
Leonard Ulysse Nardin founded his workshop in Le Locle in 1846 and specialised in marine chronometers — the instruments ships used to determine longitude, where an error of seconds meant an error of miles.
The house became one of the two or three most important chronometer makers in the world. More than fifty navies used Ulysse Nardin instruments, and the company holds an extraordinary record at observatory trials: over four thousand certificates and dozens of gold medals, more precision awards than any other manufacturer.
Its modern era began in 1983 when Rolf Schnyder bought the failing company and partnered with Ludwig Oechslin, a scientist and horological historian. The results were the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei of 1985, which displays the positions of sun, moon, and stars and entered the Guinness records as the most functional wristwatch, followed by the Planetarium and Tellurium — together the Trilogy of Time.
Oechslin also designed the Freak of 2001, arguably the most radical wristwatch of the modern era: no dial, no hands, no crown. The entire movement rotates to indicate the time, and it was the first watch to use silicon components in the escapement, a material now standard across the industry.
The Marine collection continues the chronometer heritage. Kering acquired the brand in 2014.
- 1846
- Leonard Ulysse Nardin founds the workshop in Le Locle.
- 1985
- The Astrolabium Galileo Galilei is released.
- 2001
- The Freak pioneers silicon escapement components.
- 2014
- Acquired by Kering.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,460), Stainless Steel Watches (2,531), Automatic Watches (1,573) and Leather Strap Watches (854).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Sits in the lower half of Ulysse Nardin's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 1183-310/40 | 168589-6002 | 1-36-04-04-02-30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,740 | £9,240 | £10,100 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 60 hours | 42 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 60 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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