Tap the image to enlarge
Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Chronograph 44mm Stainless Steel Case And Bezel
Ref. 1533-320LE-3A-175/1B
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in Ulysse Nardin's range
The Torpilleur name reaches back to Ulysse Nardin's long history of supplying marine chronometers to navies, and this limited edition — restricted to 300 pieces — carries that lineage into a modern complications piece. The pairing of a column-wheel chronograph with an annual calendar is the engineering point of interest: the calendar mechanism reads the difference between 30- and 31-day months automatically, requiring only a single correction each February, while the chronograph is controlled by the kind of column wheel that makes start-stop-reset feel mechanically precise rather than vague. The blue dial organises a great deal of information without feeling crowded. Roman numerals anchor the hours; the chronograph's 30-minute counter sits at 3, the combined small-seconds and month display at 9, and the date at 6. The UN-153 runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour across 406 components and 53 jewels — an in-house movement of real complexity — and the exhibition caseback makes it worth turning the watch over. At 44mm on an alligator strap rather than a bracelet, it sits with more presence than weight on the wrist, and the individual numbering on the case edge gives each piece its own place in the run.
- Reference
- 1533-320LE-3A-175/1B
- Brand
- Ulysse Nardin
- Case size
- 44mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- UN-153
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
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 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,460), Stainless Steel Watches (2,531), Automatic Watches (1,573), Chronograph Watches (914), Leather Strap Watches (854) and Blue Dial Watches (701).
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
- 44mm sits at the larger end
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 | 1533-320LE-3A-175/1B | 95.9000.9004/78.R582 | 1-36-04-04-02-30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £11,380 | £11,500 | £10,100 |
| Case size | 44mm | 44mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 100m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | — | 50 hours | — |
| This watch |
|
|
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 comparedCheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
More Ulysse Nardin watches like the Marine Torpilleur
In stock, and close on style and price
