Manufacture
Bernard Cheong shares his honor of delivering the Lifetime Award speech for Mr. Rolf Schnyder at the GPGH (Asia), reflecting on Schnyder's profound impact on Ulysse Nardin and the watchmaking industry. His tribute highlights Schnyder's adventurous spirit and pioneering contributions, particularly with the Ulysse Nardin Freak.
It was a great honor, and I felt that the world of my small hobby, had come a full circle, when Edipiresse invited me to give the speech for UN and Rolf Schnyder's Lifetime Award. With much care, I reflected on my own POVs and how UN and Rolf, had come to this point in time.
In my study room, I carefully recounted and edited the speech to last less than 5 mins (my alloted time), and it was difficult.
The speech for Mr Rolf Schnyder, when I delivered it on the 30th September 2008, the night of the GPGH awards:
Rolf Schnyder was an adventurer with a capital A.
Rolf’s values and sense of self were already fully constructed when he enterd the world of watchmaking. Which is another way of saying that he wasn’t going to take any BULLSHIT---from anybody.
While he was in no position to force the industry to accept his views, he always let the industry know what his rules were. And this is by and large reflected in the work of his company Ulysse Nardin
An athlete of Olympic standards with skiing in his much younger days, and the founder and resurrector of Ulysse Nardin in his middle years, Rolf Schynder turned the world on its industrial head just 8 years ago when he invested a considerable sum of his money in making the legendary Freak.
This wristwatch remains the only watch that requires a silicium material for its function.
Rolf Schynder had brought about the dawn of the silicium age for watch making.
My teachers came in a wide variety of forms and in a great variety of characters , nonetheless, Rolf is the picture of humililty. In the cold morning of winter in Neuchatel, I will always recall the Chairman and Head of Ulysse Nardin waiting at the economy class railroad platform for my economy class train and to carry my luggage to his car, and to drive me to his home for a warm breakfast.
Ladies and Gentleman, I wish to invite Mr Rolf Schynder to receive one of the most honored and desired accolade from the world of watchmaking…The Lifetime Award.
Mr Schnyder really deserves such an Hommage! As you said , he was a pionner when he introduced Silicium in watches, and spent a lot of time and money to do what the Freak is..;A Cult Watch. And let's not forget the Pepetual Calendar and the Sonata, which are, IMO, the 3 Watches ( With the Freak ), that perfectly sum the Talent and the Originlaity of Ulysse Nardin! Thanks for sharing this great moment, and these nice pictures! Best. Nicolas
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NT
to have the full transcript of Rolf's acceptance speech? I found it quite interesting and even if it will be a long read, I think it would be worth it. Massi
Here you go... Rolf is happy to let me post his speech here. Noni Dear Bernard , dear Wei Dear Members of the Asian Chapter of Judges, Management of Edipresse and Singapore Tatler, Watch lovers and connoisseurs I am deeply touched to receive this award. Ulysse Nardin is in fact the sacred fire burning in my heart and soul. My rather long career in watch making started in the marketing department in JLC in Geneva . From there I went to the Far East just over 50 years ago, at the age of 22 to dist
Noticed the dark burgundy colors, cool, what material is it? -MW
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