Ulysse Nardin Tellurium Astronomical Complication

My Other Watch Is... · 2025-03-20T03:09:07Z

Explore the Ulysse Nardin Tellurium, a complex astronomical complication by Oechslin and Schnyder, showcasing the vernal equinox and eclipse indications.

My Other Watch Is...

WPS member · Ulysse Nardin forum

26 replies4579 views2 photos

My Other Watch Is... celebrates the vernal equinox by showcasing his Ulysse Nardin Tellurium, a masterpiece of astronomical horology. His post highlights the watch's intricate mechanism, which visually tracks the Earth's position relative to the sun and even predicts eclipses, a testament to the genius of Ludwig Oechslin and Rolf Schnyder.

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Took a new picture of my UN Tellurium to share with you on the occasion of the 2025 vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere! You can observe the gold wire as a straight line bisecting the Earth disc (as viewed from directly above the North Pole), signaling that day and night are of equal duration.

As the calendar advances through the year, the mechanism causes the wire to curve to indicate when day is longer than night in summer, or night is longer than day as in winter. In addition, we can see the dragon's head peaking out from behind the Earth between 2100 and 2200 GMT, essentially pointing to the sun, which it does to signal the occurrence of an eclipse such as the total lunar eclipse of last Friday.

Isn't horology wonderful! My hat is off to Ludwig Oechslin and Rolf Schnyder for conceiving, designing and manufacturing an earth-centric orrery that one can wear on your wrist rather than needing to go to a cathedral to see.

Happy Spring to all!

Key Points from the Discussion

The Tellurium, part of the Trilogy of Time, was coveted for two decades before acquisition, highlighting its enduring appeal and rarity as a limited edition.
For many, the Ulysse Nardin Freak was the initial entry point into the brand's innovative watches, with the Trilogy of Time watches discovered later, underscoring UN's diverse impact.
Setting the Tellurium is a complex process, relying on the original manual and Dr. Hanke's book, with all adjustments made via the crown and a pusher for local time, without disturbing the celestial indications.
The collaboration between Ludwig Oechslin and Rolf Schnyder at the turn of the 21st century elevated wrist complications to an incredible level, with the Tellurium being a favorite among the Trilogy.
The movement of the Tellurium features extensive engraving, adding to its aesthetic and horological value.
Newer Tellurium models have transitioned from cloisonné to photorealistic depictions of continents, offering a different aesthetic while maintaining intricate detail.

The Discussion

mdg

Mar 20, 2025

Very cool complication...

My Other Watch Is...

Mar 20, 2025

Thank you very much, mdg

Jay (Eire)

Mar 20, 2025

Thanks for sharing; it’s a wild watch in the very best way.

I believe yours is not the only one on this forum, I recall seeing and reading about other’s UN T too.

My Other Watch Is...

Mar 20, 2025

My pleasure! Thanks for looking

I recall seeing a post from a member who has one in platinum on the UN forum.

Jay (Eire)

Mar 20, 2025

I wasn’t old enough or in a world with even exposure to this type of watch when this was released.

But with some repeated exposure here and elsewhere over the years I’ve definitely gained an appreciation for them. And admittedly it was not the Trilogy of Time which first launched UN onto my radar about two decades ago. That watch was of course the Freak (me and thousands of others). Only later did I discover the Trilogy of Time watches. It’s still somewhat hard to believe what UN was producing back then.

My Other Watch Is...

Mar 20, 2025

I probably have a few years on you Jay!!

Can't really remember when I got serious about the Trilogy, but I know that I coveted the Tellurium for a good 20 years. Never thought I'd find one given the original LE of 96 was sold out long ago. I first saw the Freak in Tim Jackson's SF Bay store Jackson Square at a UN showing; it was very, very cool, but out of my price range at the time. So, I ran home and brought in my UN Marine Chronometer (more details in my Oct 31, 2024 post if you are interested).