Contemporary Limited Edition and Mode...

New York, Grand Havana Room, Jun 22, 2000

LOT 206

Ulysse Nardin, Locle, Suisse, "Tellurium Johannes Kepler", No. 93, Ref. 871-99, 1990's. Very fine and unusual, astronomic, water-resistant, self-winding, two time zones, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with view of the Earth as represented from the North Pole, perpetual calendar, various complications, Ulysse Nardin leather strap and 18K yellow gold Ulysse Nardin buckle. Accompanied by a fitted box.

USD 11,000 - 13,000

Sold: USD 19,780

C. three body, solid, polished, rounded bezel engraved with Arabic numerals for the hours and 4 rider tabs with Roman numerals at the quarter hours, transparent case back, domed sapphire crystal, fluted overhanging lugs. D. blue "cloisonné" enamel, central disc depicting the continents, surrounding ring in gold with engraved Arabic numerals for the 24 hours of a second time zone. Spring overlapping central disc bending according to various times of the year separating the part of the Earth where the sun shines from the dark and indicating sunrise and sunset. Outer ring with days of the months and 12 signs of the zodiac. Rotating moon representing phases of the moon. Dragon head and tail hand indicating months and zodiac signs, respectively. Two enamel rotating flanges indicating hours and minutes. M. Cal. UN-87, 64 jewels, engraved rotor and movement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 41 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-17-01

Good

Slightly spotted

HANDS Original

Notes

(1992) Tellurium Johannes Kepler This wristwatch watch was the third in the Trilogy series introduced in 1992. This watch was named after Johannes Kepler, as he proved the laws of planetary motion. On the cloisonnè enamel dial is a representation of the Earth as it is seen from above the North Pole. This dial completes a rotation every day. The flexible spring on the dial separates the part of the Earth where the sun shines, day and night, to indicate the time and the place where the sun rises and sets. This spring bends according to the seasons, most noticeably on June 21 and December 21. Also based on Kepler's ideas, this watch shows the moon's counter-clockwise rotation around the earth. This complicated watch also is a perpetual calendar, indicates the signs of the zodiac, moon phases, and solar and lunar eclipses. Johannes Kepler (1571 - 1630) Johannes Kepler, German, discovered that the planets move around the sun in elliptical orbits. He saw the planetary system operating according to the laws of mathematics, which was a radical idea at that time. He stated, "I am much occupied with the investigation of physical causes. My aim in this is to show that the celestial machine is...rather a clockwork."