The
Ulysse Nardin Planetarium Copernicus watch is a profound astronomic timepiece which pays tribute to Renaissance genius and the spirit of scientific thought and discovery.
The second member of Ulysse Nardin's renowned "Trilogy of Time" watch collection, the Planetarium Copernicus watch was created by the brilliant Dr. Ludwig Oechslin (scientist, watchmaker, and scholar all in one) who sought to bring to life the revolutionary theory of Copernicus, whose idea that the earth was merely another planet orbiting the sun, shook up the widespread and long-held belief in the geocentric universe proposed by Ptolemy, which held the that the earth was the universal center, upon which revolved the sun and all of the planets.
Dr. Oechslin based the design of the incredible Planetarium Copernicus watch on a marvelous clock which was built by a 17th Century Swiss scientist, Jost Burgi. Burgi succeeded in creating a device which depicted the new Copernican system of the universe, with the sun in the center; yet, his clock also maintained a fixed relationship between earth and the sun, which the then-known planets could rotate around, a carefully calculated philosophical compromise which kept Burgi relatively safe from any accusations of heresy by the authorities of the time.
Taking this fusion of Copernicus' and Burgi's ideas, Dr. Oeschlin conceived a truly amazing watch, which allows one to perceive the motion of the planets in their relationship to the earth and the sun, in addition to the relative motion of the moon to the earth, something not incorporated in the original Burgi astronomical clock. The Ulysse Nardin Planetarium Copernicus watch also offers a perpetual calendar indication that orbits the dial once every 365.24 days, and offers month and signs of the zodiac.
The intricate mechanism of the Planetarium Copernicus watch is powered by the selfwinding UN-80 caliber, which has a power-reserve of 42 hours; visible through the exhibition sapphire caseback, one can admire the intricate hand engraved patterns on the bridges and winding rotor. Offered in a polished, classically shaped 40mm case made from 18K yellow gold, and completed by a thickly padded crocodile strap with a gold ardillon buckle, the Ulysse Nardin
Planetarium Copernicus watch is a poetic monument in miniature to the restless spirit of discovery, and is an utterly unique example of exceptional haute horlogerie.