Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin announced that CEO Rolf W. Schnyder passed away April 14 after a short illness. He was 76 years old and is survived by his wife, Chai, and three children. “With the passing of Rolf W. Schnyder, the watchmaking industry has lost one of its greatest visionaries, while Ulysse Nardin has lost an important source of innovation for the firm. We are profoundly moved and distraught at this sudden loss. Our full sympathies are with his wife and his three children, to whom we would like to express our sincere condolences,” said Susanne Hurni, press officer and head of media relations at Ulysse Nardin.
Schnyder was one of the last true greats of the Swiss watch industry and he was an important force for positive change in watchmaking, including embracing new ideas and concepts. He was simply inspirational and, at the very least, his legacy is preserved in the iconic Freak (two versions pictured below and bottom respectively, the Blue Phantom and the Diavolo Rolf 75), a cult favorite watch that inspired a generation of watchmakers and watch collectors.
