Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin announced that CEO Rolf
W. Schnyder passed away April 14 after a short illness. According to a report in The Star daily in Malaysia, where Schnyder lived part of the year, he died of complications from acute pancreatitis. 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. The
Luxury-Insider.com team also extends its condolences to the Schnyder family.

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. On
a personal note, it was a great privilege and an honor to have known Rolf
Schnyder these last few years. 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.

Ulysse-nardin.com