INSPIRATION

The world's first covered lifeboat

In 1904, Norwegian adventurer Ole Brude set sail from Ålesund, bound for New York. Even for large ships it was a long and demanding voyage – and 24‑year‑old Brude chose to make it in an 18‑foot, fully enclosed lifeboat of his own design. Egg‑shaped and radically different from anything seen before, the boat was named Uræd.

The case of this watch is softly rounded, echoing the pocket and wristwatches of that era. We have incorporated Art Nouveau details inspired by Ålesund’s distinctive architecture, and an outline of the lifeboat is engraved on the sapphire caseback, giving a clear view of the beautiful movement within.

Brude had worked at sea from a young age, and on his very first voyage the ship he served on sank. The wooden lifeboats were smashed to pieces during the evacuation, and in the middle of the chaos he conceived an idea that would one day save countless lives.

He went on to design and build a revolutionary, fully enclosed, egg‑shaped lifeboat – far ahead of its time. To prove that this concept was the future, he and three companions risked their lives by sailing Uræd from Ålesund to Boston, across the North Atlantic.

Despite violent storms and hurricanes, the voyage was a success, and Brude and his crew were celebrated as heroes. He was even granted an audience with President Roosevelt. Yet his fame was short‑lived, and enclosed lifeboats did not become standard until the 1970s. Brude never received the recognition he deserved, even though his design kept four grown men safe at sea for five months.

Inspired by Ole Brude’s courage and vision, we are proud to present our tribute to him: Von Doren URÆD

Read the newspaper article here

Photo: Aalesund Museum's photo archive