Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Tradition Meets Modernity, With The Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gold Enamel
17th century craftsmanship fuses with 21st century watchmaking in the most captivating way immaginable.
Much has been said about the Ulysse Nardin Freak since its creation in 2001, mostly about its revolutionary concept and the introduction of silicon in watchmaking. Since the very first, down to the very last, the Freak has explored many directions, from even more complex than it already was when launched, to more whimsical and artistic pieces. New to the range, and more specifically the Freak X sub-collection, is the Freak X Gold Enamel, which sees Ulysse Nardin fusing traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art watchmaking.
The Freak X is easily identifiable by its conventional crown, which was absent on the original Freak, the brainchild of master watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin. Making its debut in 2019, it was intended to be a more simplified and accessible version of the groundbreaking concept, without compromising its true spirit. Since then, we’ve seen it with an Aventurine dial, a dizzying Razzle Dazzle dial, and even a silicon marquetry dial. Admittedly, the word dial isn’t exactly fitting, as it’s more the top mainplate of the movement. Now, though, it gets a stunning guilloché mainplate, with blue enamel to finish it off. This is set in a rose gold and blue PVD-coated titanium case of 43mm in width and 13.38mm in height.
The Freak’s main attraction is its unique carousel construction that continuously rotates over the mainplate. Doing in with traditional hands, the carousel indicates time with pointers for both the hour and minutes. It also holds the super-light and oversized silicium balance wheel, adding even more to the spectacle. The hour markers are incorporated into the large outer gear that serves as the guiding track for the carousel. For contrast, the connecting gears are finished in rose gold.
All this is powered by the in-house calibre UN-230, which is driven by an automatic rotor that sends up to 72 hours to the barrel. No less than 214 components are needed to make things tick, which is done at a rate of 3Hz, or 21,600vph. The balance wheel, escapement wheel, balance spring and anchor are made out of silicon, of course, which means they’re wear-free and need no lubrication. The balance wheel has nickel flyweights and micro-blades attached to the minute hand for stability.
Limited to just 120 pieces, the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gold Enamel comes on a blue alligator leather strap with rose gold stitching and a rose gold and blue PVD-coated titanium folding buckle. The price is CHF 46,000 – USD 48,500 – EUR 49,100 – GBP 42,700. Did I mention “more accessible” was relative?
For more information, please visit Ulysse-Nardin.com.
