The X-factor in watchmaking
SWISS watchmaker Ulysse Nardin is a brand that constantly pushes the boundaries of extraordinary timekeeping, with no exception for its Freak avant-garde luxury timepieces.
Just like its name clearly states, Freak is like the “Frankenstein” of the watch industry, anything but ordinary.
Conceptualised around the X Factors, boasting bold and creativity, the new Freak X collection is those who are proud to be different and who are not afraid to stand out in the crowd.
Said to be the little cousin of its “Freak antecedents”, The Freak X stands out as the entry point into the Freak family collection, with a tighter size and price point.
While many of the same aesthetic and functional elements are in place as with other Freak models, the statement pieces feature a 43mm, instead of 45mm, which makes it easier to read and operate.
Breaking the norms of its predecessors Freak Vision or Freak Out models which correct time by the bezel, the Freak X has a crown for doing the job.
Being simpler, bolder and with few wheels, the baguette-shaped carousel movement turns once on itself, every hour, to indicate the time.
With no dial and hands, the central bridge acts as a minute hand while one of the wheels indicates the hours.
Visibly seen beating inside this new timepiece is one of the Freak Vision’s most significant innovations, an extra-wide lightweight balance wheel in silicium with nickel flyweights and stabilising micro-blades.
The Freak X debuts the new UN-230 movement, which UN describes the fusion between the manufacture UN-118 and the Freak Vision UN-250.
Encapsulated in a nicely-rounded design with curved lines and looking transformative, the new Freak X is available in titanium, rose gold, black DLC or in Carbonium.
The most spectacular iteration of the FREAK X collection is undoubtedly the Carbonium version.
The aeronautic-grade Carbonium is a new, superlight and sustainable material used in the aeronautical sector for the latest-generation airplanes’ fuselage and wings.
Being the most vital and essential component in today’s modern airplanes, the production of Carbonium has 40% less environmental impact rather than other carbon composites as it uses offcuts from aeronautical pieces.
With a complex process requiring high pressures and temperatures, Carbonium is a high-performance material that brings out the core beauty of the organic pattern created by the 7µm diameter carbon fibres.
Ulysse Nardin is the first to use this next-generation material in a watch. Its resistance-to-lightness ratio is unparalleled, and its stunning marbling effect never repeats, making each watch case absolutely unique.
Founded by Ulysse Nardin in 1846 and a proud member of the global luxury group Kering, Ulysse Nardin has written some of the finest chapters in the history of Haute Horlogerie delivering innovative timepieces to free spirits.
The brand’s continuing quest for horological perfection centres around five collections- The Marine, the Diver, the Classico, the Executive and the Freak.