Despite the fact that Ulysse Nardin first opened its doors back in 1846, the Swiss watchmaker’s best-known line of watches didn’t arrive until 2001.
That was the year UN debuted the Freak, a revolutionary watch that rethought time-telling with an innovative display featuring no dial, no hands and no crown, with the movement itself acting as the time display. The watch was also the first to use silicon components in its escapement, a practice which has since become widespread across the luxury watch industry.
In the quarter-century since the Freak’s launch, Ulysse Nardin has continued to expand the model line as its flagship watch, including by introducing the “entry-level” Freak X in 2019. The Freak X is a bit less extreme than other versions of the Freak in that it does feature a traditional crown, but it still maintains the dial-free, hands-free display of the original.
Ulysse Nardin has now unveiled its latest take on the Freak X, and its “dial” — which, technically, isn’t a dial — is among the most stunning I’ve ever seen.
Crystal Gold Persuasion
Currently, UN’s Freak line is divided into three tiers. The Freak X is the most “affordable” (I put this in quotes because it still starts around 30 grand). The Freak One is the most faithful to the original. And the futuristic Freak S sits atop the line with its starship-like dual escapement.
All of them use the same basic concept to tell time. In place of a traditional dial, there is a rotating plate with a marker that effectively acts as the hour hand, as the plate takes 12 hours to make one full rotation around the dial. Suspended above the plate is a flying carousel containing the silicon escapement. It zips around the dial once every 60 minutes and is suspended on a bridge that acts as the watch’s minute hand.
