If a freak, by definition, is something extremely unusual or unlikely, and not like any other of its type, then a timepiece from a storied Swiss Maison with no dial, no hands, and no crown certainly fits the bill. Debuting in 2001, the Ulysse Nardin Freak turned the typically staid and stoic world of Haute Horlogerie on its head. There was no mistaking the Freak for anything but high-end watchmaking, yet its design and complications were so otherworldly that it defied categorization. It was, to put it bluntly, a Freak. In the nearly quarter century since its debut, Ulysse Nardin has riffed on the design, pioneering novel materials and introducing new approaches to timekeeping with its one-of-a-kind watch. The Freak came out of the blue when it was first introduced, so it’s only fitting that Ulysse Nardin embraces an indigo hue with the all-new Freak ONE NAVY BLUE.
In a typical watch, the movement is hidden behind the dial; even when exposed with an open heart or skeletonized dial, the movement is relegated to the back of the watch. Ulysse Nardin flipped the script, bringing the movement to the fore with a one-hour orbital carousel tourbillon acting as the minutes hand, while the hour hand becomes a pointer on the barrel cover. As a result, there is no dial to hide the movement, everything is designed to showcase the entirety of the groundbreaking movement architecture. And you’ll find no crown on the Freak; instead, you rotate the bezel to set the time. No dial, no hands, no crown: a Freak.
Because the layout of the movement and timekeeping functions are so uncanny, it’s easy to forget that when the Freak was first introduced, it also introduced the world of horology to the wonders of silicon. Anti-magnetic, shock-resistant, temperature-resistant, and almost frictionless, silicon is something of a wonder material, and the Freak has served as a testbed for trialing its myriad applications in watchmaking. The advances in precision, accuracy, and reliability quickly became apparent and its use in horology continues to expand at a tremendous rate.
The case on the Freak ONE NAVY BLUE measures in at 44mm but given that it’s crafted from satin-polished black DLC-coated titanium and topped with a Carbonium® bezel, the Freak wears incredibly light on the wrist. The Carbonium® bezel, with its organic texture, was introduced several years ago by Ulysse Nardin as a low-carbon-impact material with an incredible strength-to-weight ratio. As with the original Freak, there’s no crown to interrupt the lines of the case; instead, the time is set by unlocking and rotating the bezel, rotating the movement until it sets the right time.
The Freak ONE NAVY BLUE relies on the UN-240 watch movement. An automatic-winding movement (UN’s Grinder® system), it features a 90-hour power reserve. And, of course, the movement is on full display, as the movement’s flying carousel with its silicon balance wheel and escapement are suspended by a bridge that serves as the minutes hand, with the barrel cover serving as the hour hands. The movement is comprised of 229 components and features 15 jewels. Despite its eccentric design, Ulysse Nardin hasn’t forgotten about functionality, with Super-LumiNova® on the hands for low-light conditions.
Though not technically a dial, the backdrop to the combined movement and timekeeping function is a blue engraved sunray pattern that functions as the barrel cover plate. It’s a rich indigo blue that features engraved textures that help bring the dial to life, further complemented by the blue from the silicon oscillator and balance spring. Completing the blue-on-blue theme, the Freak ONE NAVY BLUE comes with two straps, a blue and black rubber textured strap, and a two-tone, blue and grey rubber strap. Both include a DLC-coated titanium and black ceramic deployant buckle and the straps are crafted from 30% recycled production waste.
Since its debut 23 years ago, the Freak has seen a wide array of changes and iterations — from titanium and rose gold cases to diamond guilloche decoration on the rotating hour disc. The deep indigo blue of the Freak ONE NAVY BLUE provides a rich and versatile new option within the Freak family. The Freak ONE NAVY BLUE is priced at $66,800 USD and comes with a 5-year warranty. To learn more about Ulysse Nardin and the Freak ONE NAVY BLUE, please visit the brand’s website.
