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The Triple Threat of the Ulysse Nardin Freak



Every brand wants the Ulysse Nardin watch to set the standard for craftsmanship. This is usually synonymous with a traditional three-hand watch that can be passed down from generation to generation, but Ulysse Nardin plays a different game. With Matthieu Haverlan at the helm, the Freak leads the way with disruptive futurism, a style that has continued for more than two decades.

Few brands launch just one watch that is recognizable from a distance, thus triggering a large number of copies. But for Ulysse Nardin, its wrist icon remains unreplicable due to its complexity, and the Freak remains unique in the world of replicas.

Before I delve into the three personalities of the Ulysse Nardin Freak, I want to take a look back at the Geneva Watch Fair in August. I had the opportunity to interview General Manager Matthieu Haverlan at the brand's flagship showroom. Haverlan has a calm demeanor, but his heart is like a spring filled with pent-up energy. He expressed his opinions candidly and enthusiastically demonstrated the youthful energy of Ulysse Nardin, a rare quality for such a historic Swiss brand.

With Freak’s strong personality, we asked Haverlan how it balances with collections like Blast and Diver, two other modern varieties in the UN family.

“It’s a question we ask ourselves a lot,” Matthieu told us. “We have to make sure people recognize us. From a design perspective, we strive to be different, and Freak embodies a growing value of independence, of being free-spirited and bold. Ulysse Nardin stands for entrepreneurship, taking risks, innovation and breaking the rules, and Freak really embodies that mentality.”

We also talked about the freedom he regained after leaving Kering, and how Freak evolved into a sub-collection of the brand. “What we do and how you view it is not something that happens overnight,” said Haverlan. “We are now a fully integrated watchmaking factory, including movement development. When we launched the first Freak X with crown in 2019, the idea was to expand the series step by step. Freak is not exactly a series, from 2019 to today, we have established a series including Freak ONE and Freak S.

Despite its futuristic charm, the timeline of Freak can be traced back to 2001, when a mythical concept made its subversive debut. Today, looking at the Ulysse Nardin Freak, many people think that the brand is a peer of modernist independent brands. However, the brand's roots can be traced back to 1846. It provides a legendary background for Ulysse Nardin's relentless pursuit of innovation and highlights its strong position in the industry.

Freak S, the pinnacle of high-end watchmaking
In the three-level ladder of the Freaks series, S stands for ultra-high concept, setting new standards, and its unique personality is dominated by the inner power of the UN-251 movement. Carousel inside the dial of Freak S A spaceship might remind you of extraterrestrial technology, but it represents the pinnacle of evolution in Oechslin’s 2021 creations. The S is the ultimate incarnation of the brand’s familiar Flying Carolina movement, which rotates on its axis to tell the time, boasting two oversized oscillators tilted at 20 degrees and a silicon balance wheel.

This year’s flagship is the Freak S Nomad, a delightful paradox. As if stringing together the strings of time past and present, the mesmerizing oscillations of the 373-part movement and its DIAMonSIL® escapement contrast with the centuries-old Métiers d’Art. Each sand-colored CVD hour disc features a hand-cut guilloché pattern, crafted one by one by skilled craftsmen with years of experience. The uncompromising 45mm titanium and carbon composite case makes this meeting of watchmaking’s past and future all the more striking. For those who prefer color, the Watches Of Switzerland Limited Edition released in October offers another debut for the Super Freak. In anthracite PVD ​​Inside the titanium case, we see the flash of a purple Crystalium hour dial, a fitting nod to the brand’s strong relationship with WOS.

Freak One, Genius Two
Introduced in 2023, the Freak ONE is the purest direct descendant of Ulysse Nardin’s first Oechslin-designed watch from 2001. With a price range between the ultra-exaggerated S and the small, charming X, it has iconic features. Even 23 years later, it still feels like a child of the future, with its dramatic faceted bezel perched atop a crownless case. As a sign of Ulysse Nardin’s status, the first model to carry Caliber UN-240 won the “Iconic” category of the 2023 GPHG Awards. While it’s much more rugged than the 2001 prototype, its spirit looms large in the stealthy menace of its black DLC titanium case. The sharp faceting of the 18K gold intuitive bezel accentuates the visual effect, with dramatic angles echoed in the bridge of the minute-indicating escapement.

A brightly-hued, mission-ready watch, the Freak ONE OPS is as adventurous as its smaller counterpart, the Freak X OPS. The deep olive green creates an understated vibe that contrasts with the Freak’s dynamic presence. Still, the dramatic complexity of the dark movement floats above the sunburst hour dial, creating an air of sophistication. This fall, the cool hue gets a fresh new look as Matthieu Haverlan and his team unveil the Freak ONE Navy Blue. Inside the same 44mm case, we get a nautical story that resonates with the brand’s marine chronometer history. We can’t wait to see what the Freak ONE brings in 2025, as it’s one of the most wearable pieces in the collection, with a sartorial twist.

Freak X, a Tempting Ticket
The X is the ace in the hole, the dynamic, approachable arm of the Freak collection. With a smaller, lighter 43mm case, it’s the only Freak to come with a crown. The Ulysse Nardin design team tamed the wild nature of the Freak collection while giving it an equally dramatic personality. This is evident in the monochrome X Ti Black, which is priced under $30,000. The legend of Ludwig Oechslin remains alive in the drama of the flying disc movement, and its large-diameter oscillator is as fascinating as ever. The stripped-down essentials of the stripped-down UN-230 movement are on display, but with 405 parts, the microcosm of the Freak X legend remains inexplicably complex.

The X features a crown at three o'clock, the first step into the Freaky universe. Just as the Freak S watch dramatically showcased the guilloché hour disc, the Freak X watch showcases the beauty of its juxtaposition through deep blue enamel. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the PMT Thailand The Hour Glass watch, Ulysse Nardin has combined ancient Métiers d'Art craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology in the Freak X Enamel Blue watch. Below the external openworked hour and minute track is a hand-enameled guilloché hour disc, where past and present coexist in perfect harmony.

As we approach the year 2024, it’s interesting to watch the evolution and change of the Freak, an early 21st century icon. Matthieu Haverlan says: “What we have achieved was not achieved overnight. In 2019, we launched the first Freak X with a crown, and the idea was to make Freak a complete collection one version at a time. So from 2019 to 2023, we created a collection with Freak ONE and Freak S.”

As the triple threat of the Freak collection transcends its stunning debut, we see it finding its place in the world of haute horlogerie. Ulysse Nardin has achieved this by blazing a trail of innovation through technical feats, constantly raising the bar and even setting new ones. The future is bright indeed, and it’s definitely for the Freak.