Why Ulysse Nardin Built a Freak Just for America

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Ulysse Nardin's Freak, and the brand has been celebrating it all year. The Freak, introduced in 2001, innovated in three ways, which has now become its signature description: no dial, no hands, and no crown. Instead of a traditional dial and hands, the rotary movement itself indicates the time. It was also the first mechanical watch to use silicon escapement wheels in its patented Dual Direct Escapement. Silicon is a material that can be used to achieve capabilities that could not be achieved using conventional watchmaking materials such as steel.

At the time of its introduction, that was seen as a bit unorthodox. The Swiss love tradition, after all, and introducing new materials can sometimes be met with a bit of side-eye. But in the quarter of a century since, silicon has been increasingly adopted by the watch industry as a whole, for a number of reasons: it's lightweight, it's self-lubricating, and it's not affected by magnetic fields. Therefore, it can greatly improve magnetic resistance, accuracy, and maintenance intervals, things that have been the white whale of mechanical watchmaking from its inception.

"The Freak has been an extraordinary adventure for Ulysse Nardin," said Francois-Xavier Hotier, president of Ulysse Nardin Americas. "First presented in 2001, it is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an impressive legacy of 35 patents and 16 calibers. It's a lab on the wrist, a testament to human creativity and horological engineering, and a disruption in an industry often rooted in conservatism."

The 25th anniversary of the Freak kicked off with great fanfare at Watches & Wonders in April, when the brand launched the Super Freak, which it described as the most complicated time-only watch ever made, with 511 components, two inclined flying tourbillons that rotate in opposite directions, and a running seconds display powered by a tiny gimbal system.

The latest release, announced just before WatchTime New York during New York Watch Week, adds a new natural material to the Freak S: howlite. Howlite is a white borate mineral with gray and/or black veining, primarily found in California and Nova Scotia, and is often used in jewelry applications. "What we love most about Howlite is the contrast between a stone that is millions of years old, sourced from Nova Scotia, Canada, and the highly advanced, avant-garde movement of the Freak S," said Hotier. "The Freak S is an incredibly innovative timepiece, featuring a double oscillator, automatic winding, and the Grinder system. It's really about bringing together two worlds, the ancient and the futuristic, the natural and the man-made. And the result is stunning."

It was important to Ulysse Nardin to create a Freak S just for the US market, limited to 15 pieces, and it was met with enthusiasm during the WatchTime event. "The Freak S has been a huge success in North America, so we knew the feedback would be positive," Hotier said. The contrast between the natural hour disc material and the futuristic appearance of the Freak S components on the hour disc got positive feedback from collectors. "We heard amazing comments on the stone hour disc, with its marble-like appearance and the drone-designed carousel flying above it," Hotier continued. "If you love science fiction and contemporary art, this is the watch for you."

The Freak has been on quite a journey, from horological anomaly to celebrated superwatch, over the past 25 years. "The Freak has built a cult following among 'those who know' and inspired many other watchmakers to explore superwatches and groundbreaking designs," Hotier said. "It's a legacy the entire Ulysse Nardin community can be proud of, especially Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, whose original concept continues to shape the future of watchmaking."

And what's next for Ulysse Nardin? "The Freak's 25-year anniversary has been very fun and a great success," said Hotier. "Maybe it's time to get back to our 180-year heritage! Stay tuned!"