The Legendary Freak Returns: Ulysse Nardin Introduces The Freak ONE During Watches & Wonders 2023

Last year, Ulysse Nardin stunned Watches & Wonders with the Freak S, proving to be a real horlogy masterpiece on the wrist. This year, the legend continues to evolve with the debut of the Freak ONE.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ulysse Nardin

Now, 22 years since its inception, Ulysse Nardin leaves the industry speechless (again) with the Freak ONE. Returning to the roots of the very first Freak released in 2001, the Freak ONE is heavily inspired by the original design featuring its three signature design characteristics: no dial, no hands, and no crown.

“Today, the Freak embodies our mindset,” says Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Ulysse Nardin’s Chief Product Officer. “The Freak ONE is a fresh expression of who we are. It’s a highly technical watch, but it also has intense emotional value. When you set the time with the bezel, you experience something vital. This is what makes the Freak so special and why true collectors love it.”

The Freak ONE also fuses the visual dynamics of previous generations of the Freak, from the notched bezel of the original 2001 Freak to the open gear train of the Freak Cruiser of 2013, to the legibility codes of the 2018 Freak Vision. The black DLC-coated titanium and rose gold detailing echoes recent Freak iterations, like last year’s Freak S.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ulysse Nardin

Catapulting the Freak ONE into the modern, incredibly technologically-advanced era, here are the complex updates:

Bezel and locker: The Freak’s unconventional time-setting system is operated via the bezel. It is activated when the locker at 6 o’clock is lifted, releasing the setting system. Turning the bezel rotates the entire movement, which doubles as the watch’s hands.

Barrel cover: The black sunray-engraved barrel cover sits underneath the movement and doubles as the rotating hour disc, making a full rotation once every 12 hours, indicating the hour via a V-shaped pointer which is filled with Super-LumiNova® to aid low-light legibility.

Minute bridge: The Freak’s distinctive minute bridge hovers under the sapphire crystal and carries the entire gear train, an oversized silicon oscillator, and an orbital 60-minute flying carrousel tourbillon — the escapement is treated with Ulysse Nardin’s patented DIAMonSIL coating.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ulysse Nardin

Grinder® winding system: The Freak ONE’s automatic movement has a 72-hour power reserve. Its patented Grinder® winding system has been designed to capture energy with even the smallest of wrist movements. Its rotor is connected to a frame carrying four blades, which gives the system twice the angular stroke, a bit like a bicycle fitted with four pedals instead of two.

Integrated rubber strap: The Freak ONE adheres to Ulysse Nardin’s drive towards a more sustainable future. Its rubber strap is made of 30 percent recycled production waste by Ulysse Nardin’s Swiss partner BIWI.