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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
Twenty-five years after the original Freak challenged traditional watchmaking by eliminating the dial, hands, and crown, Ulysse Nardin has unveiled a new generation of the Freak [X] that brings the brand’s most iconic concept into a more practical and wearable form. The release follows a year of celebrations for the Freak collection. Earlier in 2026, Ulysse Nardin marked the model’s 25th anniversary with the Super Freak, a highly complex timepiece featuring 511 components. Now, the brand has shifted the focus from technical extremes to everyday usability.
The timepiece has been introduced in three versions – the Freak [X] Grey pairs a recycled steel case with a grey sandblasted hour disc and rhodium-plated bridge and indexes; the Freak [X] Blue combines the same steel case with a blue gradient sunburst hour disc; and the Freak [X] Gold features a rose gold case, rose-gold-coloured bridge and indexes, and a black sandblasted hour disc.
Also Read: Ulysse Nardin’s Diver [Hammerhead Shark] pledges to protect the marine beast
While the new Freak [X] retains the signature display that made the collection famous, its proportions have been refined. The case diameter has been reduced from 43 mm to 41 mm, while the lug-to-lug measurement shrinks from 49.6 mm to 47.3 mm. Thickness has also been slightly reduced to 10.35 mm, including the new glassbox sapphire crystal. On the material front, previous Freak [X] models used a modular titanium construction, while the new generation adopts a monobloc case available in either 80% recycled steel or rose gold. According to the brand, the one-piece construction improves structural rigidity and helps reduce mechanical noise generated by the movement. Practicality has also been enhanced with a screw-down crown, and water resistance has been increased to 100 metres. On the front, the hour and minute indicators, along with the oscillator bridge, are hand-bevelled, and applied hour markers are filled with white Super-LumiNova to improve readability.
Beating inside the new model is the all-new manufacture Calibre UN-232, developed over two years. It continues the Freak’s defining concept, where the movement itself serves as the display. A flying carousel completes one rotation every 60 minutes to indicate the minutes, while the hours are shown by a pointer mounted on a rotating disc. This new movement is more compact than its predecessor and introduces several technical upgrades. For the first time in a Freak [X], the escapement uses Ulysse Nardin’s DIAMonSIL technology, which combines silicon with a diamond coating to improve durability, efficiency, and resistance to wear. The movement also features an oversized silicon balance wheel and a silicon hairspring produced by SIGATEC, the brand’s specialist silicon manufacturing facility.
Also Read: Ulysse Nardin blends heritage with innovation in the new Freak X Gold Enamel
Another first for the Freak collection is the integration of a rose gold micro-rotor into the movement. Visible through the open caseback, the micro-rotor contributes to automatic winding while adding visual warmth to the movement’s architecture. The Calibre UN-232 is composed of 216 components, operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), and offers a power reserve of 72 hours. Visible through the sapphire caseback, it features satin-brushed, grained, and polished surfaces. The rose gold micro-rotor is finished with a traditional colimaçon pattern.
One of the most significant updates is a new interchangeable strap and bracelet system. Owners can choose from nine different configurations, including integrated steel bracelets, leather straps, and rubber options, all designed with a quick-release mechanism. The integrated steel bracelet includes a micro-adjustment system offering 2 mm of adjustment on both sides for improved comfort.
The new models are priced at INR 39,35,000 (approx.) for the Freak [X] Grey, INR 40,50,000 (approx.) for the Freak [X] Blue on a steel bracelet, and INR 61,05,000 (approx.) for the Freak [X] Gold.
Images: Courtesy Ulysse Nardin
Twenty-five years after the original Freak challenged traditional watchmaking by eliminating the dial, hands, and crown, Ulysse Nardin has unveiled a new generation of the Freak [X] that brings the brand’s most iconic concept into a more practical and wearable form. The release follows a year of celebrations for the Freak collection. Earlier in 2026, Ulysse Nardin marked the model’s 25th anniversary with the Super Freak, a highly complex timepiece featuring 511 components. Now, the brand has shifted the focus from technical extremes to everyday usability.
The timepiece has been introduced in three versions – the Freak [X] Grey pairs a recycled steel case with a grey sandblasted hour disc and rhodium-plated bridge and indexes; the Freak [X] Blue combines the same steel case with a blue gradient sunburst hour disc; and the Freak [X] Gold features a rose gold case, rose-gold-coloured bridge and indexes, and a black sandblasted hour disc.
Also Read: Ulysse Nardin’s Diver [Hammerhead Shark] pledges to protect the marine beast
While the new Freak [X] retains the signature display that made the collection famous, its proportions have been refined. The case diameter has been reduced from 43 mm to 41 mm, while the lug-to-lug measurement shrinks from 49.6 mm to 47.3 mm. Thickness has also been slightly reduced to 10.35 mm, including the new glassbox sapphire crystal. On the material front, previous Freak [X] models used a modular titanium construction, while the new generation adopts a monobloc case available in either 80% recycled steel or rose gold. According to the brand, the one-piece construction improves structural rigidity and helps reduce mechanical noise generated by the movement. Practicality has also been enhanced with a screw-down crown, and water resistance has been increased to 100 metres. On the front, the hour and minute indicators, along with the oscillator bridge, are hand-bevelled, and applied hour markers are filled with white Super-LumiNova to improve readability.
Beating inside the new model is the all-new manufacture Calibre UN-232, developed over two years. It continues the Freak’s defining concept, where the movement itself serves as the display. A flying carousel completes one rotation every 60 minutes to indicate the minutes, while the hours are shown by a pointer mounted on a rotating disc. This new movement is more compact than its predecessor and introduces several technical upgrades. For the first time in a Freak [X], the escapement uses Ulysse Nardin’s DIAMonSIL technology, which combines silicon with a diamond coating to improve durability, efficiency, and resistance to wear. The movement also features an oversized silicon balance wheel and a silicon hairspring produced by SIGATEC, the brand’s specialist silicon manufacturing facility.
Also Read: Ulysse Nardin blends heritage with innovation in the new Freak X Gold Enamel
Another first for the Freak collection is the integration of a rose gold micro-rotor into the movement. Visible through the open caseback, the micro-rotor contributes to automatic winding while adding visual warmth to the movement’s architecture. The Calibre UN-232 is composed of 216 components, operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), and offers a power reserve of 72 hours. Visible through the sapphire caseback, it features satin-brushed, grained, and polished surfaces. The rose gold micro-rotor is finished with a traditional colimaçon pattern.
One of the most significant updates is a new interchangeable strap and bracelet system. Owners can choose from nine different configurations, including integrated steel bracelets, leather straps, and rubber options, all designed with a quick-release mechanism. The integrated steel bracelet includes a micro-adjustment system offering 2 mm of adjustment on both sides for improved comfort.
The new models are priced at INR 39,35,000 (approx.) for the Freak [X] Grey, INR 40,50,000 (approx.) for the Freak [X] Blue on a steel bracelet, and INR 61,05,000 (approx.) for the Freak [X] Gold.
Images: Courtesy Ulysse Nardin
