Ulysse Nardin: A New Paradigm in Swiss Watchmaking.

When it was introduced in 2001, the Freak did more than simply shift expectations of Ulysse Nardin watches; it created a new paradigm in Swiss watchmaking.

The mechanical timepieces that emerged from Switzerland during that era had hands that displayed the time, a dial on which they could be adjusted, and a crown embedded in the caseback. However, the Freak lacked all of these. It completely reset the attitude of the business by removing the dial, hands, and crown. Could novel watch designs, supported by significant advancements in the manufacture of mechanical movements, appeal to watch buyers in the twenty-first century? It certainly might.

Since its debut twenty years ago, the Freak has grown to become a mainstay of upscale modern watchmaking. Its innovations, like the use of cutting-edge silicon to lessen the strain on some of the watch’s moving elements, have defined industry standards. Back then, it could have been beyond the comfort zone of Swiss watchmaking, but everyone followed the Freak wherever he went. Early versions have become collector’s items, while subsequent incarnations have advanced the narrative, sometimes just for the excitement of pushing the Freak’s boundary-pushing aesthetic but also sometimes by improving the device’s technological capabilities.

As its name implies, the Freak ONE has remained the focal point of the collection among them. The Freak, that’s freaky. Not on the dial. not a hand. Not a crown. It embodies the individualistic, unrestrained thought that has always distinguished Ulysse Nardin and the Freak.

Nothing compares to the Freak, even after it has been around for more than 20 years. Ulysse Nardin produced the Freak ONE OPS, a Freak ONE with a twist, specifically for Dubai Watch Week. The new piece has a diameter of 44 mm and is encased in black DLC titanium. Its integrated rubber strap pairing and unique barrel cover with a sunray design are both coloured khaki green.

The bezel, which is composed of Carbonium®—a novel material with remarkable strength-to-lightness characteristics—continues the material tale. Carbonium® is derived from the same carbon fibres that are used in cutting-edge aircraft wings and fuselages. In actuality, Carbonium® has a 40% lower environmental effect than conventional carbon composites as it is manufactured from leftovers from the aircraft production process. Because the production process is organic, every Freak ONE OPS watch has a different marbled finish.

The Freak ONE OPS’s calibre UN-240 Manufacture movement, which revolves on its own axis while concurrently conveying the minutes indicator, is easily apparent due to the absence of a dial. The enormous oscillator and balancing spring, both of enthralling blue silicon, are also on display. These items allude to the existential significance of silicon in the Freak’s unusual heritage. The movement has an impressive 90-hour power reserve and is automated.

Two integrated strap options are available: a black and khaki “ballistic” rubber strap and a different two-tone black and khaki rubber strap. Both feature folding clasps made of black ceramic and black DLC titanium. The straps also convey the environmental tale of Ulysse Nardin. Thirty percent recycled rubber from waste products is used in their construction. The outcome is a strong, brash piece that highlights the Freak’s tale of audacious design and in-house technological expertise.

The renaissance of Swiss watchmaking was well underway by the late 1990s. A number of Swiss businesspeople had taken advantage of a new cultural air du temps that reflected a renewed respect for the legacy and calibre of the industry. Additionally, they had begun the process of rebuilding an industry that had collapsed in the 1970s and 1980s due to the introduction of foreign quartz technology.

Rolf Schnyder was one of the pioneers who saw the limitless possibilities of mechanical timepieces. Mr. Schnyder aimed to reinvigorate Ulysse Nardin’s heritage and renown for creative modern wristwatches among watch enthusiasts of the younger generation.

But in order to do that, he would require a watch that would encapsulate and further the renewed spirit in Swiss watchmaking, as well as Ulysse Nardin’s elevated goals. It was necessary to create a novel design that would enthral a new generation of mechanical watch customers and upend a sleepy establishment. In the background, Mr. Schnyder was developing a novel type of watch with master watchmaker Dr. Ludwig Oechslin. It would be devoid of a dial, hands, and crown. Freak was the only name that seemed to match.

Its 2001 debut was groundbreaking. In addition to its innovative design and engineering (the Freak’s time was wound using a mechanism embedded in the case back and set by turning the bezel), it was the first Swiss watch to use silicon for its escapement, a recently developed miracle material for timepieces. Silicon possessed excellent resistance qualities, was elastic and light, and could be made with extremely tight tolerances. It was also friction-less. While silicon was groundbreaking at the start of the millennium, it is now widely used in watchmaking. The first to go was The Freak.

Others went after them. The Freak has taken on several new guises throughout the previous 20 years and has also served as a testing ground for cutting edge technology. However, at its core, it is still what it always was: A Freak.