Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS

The revolutionary influence of the first Freak more than two decades ago still challenges fine watchmaking. 

Introduced in 2001, the Freak model didn’t just change the expectations of Ulysse Nardin watches: it created a new paradigm in Swiss watchmaking.

The mechanical watches produced in Switzerland at that time had hands that showed the time, the dial on which they stood, and a crown mounted on the side of the case to adjust them. But FREAK didn’t have any of that. Without the dial, hands, and crown, it changed the industry’s mindset. Can an unconventional watch design, backed by huge advances in mechanical watches, attract the attention of 21st century watch buyers?

Over
the two decades that have passed since the appearance of the Freak model, it has become the cornerstone of modern watchmaking. The technologies she has implemented, mainly in the use of high-tech silicon to mitigate the stresses on some moving parts of the watch, have defined industry norms. He may have been outside the comfort zone of Swiss watchmaking at the time, but where Freak went, everyone else followed.

These early models have become collector’s favorites, while further iterations have enhanced the story, often by enhancing the Freak’s technical capabilities, sometimes simply to expand its limitless aesthetic. Among them, as the name suggests, Freak ONE remains the centerpiece of the collection. Freak from Freak. There is no dial. There are no arrows. Without a crown. He embodies the independent, freedom-loving mindset that has always distinguished Freak and Ulysse Nardin.

At Dubai Watch Week, Ulysse Nardin continues the story of Freak with the Freak ONE OPS – as with the “operations” — a khaki and black watch that conveys adventurous inspiration. As before, it relies on advanced technologies developed at the independent integrated Ulysse Nardin manufactory, only now in a casual style.

It’s been over twenty years since it appeared, but there’s still nothing like Freak.

For Dubai Watch Week, Ulysse Nardin has created a model Freak ONE OPS, Freak ONE, but with a twist. The new piece with a diameter of 44 mm is made in a DLC-coated black titanium case, complemented by a khaki palette that decorates a special case cover with a pattern in the form of sun rays and an integrated rubber strap.

The history of the material continues in the bezel, which is made of carbonium®, an innovative material with exceptional strength and lightness properties, which is produced using the same carbon fibers used in the wings and fuselages of modern aircraft. In fact, carbonium® is produced using waste from the aircraft manufacturing process, which reduces its environmental impact by 40 percent compared to other carbon composites. The manufacturing technology is organic, which means that the marble finish of the Freak ONE OPS bezel is unique to each watch.

Given that the watch does not have a dial, the UN-240 Freak ONE OPS manufacturing mechanism is clearly visible, and its floating carousel simultaneously transmits a minute indication when rotating around its own axis. In addition, the conventional dial features an enlarged oscillator and a balance spiral made of mesmerizing blue silicon, reminiscent of the existential role silicon played in Freak’s unusual legacy. The mechanism is automatic and has an impressive 90-hour power reserve.

There are two built-in straps to choose from: one made of black and “ballistic” khaki rubber, as well as an alternative two-tone rubber strap, also black and khaki. Both models have folding titanium clasps with black DLC and black ceramic. The straps also tell the environmental story of Ulysse Nardin. They are made using 30 percent recycled rubber from industrial waste.

The result is a bold, powerful product that reinforces Freak’s story of bold design and proprietary technical know-how.

WITHOUT A DIAL – As a rule, mechanical watches hide their work under the dial. But Freak ONE OPS doesn’t have a watch face. The mechanism serves as a minute hand, and the hour hand is mounted on a rotating disk located under the mechanism.

NO ARROWS – The unusual Freak ONE OPS has neither a big nor a small arrow. Instead, the hour-long orbital carousel tourbillon becomes the minute hand, and the hour hand is replaced by an indicator on a rotating disk.

THE ADVANTAGE OF THE MATERIAL is that the Freak ONE OPS model has a black titanium case with DLC coating, topped with a carbonium® bezel, a material first used in jewelry watchmaking by Ulysse Nardin in 2019. It is produced under very high pressure and at very high temperatures using carbon fiber scraps from the aviation industry, which means that its environmental impact is 40 percent lower than that of other carbon composites. The fibers are only 7 microns in size and are organically intertwined with each other, creating a unique finish each time.

THERE ARE NO HANDS – The Freak ONE OPS watch is equipped with a self-winding UN-240 movement and a power reserve of 90 hours. A floating carousel mechanism with a silicon balance and trigger mechanism is suspended on a bridge acting as a minute hand; the second bridge serves as a clock hand.

SEE THE LIGHT – The hour and minute indicators, as well as the hour markers, are coated with SuperLumiNova® beige luminescent compound, which glows green in low light conditions.

Over the past two decades, Freak has appeared in many other guises, as well as being used as a testing ground for experimental cutting-edge technologies. But in his heart, he remains what he always was–an oddball.

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