Ulysse Nardin introduced a mechanical marvel with a double oscillator and the “Grinder” automatic winding system – meet the Freak S. Details below.
If we need to look for a milestone in the history of Ulysse Nardin, it’s the year 2001, which saw the launch of the very first Freak watch, one of the most innovative models of its time. This revolutionary timepiece broke free from all the conventions of watchmaking history: no hands, no dial, no crown. The memorable project was conceived by Carole Forestier Kasapi, then turned into reality thanks to Ludwig Oechslin, a philosopher and a genius, at the time a watchmaker for Ulysse Nardin. For more than twenty years, Ulysse Nardin has constantly been seeking to push back the limits of traditional watchmaking in the Freak collection. To wear a Freak is to carry a laboratory on your wrist that has hosted several major innovations.
“The Freak is one of the ten watches that have revolutionized watchmaking over the course of the last twenty years”
The New York Times.
In 2022, during the Watches & Wonders 2022, Ulysse Nardin presented the new Freak S that features the brand’s first double oscillator with a differential with automatic winding, made possible by the “Grinder” system, twice as efficient as a traditional winding system.
Freak S highlights the following innovations:
- An inclined double oscillator using DiamonSIL technology,
- A vertical differential,
- A “Grinder” automatic winding system ,
- A new case with a construction enabling a combination of different materials such as ceramic, titanium and gold.
Inside of the Freak S is the new UN-251 Manufacture movement, that features the brand’s own “Grinder” automatic winding system, where the oscillating weight is connected to a frame carrying four blades, that doubles the efficiency of conventional winding systems. Another new feature of the movement is the double oscillator with two big silicium balance-wheels that are linked by a vertical differential, which draws the average of two rates and evenly distributes the barrel’s energy to the two regulating organs, so that its amplitude remains stable and the watch runs smoothly.
The Freak indicates the time thanks to the rotation of its movement. Two bridges rotate around the center. They indicate the hours and minutes, respectively. An arrow covered with Super-LumiNova shows the hour while the nose cone of the rocket, which bears the balance-wheels and the escapement, indicates the minutes. In the course of its 60-minute revolution, the movement pivots on its central axis inside a high-tech case with a sapphire crystal. The Freak S’ time is set by rotating the bezel in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
There is no typical dial on the Freak S – instead, there is a decorative movement plate made of black aventurine. A new case in 45 mm inspired by the first Freak of 2001, with a construction enabling a combination of different materials such as black ceramic, titanium and gold. The watch is fitted with an alligator strap decorated with a Sport cut-out in rose gold colour and comes with a new patented triple-folding clasp that can be opened with a single click. The Freak S costs €123,500 and will be produced in a limited edition of 75 pieces, of which just 40 will go into production in 2022. More details about Ulysse Nardin watches on www.ulysse-nardin.com
