SpotlightStill Freaky: The Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE Navy Blue

Somewhere in Switzerland in 2001, a group of watchmakers looked at centuries of tradition and thought: “What if we just… turned everything inside out?” The result was the Ulysse Nardin Freak—a watch that threw the rulebook out the window, forgot the hands, ditched the dial, and lost the crown somewhere along the way. What remained was pure mechanical theatre, with the movement itself performing a slow pirouette to tell the time. They also decided to make key components from silicon, marking the first time this revolutionary material would be used in fine watchmaking.

This wasn’t just another unusual watch design—it was a genuine paradigm shift. The Freak’s silicon escapement wheel was a radical departure from traditional Swiss lever escapements, offering improved accuracy without the need for lubrication. This innovation paved the way for silicon’s widespread adoption in modern watchmaking, from balance springs to escape wheels. The original Freak essentially served as a living laboratory on the wrist, introducing new concepts that would later become industry standards.

Two decades later, the Freak collection still delights in being different. The new Freak ONE Navy Blue continues this tradition of technical rebellion, though now with a degree of refinement that suggests even revolutionaries can develop good taste. It’s proof that sometimes the best ideas in watchmaking come from asking “why not?” instead of “why?”

Material Matters

The Freak ONE Navy Blue’s 44mm case might sound imposing on paper, but Ulysse Nardin has played a clever material game here. The black DLC-coated titanium construction keeps things surprisingly lightweight, while the bezel is crafted from Carbonium—a material borrowed from aircraft fuselages that’s found a second life in watchmaking. It’s a fitting choice for a watch that’s always been about pushing technical boundaries, even if its 30m water resistance suggests it prefers to stay high and dry.

The Heart Of The Freak

But it’s what’s happening beneath that bezel that really shows off Ulysse Nardin’s technical prowess. The UN-240 manufacture movement doesn’t just tell time—it becomes the time display itself. At its core is a self-winding movement comprising 229 components and 15 jewels, orchestrated around a one-hour orbital carousel tourbillon. That flying carousel taking centre stage serves as your minute hand, making a full rotation every hour, while a sunray-patterned blue disc beneath tracks the hours.

The whole system is regulated by silicon components coated in DiamonSil—a hybrid of silicon and synthetic diamond that enhances durability and precision. The silicon balance wheel and escapement boasts superior magnetic resistance and timing stability across temperature variations. For those worried about legibility in the dark, Ulysse Nardin has added Super-LumiNova to the key indicators, though telling time might still require a moment’s pause. But then again, the Freak was never about quick glances at your wrist.

At its core is a self-winding movement comprising 229 components and 15 jewels, orchestrated around a one-hour orbital carousel tourbillon

Time-setting is its own little mechanical performance. There’s no crown in sight—instead, you unlock the bezel, give it a twist, and watch as the entire movement rotates to your desired time. Power is taken care of by Ulysse Nardin’s Grinder automatic winding system, which is four times more efficient than traditional systems and helps build up the impressive 90-hour power reserve. The system’s enhanced efficiency comes from its ability to recover energy from even the slightest wrist movements, using flexible springs rather than traditional rigid clicking mechanisms.

The choice of navy blue isn’t just an aesthetic one—it’s a nod to Ulysse Nardin’s heritage as a maker of marine chronometers. This connection to the sea extends to the watch’s environmental considerations. The rubber straps incorporate 30 percent recycled production waste, while the Carbonium bezel boasts a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional materials.

The choice of navy blue isn't just an aesthetic one—it's a nod to Ulysse Nardin's heritage as a maker of marine chronometers

Still Freaky

After more than two decades, the Freak continues to occupy a unique space in haute horlogerie. Where the original served as a proof of concept for silicon in watchmaking, the Freak ONE Navy Blue shows how far that experimental spirit has evolved. It’s still unmistakably a Freak—unconventional, technically ambitious, and likely to start conversations. But now it carries itself with the quiet confidence of a design that no longer needs to prove its place in watchmaking history. Some might say it’s gotten a bit more sophisticated with age. But don’t worry—it’s still weird enough to keep things interesting

The Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE Navy Blue In A Nutshell

• Case: Black DLC-coated titanium with Carbonium bezel; 44mm
• Water resistance: 30m
• Dial: Navy blue sunray-pattern rotating disc with flying carousel display
• Functions: Hours, minutes via orbital carousel tourbillon
• Movement: Automatic UN-240 calibre; 90-hour power reserve, DiamonSil-coated silicon components
• Strap: Blue/black ballistic rubber or blue/grey rubber with DLC titanium folding clasp