The jury of the Grand Prix of Horlogerie of Geneva (GPHG), the most prestigious event in the watch industry calendar, has selected the Freak ONE as the winner of the ‘iconic’ category. To be nominated, the watch must stem from an emblematic collection or be a model that has had a lasting influence on watchmaking history and the market for more than 20 years. Ulysse Nardin, the independent and integrated Haute Horlogerie Manufacture, is proud of this major recognition that awards the reach the Freak has had in the industry in terms of technical competences, materials, and aesthetics.
Since its first release more than two decades ago, the Freak has always been ahead of its time, winning over collectors with a penchant for groundbreaking innovation. This year, Ulysse Nardin pays tribute to the history of the Freak with the Freak ONE. This new model took inspiration from the nonconformist design and audacious technology of the original one, and it also represents the centre of gravity of the independent Manufacture that benefits from unparalleled in-house expertise.
The Freak : a 21st century icon
Introduced in 2001 as nothing ever designed before, the Freak changed the entire industry’s perspective, redefining today’s watchmaking norms. This timepiece was released under the headship of Rolf Schnyder, the Manufacture’s visionary owner, and genius watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin. Like its bold name, a synonym of unusual and unexpected, the Freak symbolises unfettered creativity, and the desire to explore new horizons.
But what makes it a revolutionary icon? With no crown, no dial, and no hands, the Freak marked the first instance that a movement was deconstructed to express time on its own. This new, mechanics-celebratory language of watchmaking, still unrivalled today, introduced the idea of a totally transparent watch, revealing its mechanism. With the Freak, Ulysse Nardin experimented with the concept of an engine showcased as an art form, of a movement revealed and featured, enabling the transformation of time reading into kinetic art. Not by chance, the Freak was also the first hyperwatch, whose mechanics and aesthetics are virtually inseparable and whose movement design represents an extraordinary challenge. Furthermore, the Freak was the first watch with a silicon escapement. As a pioneer for the use of this lightweight and flexible material, Ulysse Nardin ushered in the era of silicon in watchmaking.
The Freak collection, with its technical excellence and spirit of experimentation, has served as a watchmaking laboratory for the Manufacture. More than 20 patents have been filed for the collection over two decades, including one for the ingenious Dual Direct escapement created by Ludwig Oechslin.
The Freak [ ONE ]: the quintessence of the Freak
Just like the first Freak of 2001, the Freak ONE stands out as a disruptive, cutting-edge timepiece. With this addition to the unique Freak collection, Ulysse Nardin combines and highlights the most essential and celebrated designs and technological advances of the Freak over its 22-year history.
The Freak ONE still adopts the model’s three iconic characteristics: no dial, no hands, and no crown. The absence of a dial showcases the raw beauty of a flying carousel movement that catches the eye and fires the imagination. The watch breaks free from the crown and time is adjusted by a system built into the bezel, while winding uses a device built into the case back. To indicate the time, the Freak ONE uses the minute bridge, which carries the gear train and completes one rotation in one hour. This means that the movement acts as the minute hand, while the hour hand is a pointer set on a rotating disc that serves as a barrel cover, itself placed under the movement. The Freak ONE also features silicon components and an escapement treated with DIAMonSIL. This innovative plasma surface treatment combines silicon with synthetic diamond to make the movement abrasion and shock resistant.
Once again, well beyond the watch, the Freak embodies that specific mindset that breaks free from conventions and brings a singular vision, a twist. It represents all those who choose their own path and stand out from the crowd towards unconventional perspectives and ultimate freedom. This prestigious GPHG award recognises and honours the unrivalled technical prowess, the renewed visual richness, and the unmistakable design of a true icon who never ceased being proudly Freak.
