Ulysse Nardin Freak S ‘Nomad’

At this yr’s Watches & Wonders occasion in Geneva, Ulysse Nardin unveiled an up to date model of its Freak S watch—the Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad. The Freak, first launched in 2001 below the progressive course of Rolf Schnyder, ignited a motion of inventive experimentation throughout the impartial watchmaking group and established a big legacy for Ulysse Nardin. The Freak S, launched in 2022, represents one of the crucial intriguing developments on this sequence, integrating hallmark options of the unique whereas incorporating notable new enhancements. The design of the newest Freak S, dubbed the Nomad version, sports activities a contemporary, celestial-inspired look.

The Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad includes a titanium case with a bezel and show case again completed in anthracite PVD-coated titanium. It measures 45mm throughout and has a thickness of 16.65mm. The addition of carbon fibre aspect plates enhances its futuristic attraction. The watch’s entrance is protected by sapphire crystal, showcasing a sand-coloured, diamond-patterned guilloché hour disc, which pulls the attention to the progressive flying carousel motion. This motion consists of two massive inclined oscillators with silicon steadiness wheels, joined by a complicated differential.

The carousel mechanism serves because the minute hand by finishing one full rotation each hour, visually resembling a spacecraft. The hour is indicated by a disc beneath the carousel, which completes one rotation each twelve hours. The complexity of this operation belies the simplicity of its look. The in-house UN-251 calibre powering this mechanism is a marvel of engineering, that includes a barrel that matches the dimensions of the case in diameter and offers a 72-hour energy reserve. As the barrel unwinds over twelve hours, the barrel cowl, adorned with a guilloché hour disc and a Super-LumiNova-coated hour pointer, rotates to align with the hour indices.

Beneath the guilloché hour disc, gears allow the carousel to spin twelve instances quicker than the barrel cowl, which helps point out the minutes. A minute hand, handled with luminescence, is fastened to a perforated, jet-shaped panel. A small pinion on the carousel’s finish interacts with a set ring gear on the dial’s perimeter, driving the gear practice and twin oscillators via the differential’s advanced system.

The barrel and carousel rotations are synchronized through the escapement, which regulates the power launch from the mainspring equally to conventional watches. The Freak S makes use of an escapement with silicon-crafted hairsprings and steadiness wheels. The design options two inclined steadiness wheels linked by a differential, optimizing the timing accuracy by averaging discrepancies between the 2.

Despite its intricate design, the Freak S maintains user-friendly options. A titanium locker marked with ‘Freak’ at 6 o’clock on the bezel prevents unintended changes. The inside ring gear linked to the bezel permits for the complete motion to be set by rotating it. The UN-251 calibre incorporates an progressive computerized winding system referred to as the “Grinder,” which makes use of a peripheral rotor and quadruple winding pawls. True to the Freak lineage, guide winding is achieved by rotating the watch’s again.

Ulysse Nardin presents the Freak S Nomad with two strap choices: a gray rubber strap with a ballistic texture or a matte gray alligator leather-based strap with openwork and sand-coloured calfskin inserts. Each model is secured by a titanium deployant clasp, enhancing wearability.