A Freak In Motion: The Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2 Returns, Bolder Than Ever

There are collaborations and then there are continuations of a shared mindset. For the third consecutive year, Ulysse Nardin and Gumball 3000 come together once again, not simply to create a watch, but to extend a dialogue built on performance, individuality, and a refusal to follow convention. The result is the Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2, a high-performance expression of one of modern horology’s most disruptive icons. Limited to just 150 pieces, this latest edition builds on the success of its predecessor while pushing the aesthetic and technical narrative even further louder, sharper, and unmistakably kinetic.

Mavericks in Motion

To understand this watch, you need to understand the world it draws from. Founded in 1999 by Maximillion Cooper, Gumball 3000 has never been about speed alone. It is a 3,000-mile journey shaped by experience an evolving convoy of artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and cultural icons who share a common instinct: to push boundaries and move differently.

In 2026, the rally returns to North America with a route that feels as ambitious as ever. From Miami to Mexico City, the “Road to the World Cup” cuts across cities, cultures, and landscapes Miami, Amelia Island, New Orleans, Austin, Monterrey, San Miguel de Allende before culminating at the iconic Estadio Azteca for the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026. But more than geography, Gumball 3000 is a moving festival a collision of car culture, music, and live experiences. Each stop becomes a stage. Each moment, a story. And it is precisely this spirit movement, energy, unpredictability that finds its way into the Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2.

Performance, Material, and Identity

With Edition 2, that identity becomes unmistakably tied to Gumball’s visual and cultural codes. The watch is defined by a bold black and orange palette an immediate reflection of the rally’s energy and visual intensity. But the real story lies in the material innovation at its core. At the heart of the dial sits an ultra-light Carbonium hour disc crafted from aerospace-grade carbon fibres, upcycled and infused with vivid orange epoxy resin. The result is a three-dimensional texture inspired by Damascus steel, ensuring that no two pieces are ever identical. It’s not just visually striking it reinforces the watch’s high-performance, technical character.

For the first time, the minute wheel is accented with an orange Super-LumiNova® ring, complemented by white Super-LumiNova® details across the indexes and bridges enhancing both legibility and graphic presence. Encasing it all is a black DLC titanium case, paired with an openworked black rubber strap featuring orange inserts and stitching a composition that feels both lightweight and unapologetically performance-driven.

Mechanics That Move Differently

Beneath the surface lies the calibre UN-230 manufacture movement an automatic system built around a flying carrousel, rotating on its own axis. Equipped with a silicon escapement, oversized balance wheel, and oscillator, it delivers both technical resilience and precision.

The watch comprises 206 components and 21 jewels, operating at 3 Hz (21,600 vph), with a 72-hour power reserve. Despite its complexity, the perceived height remains a remarkably wearable 11 mm, housed within a 43 mm case. Water resistance stands at 50 metres practical, but secondary to the watch’s real purpose: performance through innovation.

A Shared Philosophy

What makes this collaboration compelling is not just the product, but the alignment behind it. Both Ulysse Nardin and Gumball 3000 operate outside traditional boundaries one redefining watchmaking through material science and mechanical disruption, the other transforming a road rally into a global cultural platform. As Cooper himself puts it, the partnership celebrates “daring creativity and bold lifestyles” a natural fit for both rally participants and collectors alike.

As Ulysse Nardin marks 180 years of challenging convention and over two decades since the Freak first disrupted the industry this latest edition feels less like a limited release and more like a continuation of intent. Because whether on the road or on the wrist, the message remains the same: Keep moving. Keep pushing. And above all never follow the expected path.

Price: Rs 43,96,225 Approx