Ulysse Nardin’s Rebirth in India Through Its Iconic High Horology Masterpiece – The Freak
4 min read
What do you call a watch with no hands, no crown, and no dial? Most would say that’s impossible. Ulysse Nardin calls it the Freak. It’s not every day that a brand breaks every traditional rule of watchmaking. But then again, Ulysse Nardin has never been a brand that plays by the book. After all, this is the same maison that brought silicon to Swiss movements and turned the movement itself into the way you read time. The Freak has its sights set on a new generation of Indian collectors, connoisseurs, and curious minds ready to experience haute horlogerie like never before.
Commenting on India's association with the maison Matthieu Haverlan, Managing Director, Ulysse Nardin says, "India and Ulysse Nardin have a long standing love story. The country has been a historical stronghold for the brand and I look forward to developing the passion for watchmaking across the various Indian watch collecting communities."
In India, Ulysse Nardin has chosen Ethos Watches as its exclusive retail partner—a strategic alliance that underscores Ethos’s leadership in the luxury watch market. Why? Well, with over 60 boutiques—spanning both multi-brand and mono-brand formats across 23 cities in India—Ethos has been instrumental in nurturing a vibrant watch culture and significantly influencing public tastes and preferences in an impactful and lasting way. Their deep market expertise and ability to shape consumer preferences make Ethos an ideal partner for any luxury watch brand—particularly for niche maisons like Ulysse Nardin looking to build a strong, discerning clientele in India.
Embrace Your Inner Freak
Meet The Freak by Ulysse Nardin. The name alone hinted at its rebellious spirit, but no one could’ve predicted just how far it would go. Born under the fearless leadership of Rolf Schnyder and the brilliant mind of Ludwig Oechslin, the Freak wasn’t just a watch, it was a horological manifesto. A piece with no dial, no hands, and no crown. A piece that took the very idea of time-telling and flipped it on its head. It introduced a radical escapement made of silicon a direct impulse, double-wheel marvel that looked like it belonged in a sci-fi epic. For the first time, the mechanism was the display.
Fast forward more than two decades and Ulysse Nardin CEO Patrick Pruniaux isn’t mincing words: being a Freak has never been more relevant. “The people once seen as outcasts are now shaping culture. Musicians like Post Malone and Billie Eilish, streetwear pioneers like Jerry Lorenzo, tattoo artists, graffiti legends, and tech founders worth billions they were once on the fringes. Now they define success.” The same could be said of the Freak. It didn’t try to fit in. It made the rest of the industry rethink everything. Because what is a Freak, really? It’s someone so ahead of their time, their very existence threatens the status quo. And eventually, transforms it.
Breaking boundaries
When the Freak debuted at Baselworld in 2001, Ulysse Nardin’s booth buzzed with energy. There were whispers about a watch that had no dial, no hands, and no traditional crown. A watch that didn’t display time—it became time. The entire movement rotated, with the mainspring barrel spinning like a fuel tank once every 12 hours, and a gear train bridge making a full orbit every hour. That bridge didn’t just support the mechanics it was the minute hand. At the tip? The escapement, hairspring, and balance, pulsing with life. It was the first time a watch’s beating heart wasn’t hidden it was proudly, defiantly on display.
Over the years, the Freak has evolved into a canvas for the brand’s most cutting-edge technologies. From the Dual Ulysse escapement to grinder winding systems, from flying carousels to gyroscopic balances, each new iteration of the Freak pushes mechanical boundaries.
Some highlights over the years include:
- Freak DiamonSIL: DiamonSIL, a patented form of diamond coated silicon added performance benefits.
- Freak DIAVOLO: Added a flying tourbillon and chronometer certification.
- Freak X: A more accessible, simplified version of the Freak with a crown and shorter lug-to-lug design, broadening its appeal.
- Freak S: A twin-oscillator masterpiece inspired by a rocket ship, with a differential that averages the rate of both balance wheels.
- Freak One: A contemporary, streamlined iteration that returns to the roots of the original while incorporating modern materials and ergonomics.
In each of these, the DNA remains the same: just bold horological engineering in motion. Plenty of watches today offer spinning tourbillons and complex displays, but here’s the difference: the Freak doesn’t do it for show. Its movement isn’t just animated it’s integral. Every single rotation, every visible component, has a job to do. While other designs often pile on mechanical theatrics for visual drama, the Freak keeps things pure. Its complexity isn’t a distraction it’s the essence. And that’s what makes it so powerful. It doesn’t rely on illusion rather it thrives on truth.
The Dance of Time
Over two decades on, the Freak remains a beacon for innovation. Its fingerprints are everywhere, in the rise of transparent dials, in the celebration of mechanical artistry, in the idea that the movement can be the message. And yet, nothing else has quite matched its purity. It’s still the blueprint. Still the benchmark. Still the rebel with a cause. Because while others added layers to appear advanced, the Freak subtracted everything unnecessary to reveal what truly mattered. It’s not just a watch. It’s a philosophy. So here’s to the rebels. The visionaries. The ones who don’t wait for permission. The ones who see time differently. Here’s to the Freaks. Because one day, the world will follow.
