The Freak is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get. All we do know is that Ulysse Nardin’s Avant Garde masterpiece never fails to impress visually or technically and the latest in that long line of innovative horological marvels is no exception: The Freak neXt.
First there was the flying escapement suspended above the dial on the Freak’s signature carousel; then it was joined by a tourbillon. Now, even the oscillating balance is getting in on the action. Soon there won’t be any watch left to bring to the top. This is a spectacular piece, not to mention a ground-breaking piece of mico-engineering.
The oscillator itself is more than just visually impressive. Made from four layers of silicium blades, it looks to be suspended in mid air while it moves, a radical departure from the kind of springs we’ve been used to seeing since the 17th century. There are no pivots or rubies here. In fact, the only friction on the oscillator is the air.
This means that there’s far less wear and tear on the parts and in its place greater accuracy and reliability. It’s also a more efficient system than traditional balances, boosting the power reserve of the Freak neXt to 70 hours. If all of that sounds a bit geeky that’s because it is. Ulysse Nardin revels in the technical and it shows. You don’t get a watch like this without some serious expertise behind it.
That said, the Freak neXt is easy to appreciate on its visual merits along. There’s nothing else like the architectural carousel, especially now it’s been joined by a mesmerising oscillator. The rest of the watch has a space-age feel, with a white superluminova bezel and side shafts and a 45mm platinum and titanium case. It’s almost minimal, and the blue silicium oscillator stands out against that canvas fantastically.
The movement is still equipped with Ulysse Nardin’s Grinder system, a novel approach to a self-winding watch that’s again more efficient than the traditional rotor system. In fact, there’s not a single aspect of the Freak neXt that isn’t revolutionary. It’s exhausting.
Now, bear in mind that this is just a concept watch at the moment. It may be that the flying oscillator is introduced into production models later, but for now you’ll need to make do with one of the new editions of the Freak Vision. They still have silicium oscillators clearly visible but after the neXt they just can’t cut it. But then again, what on earth can?
Price & Specs:
- Model Name: Ulysse Nardin Freak NeXt
Ref: 2505-250/00 or 2505-250/01 - Dial/Case: 45mm diameter x 14.1mm height, platinum and titanium case, rubber strap with titanium folding buckle
- Movement: Calibre UN-25X, in-house, automatic (UN Grinder concept)
- Frequency: 12Hz
- Power Reserve: 70h
Water Resistance: 30m - Price & Availability: N/A
- Model Name: Ulysse Nardin Freak NeXt
For more information visit Ulysse Nardin’s website.
