Ulysse Nardin first partnered with the Gumball 3000 rally in 2024 with the reveal of a new Freak X Gumball 3000 limited edition, and have partnered every edition of the rally since. For 2026, they’ve announced the launch of a second special edition collaboration watch, the appropriately named Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2. If you’re unfamiliar with the Gumball 3000, it’s essentially a rolling car show across a 3,000km route with a host of super and hyper cars driven by a mix of rally drivers, celebrities and even royalty.
For the Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2 they’ve essentially inverted the design concept of the original model from 2024. Where the original had a carbon case and a monochrome black display, the new version has a monochrome black case and a Carbonium display. Carbonium being Ulysse Nardin’s term for a carbon composite material consisting of carbon fibre and epoxy resin.
Since we’re already talking about Carbonium, let’s dig into the details of the display a little more. The Carbonium with its black carbon elements and orange resin forms the lowest layer of the display, serving as the rotating hour indicator. The Freak is what’s known as a carrousel watch, meaning that the calibre isn’t fixed in its case and instead rotates itself to serve as the time indicator. So, you have the lower 12-hour disk which is equivalent to a movement’s plate and then above that the balance and central gearing that rotates at a rate of once per hour to serve as the minutes indicator.
What makes the Freak X stand out compared to the regular Freak is the structure of its case, which here is presented in DLC coated titanium, measuring 43mm in diameter. The standard Freak uses the bezel as the time setting mechanism, but the Freak X introduces a traditional crown which actually allows the case to be more restrained in its design as there is less mechanical architecture built directly into it. That creates a cleaner silhouette with a smooth, round shape leading into sporty, facetted lugs.
It really is the perfect model for a Gumball 3000 collaboration because it has that spectacular centrepiece dial with a classy case. Reflecting the field of classic, sport and hyper cars that take part in the event – which this year takes place from Miami to Mexico City, arriving just in time for the start of the Fifa World Cup 2026. Plus, of course, the use of orange and black that’s based on the event’s signature colours. Lastly, that brings us to pricing and availability and the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2 is limited to 150 pieces at £35,000.
Price and Specs:
More details at Ulysse Nardin.
