Ulysse Nardin – FREAK X CRYSTALIUM Black Titanium Edition - 2025
FUSION OF ADVANCED MECHANICS AND HIGH-TECH DECORATIVE ARTS
The independent and integrated Swiss watch Manufacturer Ulysse Nardin unveils the Freak X Crystalium,
a bold new milestone that advances horology on two fronts: mechanical
innovation and the avant-garde design of the Freak, now fused with the
high-tech decorative art of Crystalium. Due to the complex development
of the Crystalium plate, this new edition is a very limited production
of just 50 exclusive pieces worldwide. It is as rare as it is radical—a
true testament to how far technology can be pushed when nothing is
off-limits.
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When
it was launched in
2001, the
Freak redefined the rules of watchmaking.
It was not just a new watch. It was a reset button. No hands. No dial.
No crown. Instead, the Freak introduced a concept that had never been
seen before: the movement itself telling the time. This first
“
superwatch” did not just look different, it functioned differently and
ushered in a new era: the Modern Horology Era.
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Behind
this new Age and radical innovation was the genius and visionary
Dr.
Ludwig Oechslin. It all began in the
1980s, when most of the industry
was turning to quartz. But
Ulysse Nardin, in collaboration with
Oechslin, developed an Haute Horlogerie marvel, a mechanical wristwatch
capable of mapping the night sky: the
Astrolabium Galileo Galilei. This
extraordinary timepiece, the most complicated watch ever made, earned a
place in the
Guinness World Records. A few years later, in
2001, the
same spirit of innovation and independence gave rise to the
Freak — the
most complicated time-only watch ever created, and one of the most
groundbreaking in horological history.
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It
was also the very first watch to introduce silicon technology — a move
that would trigger a wave across the entire industry and open the door
to a new age of high-performance, ultra-precise timekeeping. Since its
debut, the
Freak has obtained over
20 patents and sparked a movement in
21st century horology. More than a breakthrough in engineering, the
Freak is a symbol of creativity, mechanical advancement, and
independence.
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Introduced
in
2019, the
Freak X brought this maverick DNA into a streamlined form.
For the first time, a crown was added for winding and setting the time.
But its signature spirit remained: one-hour flying orbital carousel and
a mechanical theatre. With the
Freak X Crystalium,
Ulysse
Nardin takes the next step, merging its pioneering mechanics with a
whole new frontier of design: an innovative rotating hour disc, born
from a high-tech process at the edge of material science.
Disruptive by nature, refined by craft
At Ulysse Nardin, innovation goes beyond
mechanics. It is also about how a watch feels, looks, and beats on the
wrist. The Freak is the iconic ambassador of this mindset: a true
manifesto of pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology.
Now, with the Freak X Crystalium,
that legacy moves into the realm of high-tech decorative arts. The
rotating hour disc is made of Crystalium, a revolutionary material that
fuses scientific precision with raw aesthetic expression. Here is how it
is made.
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At
the core is ruthenium, a platinum-group metal known for its strength
and shine —10 times rarer than platinum. Over several days, it undergoes
a slow, controlled vapour-deposition crystallisation process — the same
way frost forms on glass. This process, which took years to perfect,
results in natural, fractal-like crystal structures, impossible to
duplicate, full of shimmering texture and microscopic complexity. Each
disc is a one-off, a singular piece of material art. To heighten its
effect, it is treated with a warm rose gold PVD finish and subtle black
shading, hand-applied with fine varnish to deepen the contrast and
accentuate the light play. This is not decoration. This is
next-generation craftsmanship.
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The
Freak X Crystalium is
housed in a black DLC-coated titanium case, with a matching bezel,
black hour indicator, and minute bridge. It is paired with a
ballistic-textured black rubber strap that gives the watch a bold and
modern presence. This ultra-dark backdrop sets the stage for the
Crystalium disc, radiant through its rose gold colour, alive with light,
and rich in visual depth: a captivating expression of material in
motion.
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At
the heart of the watch lies the automatic calibre
UN-230, featuring a
flying carrousel with a silicon balance wheel and escapement—crafted
entirely in-house at
Ulysse Nardin’s dedicated silicon lab,
SIGATEC.
Both components are suspended by a bridge that functions as the minute
hand, completing a full rotation every hour. The
Crystalium hour disc,
with its pointer positioned beneath the movement, serves as the hour
hand and completes a full rotation every 12 hours. This subtle,
continuous motion perfectly fuses engineering and aesthetics in seamless
synchrony.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
The
Freak X Crystalium is a watch that embodies everything
Ulysse Nardin
stands for: mechanical daring, material innovation, and the bold spirit
to explore what is next. It is about redefining the future of
watchmaking, one revolution at a time
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model:
Ulysse Nardin FREAK [X CRYSTALIUM] Ø 43 mmReference: 2303-270-4A/3A
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
Reference: 2303-270-4A/1A
Case
Material: Black DLC titanium case and side-parts
Black DLC titanium bezel
Diameter: Ø 43 mm
Black DLC titanium case-back
Open worked automatic winding system
Water-resistant to 50 meters
Dial
Rose gold colored Crystalium with black shading hour disc
Hour indicators in black with black varnish
Movement
Calibre UN-230 Manufacture
Automatic movement
Self-winding system
Flying carrousel movement rotating around its own axis
Silicon escapement, hairspring and balance wheel, crafted entirely in-house at our dedicated silicon lab, SIGATEC
Black minute bridge with black varnish
Number of parts: 214
Number of jewels: 21
Frequency 3 Hz, oscillations 21’600 V/H
Power reserve of 72 hours
Functions/Indications
Hours, minutes
Flying carousel
Strap and buckle
Black rubber “ballistic” textured strap with rose gold stitches
Black alligator strap with rose gold stitches
Black ceramic and black DLC titanium folding buckle
🔰Edition ✅Only ❱❱❱ 50 pieces
🔴Price: (incl. Swiss VAT) 💰
- CHF 40’000
- EUR 42'700
- GBP 37'130
- USD 45'200
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Ulysse Nardin SA
Marketing Department
Rue du Jardin 3
2400 Le Locle
Switzerland T :+4132 930 74 00
F :+4132 930 74 21
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