FANTASTICAL FREEDOM

More than two decades since Ulysse Nardin introduced the original Freak 2001, the joyously unorthodox watch now receives a "direct descendent" in the form of the Freak One.

Being a freak gives one freedom. No conforming to the status quo or playing by the rules; one gets to freely express oneself. To some, such freedom may be mere fantasy. But to Ulysse Nardin, this is what it has achieved and encapsulates in its Freak collection.

Introduced in 2001 by maverick owner Rolf Schnyder and Vatican clock restorer Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, the first watch in the revolutionary collection—the original Freak—was a technical wonder that changed the face of watchmaking forever. It started with Carole Forestier-Kasapi, who conceptualised a design that involved a revolving movement surrounded by a giant mainspring, earning her the 1997 Prix de la Fondation Abraham-Louis Breguet winning prize. Her design was eventually reconfigured under Oechslin’s direction, leading to the distinctive features the Freak is known for today.