Ulysse Nardin introduces a never-used-before material to its iconic Freak watch – but you won’t get one

In celebration of 180 years of watchmaking and 25 years of its Freak watch, Ulysse Nardin has launched its new Freak [S Howlite] – but anyone outside the US won’t get one.

In true Freak style, the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] has no dial, hands or crown. Instead, the Manufacture calibre UN-251 movement indicates the time, and features a flying carousel that rotates around its own axis. Made of 373 components, the flying carousel completes a full rotation every 60 minutes

The movement of the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] looks like a rocket, with two oversized silicon oscillators on either side, and a pointer at the ‘tip’ of the movement which shows the minutes. The movement is three-dimensional so it looks like it’s coming out of the watch, and it features silicon balance wheels, six gear planes and DIAMonSIL escapements.

As is known with the Freak, the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] has no crown, so to wind it, you have to flip it over. On the caseback, you’ll need to rotate it counterclockwise which delivers energy to the barrel using Ulysse Nardin’s Grinder winding system. The movement gives the watch 72 hours of power reserve.

While the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] doesn’t have a traditional dial, the ‘dial’ of the watch is crafted from howlite, a natural material that the brand has introduced to the Freak for the first time. It gives the watch a white colour with grey veining. At six o’clock, there’s a safety lock which allows you to set the time.

The Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] sits in a 45mm titanium case and has a bidirectional rotating bezel. It’s finished with a white rubber strap that matches the neutral colour of the howlite.

The Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] is limited to just 15 pieces, and is priced at £190,700 at Ulysse Nardin. It’s only exclusive to the US, so those in the UK, Europe and other countries sadly won’t be able to buy this exciting watch.