The Ur-Freak – a fusion of modern watchmaking by Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk

No dial, no hands, and no crown – Ulysse Nardin's first "Freak" turned the prevailing conventions and time-honored traditions of watchmaking on their head in 2001. Four years earlier, Urwerk had already caused a sensation – or rather a "shock," as watchmaker Felix Baumgartner, who founded Urwerk in 1997 together with designer and artist Martin Frei, recalls – with the "UR-101" and the "UR-102" at Baselworld.

Both brands hail from Switzerland – the cradle of watchmaking – and demonstrate that preserving centuries-old traditions can lead to respectful innovation and create something entirely new. The result is modern watchmaking artistry like that of Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk. These two companies have now joined forces to create the „Ur-Freak,“ a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Ulysse Nardin's "Freak"

The creator of the "Freak," Ludwig Oechslin, is certain: "What the Freak achieved is to free people from the idea of what a watch should be." And indeed, his concept for this "crazy" watch for Ulysse Nardin motivated many others to think outside the box. And that this doesn't mean betraying the achievements of venerable watchmaking—quite the opposite. Instead, it's about creatively engaging with familiar watchmaking technology.

In the case of the "Freak," which has consistently surprised the watchmakers since 2001, this meant dispensing with the dial, hands, and crown. Instead, a patented carousel mechanism was used, in which energy is transferred directly from the mainspring to the display – without traditional hands or gears. The upper bridge of the movement rotates hourly and serves as the minute hand. Below it is a disc that rotates every twelve hours and functions as the hour hand.

Meanwhile, many successor models of the "Freak" have emerged, showcasing its creativity and innovative spirit. The developers consciously break with tradition – even their own, as seen in the 2019 "Freak X," equipped with a crown. While commonplace for other watches, this was a novelty for the Freak.

Urwerk: of satellites and wandering hours

Only about 150 to 200 watches are manufactured annually by the Swiss brand Urwerk. And as different as the models may appear at first glance, most share one essential feature, whose origins reach far back into the history of watchmaking and which is now being implemented in a contemporary way by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei: satellite-based time display.

The principle dates back to the 17th century: in 1656, the Campanus brothers developed a clock for Pope Alexander XII, who suffered from insomnia, in which, instead of hands, hour numerals on rotating discs moved in a semicircle across the dial, illuminated by an oil lamp.

Urwerk timepieces function similarly, combined with an avant-garde, futuristic design. They are equipped with three or four satellite arms. The hour numerals are located on these satellites, which rotate around the center and simultaneously turn on their own axis. The currently active hour moves along the bottom edge of a minute scale, which serves as a "wandering hour." The result: An hour travels from left to right across the minute scale, then disappears, and the next one appears.

The original freak by Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk

The striking „Ur-Freak“ combines the crownless design of Ulysse Nardin with the satellite display of Urwerk.

This model also features a 3-hour carousel instead of the 1-hour carousel of the "Freak" series. It is also equipped with a barrier made of the patented DIAMonSil material and the equally patented grinder system. This particularly efficient, low-friction automatic lift transforms even the slightest movements of its users directly into kinetic energy.

As the name suggests, the 3-hour carousel rotates once every three hours and offers greater energy efficiency and stability thanks to its slow rotation.

The movement, with a 90-hour power reserve, is based on the in-house caliber UN-241, a fully integrated, newly developed movement that combines the carousel with Urwerk's patented satellite display. It is wound manually via the case back, and the "Ur-Freak" is set using the rotating bezel. The 44-millimeter titanium case provides protection.

In typical Urwerk fashion, satellites with four jumping, domed hour discs rotate on a central cross on the dial. The active satellite indicates the current hour and moves in an arc across the minute scale on the right side of the watch.

Once the current hour, which is linked to the rotating carousel, has completed its journey along the 60-minute scale, the hour disc changes. This allows the time to be read as if on a linear scale, even though a rotating mechanism is the underlying principle.

The unusual, visible technology of the original Freak is underscored by a striking look with neon yellow accents and a color-coordinated, integrated rubber strap. (RRP: €115,660)

urwerk.com

ulysse-nardin.com