FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER
The Locle-based watchmaker weaves hot and cold magic on wrists by imagining two timepieces, two really strong personalities whose stylistics are inspired by the most extreme natural phenomena.
Ulysse Nardin, a “manufacture of freedom” and explorer of extremes, never ceases to amaze with creations showcasing infallible engineering, of course, but, above all, center staging stylistics which are unparalleled in the watchmaking world, like its Freak X collection. “Freak” because a curious being, ever-so one-of-a-kind, out-of-the-ordinary like the two new models Freak X Magma and Freak X Ice. One honors the furious power of lava flows gushing from a volcano whilst the other draws its polar exquisiteness from glaciers and ice floes. Two perfectly distinct visual signatures related to two of the most spectacular natural phenomena.
But, what does this duo have in common? A self-winding mechanical heart, the UN-230 caliber, equipped with a flying carrousel spinning around its own axis. This powerful motor beats at a frequency of 3 Hz and delivers a power reserve of 72 hours. The time data it provides is illustrated by a wheel for the minutes and the central bridge for the hours, both ending with a conical-shaped tip coated with red or white Super-LumiNova® and hovering over a black- or white-lacquered disc, depending on the model.
Even though the titanium case silhouette and size (43 mm diameter) are the same for both models, the materials and finishes are highly-distinct: a blend of carbon fiber and red epoxy resin adorns the Freak X Magma’s marbled caseband whilst a layer of pure white covers the Freak X Ice’s bezel.
The stylistic approach on these two pieces extends to the leather straps, black with a grained-finished surface reiterating the aspect of volcanic rock and white perforated with rectangular bands like the gills of a shark.
Price: EUR24,000 (Ice version) – EUR27,000 (Magma version) www.ulysse-nardin.com
By Sharmila Bertin