When Ulysse Nardin launched the Freak ONE earlier this 12 months in 2023, the model selected to debut a wholly new technology of its signature timepiece within the type of only one single watch. Given the notable updates to firm the Freak ONE, it solely appeared like a matter of time earlier than we’d see a follow-up mannequin that expanded upon this new-generation idea, and for Dubai Watch Week 2023, Ulysse Nardin has launched the Freak ONE OPS, which takes the core design of the Freak ONE, and offers it the khaki inexperienced and black tactical remedy that first debuted on the recently-released Freak X OPS from earlier this 12 months.
As the brand new Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS (ref. 2403-500-8A/3A) is basically a brand new rendition of the Freak One, it additionally incorporates a 44mm black DLC-coated titanium case. Nevertheless, quite than being fitted with a 5N purple gold bezel just like the inaugural mannequin, the bezel on the brand new Freak ONE OPS is crafted from Carbonium, which is Ulysse Nardin’s carbon-based composite materials that makes use of carbon fiber sourced from the manufacturing of plane wings and fuselages to cut back its environmental impression by 40%. A pair of sapphire crystals are fitted to each the dial aspect of the watch and its display-style caseback, and in contrast to the simplified Freak X sequence that makes use of a regular winding crown at 3 o’clock, the Freak ONE is a real Freak mannequin that follows within the footsteps of the very first Ulysse Nardin Freak from 2001, which implies that it incorporates a utterly symmetrical case profile and lacks any sort of winding crown in anyway.
Identical to the unique Freak ONE that debuted earlier this 12 months (and the unique Freak watch from 2001), setting the time on the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS is achieved by rotating its exterior bezel, and the bezel system incorporates a locking mechanism between the lugs on the 6 o’clock aspect to stop unintentional changes. Moreover, whereas the motion contained in the watch is self-winding, the Freak ONE OPS can be manually wound by rotating the outer body of the caseback. Identical to the unique Freak ONE, water resistance for the brand new Freak ONE OPS is available in at 30 meters to guard in opposition to incidental contact, and to keep up the khaki inexperienced tactical look of the brand new mannequin, the watch comes with two completely different black and khaki inexperienced rubber straps which can be produced utilizing 30% recycled materials and accomplished by folding clasps comprised of black DLC-coated titanium and ceramic.
The tactical black and khaki inexperienced colorway extends onto the show of the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS, which in true UN Freak watch trend, forgoes a conventional dial and handset altogether. Taking the place of each the dial and hour hand is a rotating disc in khaki inexperienced that’s embellished with a radial sunray sample and fitted with a V-shaped luminous indicator that basically features because the tip of the hour hand for the watch. The disc-shaped barrel cowl rotates as soon as each 12 hours, and the V-shaped indicator factors out the present hour in opposition to the separate hour and minute observe body that sits above the disc alongside its outer perimeter.
In the meantime, the minute hand on the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS is represented by the big mechanical meeting that sits above the barrel cowl and rotates across the show as soon as each hour. The minute bridge meeting consists of the stability, escapement, and equipment practice for the motion, and it incorporates a second V-shaped indicator at its tip to point the present place of the minute hand. Moreover, as a result of the whole stability and escapement meeting is mounted on the minute bridge and consistently rotating, the minute bridge additionally features as an orbital 60-minute flying carousel tourbillon.
Powering the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS is the model’s in-house Caliber UN-240 computerized motion, which consists of just about every little thing contained in the case that resides between the 2 sapphire crystals (except for a number of items just like the hours/minutes flange and the small V-shaped indicators). The Ulysse Nardin Cal. UN-240 consists of 229 elements, and it runs at a frequency of 21,600bph (3 Hz) whereas providing customers a quite beneficiant energy reserve of roughly 90 hours. The outsized oscillator, stability spring, and escape wheel all seem in blue silicon, whereas computerized winding is carried out by the model’s proprietary Grinder winding system, which swaps out a conventional rotor-style setup for a rotating body with 4 blades that creates twice the angular stroke to extend the winding effectivity of the motion.
Because the new Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS ref. 2403-500-8A/3A is basically the identical watch because the inaugural Freak ONE that swaps out its rose gold elements to embrace a tactical khaki inexperienced and black colorway, it really prices barely lower than the unique Freak ONE and is accompanied by an official retail worth of $66,500 USD. Whereas the model’s recently-released Freak X OPS mannequin affords the same colorway at almost half the worth, the Freak X sequence is a considerably much less advanced mannequin in comparison with the flagship Freak ONE, and it lacks sure hallmark Freak options just like the omission of a winding crown. On condition that the worth premium for the model with the 5N rose gold bezel is only a couple thousand {dollars}, the unique Freak ONE would nonetheless be my private choose among the many sequence, though I nonetheless take pleasure in seeing Ulysse Nardin apply this khaki inexperienced and black OPS colorway to its flagship Freak ONE mannequin. For extra info on the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE OPS, please go to the model’s web site.
