Freak

Ulysse Nardin Freak Diavolo Rolf 75 Limited Edition Watch

The sequel (that won't replace the original exactly) to the Ulysse Nardin Freak has been officially announced. It will be called that Ulysse Nardin Freak Diavolo Rolf 75 limited edition watch - that I originally announced in prototype form here. The major advancement in the Freak Diavolo over the original Freak is the addition of the tourbillon. In the article I linked to, you can see a video of the watch in operation. It looks really cool. The watch has no crown and is operated by the bezel and the rear bezel (for winding and time adjustment).

You can see a few changes were made for the final version of the Freak Diavolo, including the yellow colored seconds scale near the tourbillon and the addition of the "Rolf 75" part of the name. "Rolf" refers to Rolf Schnyder, the owner of Ulysse Nardin. His autograph is engraved on the lower part of the case. A fine idea, but really sort of detracts from the overall look of the watch. If I was wearing the piece, I think I might always mistake the signature for scratches on the case. And why the 75? Because the Freak Diavolo watch will be limited to just 75 pieces.

The impressive movement is something which I covered before, and isn't simple to explain. The innovative "minute hand" is part of the movement itself, and the movement further uses a lot of silicium parts - something Ulysse Nardin did for the first time with the original Freak back in 2001. The manually wound mechanical movement has more than 8 days of power reserve. The case of the watch will be offered in platinum. Look for the Ulysse Nardin Freak Diavolo Rolf 75 limited edition watch soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 75, Diavolo, Freak, Rolf, Ulysse Nardin, watch

Ulysse Nardin Freak "Black Out" Watch For Only Watch 2009

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The gentle changes to the Ulysse Nardin Freak transforming it into a one-off unique timepiece for the Only Watch 2009 auction are subtle, but make for a pleasant reminder that the Freak is a great watch. A few years ago Ulysse Nardin released the Freak which showcased a number of technological firsts including broad use of silicium for various parts of the movement including the tourbillon escapement. The watch blends the movement and dial for impressively legible dial that turns the balance wheel and escapement, including a gear train into the minute hand. The watch is a fantastic design and offers a great view into watch mechanics while seeing the time. Is it just me, or do the "spokes" in the balance wheel look like small Eiffel Towers?

Another interesting feature of the watch is that is does not have a crown. This is not the only crownless mechanical timepiece out there, but it is one of just a few. Winding the manually wound movement and setting the time is done via the bezel. The "carrousel" tourbillon movement has a seven day power reserve. This particular Freak watch for Only Watch 2009 is done in black with red toned hands, and a black alligator strap - while the case is done in 18k white gold.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: freak, only watch 2009, OnlyWatch2009, timepiece, ulysse nardin, UlysseNardin, watch