SJX Watches
Hands On: Ulysse Nardin Freak One Navy Blue
Ulysse Nardin has been breathing new life into its flagship Freak collection for the past several years, and the latest model to benefit from this focus is the Freak One Navy Blue, featuring a blue dial that pays homage to the original Freak from 2001. And that’s fitting, because the Freak One collection is a retelling of the story, imagining what the Freak would look like if it were to debut in the present day. Initial thoughts I’ve always had a great deal of respect for the Freak, though I admit I have not always been attracted to the aesthetic. That started to change for me when the design language started evolving to its current, more futuristic form. The Freak Vision of 2018 was the first step in this direction, but the model that really convinced me was the Freak S Nomad launched earlier this year. What makes these watches so satisfying is the way the mechanics have been reimagined to become the central design element; the time is revealed as the movement walks its way around the dial. In many ways, the One can be seen as the little brother to the Freak S. At 44 mm, the One is a fraction smaller than its more complicated sibling, but shares much of the same construction and materials. The case is titanium and finished with a black DLC coating, while the bezel is made of recycled carbon fibre composite. Like the Freak S, the One wears smaller than its dimensions suggest, thanks in part to its muted colours and the way the central carrousel draws the eye. The mater...
