Founded in 1846 and at the birth city of Switzerland’s watchmaking industry, Le Locle, Ulysse Nardin is a renowned independent manufacture with a long-standing history in high-horology. With a long-established technical prowess, the watchmakers have continued to push the boundaries of timepiece engineering.
While Ulysse Nardin began its storied history making the most precise marine chronometers, today the Manufacture is the face of innovation in watchmaking introducing new materials, unconventional movements and leading the way in sustainable timepieces. Having disrupted watchmaking conventions, this 178-year-young manufacture is experiencing growing intrigue from collectors and the industry at large — its Freak ONE was recently awarded the Iconic Watch Prize by the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
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Dubbing themselves “Haute Horlogerie With a Twist,” Ulysse Nardin’s unconventional approach and reinvention of the rules to watchmaking has shown through its collections. One of the standout collections from this year’s selections is the Freak S Nomad.
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Here, Virginie Franceries, chief marketing and communication officer at Ulysse Nardin, speaks to Fairchild Studio about its award-winning watches, its environmentally sustainable Carbonium® material usage, guilloché traditional engraving techniques and more.
Fairchild Studio: Tell us about your latest collection. What was its inspiration and how does it reflect the evolution of Ulysse Nardin within the industry?
Virginie Franceries: The Freak, first introduced in 2001, is a 21st-century horological icon whose name perfectly epitomizes the Ulysse Nardin mindset while taking inspiration from its creators who were themselves mavericks of the time. It is a wild creation that continues to challenge the status quo of timepieces today so naturally, it attracts discerning collectors (some would say a Freak for a freak). For the first time, the watch movement was transformed from a simple product of functional time telling into a kinetic sculpture — a superwatch — defined by the absence of what were once thought to be critical elements of timepieces.
Freak One, 44mm, Titanium case with rose gold bezel
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The Freak collection has no dial, no hands — and except for the Freak X — it has no crown. It also deviated from material norms by ushering in silicon into watchmaking. The same metalloid used in computer chips was poetically incorporated into this mechanical watch – a technical innovation that improved reliability but also a profound one reflecting the high-tech society we all participate in.
Fairchild Studio: What sets Ulysse Nardin apart within the luxury accessories market?
V.F.: As an independent manufacture, we exist to push the boundaries of watchmaking and to explore both with imagination and intention. You see this with our pioneering approach to material innovation — whether it’s repurposing fishing nets to create an even more sustainable product such as a strap or being the first to use Carbonium®, a lightweight yet durable material crafted from aircraft offcuts with a 40 percent lower environmental impact than other carbon composites.
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Fairchild Studio: How do Ulysse Nardin’s values and heritage influence the designs of the latest watches/jewelry collection?
V.F.: In the 1800s, a Ulysse Nardin on a ship meant captains could go precisely where they needed to with confidence. Today, we have the same commitment to precision and to complex technologies and it is indeed what our collectors can expect. As a result, every Ulysse Nardin is not only contemporary, distinct and effortless, it comes with almost 180 years of savoir-faire so you can be confident in your investment for many years to come.
Fairchild Studio: What are some standout pieces from the new collection?
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V.F.: At Watches and Wonders Geneva, we are proud to introduce the Freak S Nomad, which is a design and technical achievement but also a marvel in craftsmanship. The Freak S Nomad, with its unique dual oscillators, is the most technically advanced Freak. For the first time, it features a diamond guilloché pattern finished in a sand-colored hour disc. This unique fusion testifies Ulysse Nardin’s deep love of haute horlogerie, Métiers d’Art and the rare handcrafts and finishing techniques that define only the most exquisite, luxury watches.
Fairchild Studio: What’s next for Ulysse Nardin?
V.F.: While many have been in the know for decades, Ulysse Nardin is experiencing a new momentum. Our collectors today are deeply passionate about having a Ulysse Nardin in their collection. They see the Freak as a distinctive, strong connoisseur choice that reflects themselves as individuals. And to keep surprising them we will keep twisting the boundaries of watchmaking with new technologies and unexpected materials, combining craftsmanship/Métiers d’Art and mechanical experimentation. You can expect many more freaky initiatives to come.