A Closer Look At The Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gold Enamel

As someone who’s been captivated by Ulysse Nardin’s Freak collection since it first astounded me in 2001 when it was unveiled, I can say this: the Freak X Gold Enamel might just be my favorite edition yet. I still remember sitting down years ago with the watch’s original creator, Ludwig Oechslin, to better understand the groundbreaking concept of a carrousel movement with no dial, no hands, and the movement itself telling time. It was radical then—and it’s still radical now. But what makes this newest edition so compelling is the introduction of métiers d’art into the Freak’s world of mechanical mastery. Specifically: a luminous blue enamel hour disc that’s as technically daring as it is visually stunning.

This is the first time an enamel hour disc has been introduced into the Freak X line and into Ulysse Nardin’s core collection—making the Freak X Gold Enamel a landmark reference (2305-270LE-3AE-BLUE/1A) and a true collector’s piece. Only 120 will be made. At $48,500, it’s not for those without a padded wallet, but it’s easily one of the most beautiful expressions of the Freak’s DNA I’ve seen.

The technical side is everything you’d expect from a Freak. Inside is the in-house caliber UN-230, a fusion of automatic movement and flying carrousel. This innovative system rotates around its own axis to indicate the time, with the rose gold-colored minute bridge and hour disc acting as hands. It has a 72-hour power reserve, a 3Hz frequency, and includes Ulysse Nardin’s signature silicon escapement, hairspring, and balance wheel—crafted entirely in-house at the brand’s SIGATEC lab. The case is a dynamic fusion of materials: blue PVD titanium with rose gold accents and an open sapphire back, measuring 43 mm in diameter and 13.38 mm in height. It’s water-resistant to 50 meters and comes on a matching blue alligator strap with a titanium-and-gold folding clasp.

But let’s get back to that dial—or rather, the rotating enamel disc that replaces it. This is where the watch crosses into true artistry. The disc features a guilloché-flinqué pattern with an off-center sunray motif, crafted in 22-carat rose gold for thermal stability. The blue enamel is applied and fired by Donzé Cadrans, Ulysse Nardin’s legendary enamelling atelier located nearby its manufacture in Le Locle. This workshop, acquired by the brand in 2011, preserves ancient enamelling techniques that date back over 3,000 years and are mastered today by only a handful of artisans.

Each disc requires about eight hours of work, applying up to four layers of enamel that are fired at around 800°C. The results are one-of-a-kind. No two discs are exactly alike, each boasting its own shade and soul. That kind of artistry can’t be programmed, and it can’t be rushed. I know because I have also had the good fortune to visit Donze’ Cadrans and witness the enamel work they masterfully execute there.

My impressions of the Freak X Gold Enamel: If you didn’t get my feelings by now, you won’t. I love this deft blend of cutting-edge horology and ancestral handcraftsmanship – inside and out. Bummer I don’t have an extra $50k laying around.