Value Proposition: Ulysse Nardin Freak X Carbon

The Freak is UN’s quintessential modern offering. Despite sounding like a polo-shirt company from India, they are in fact one of the world’s oldest and most pre-eminant watch manufactures. UN have been innovating since the very start and in continuous production no less. At the outset of the new century, UN unveiled the Freak design. An outrageous carrousel tourbillon in which the minute hand was comprised of the entire movement. In addition, they were among the first to utilize silicon in production watches. Cartier and Patek just flirted with the idea by comparison. To say the Freak was controversial would be putting it mildly. The watch divided us. Time, it seems, has proven the supporters. The model saved UN from the brink of collapse and a range of ageing dive designs.

The Freak X is a slightly more accessible version of the freak. It utilizes a conventional crown instead of bezel setting (by comparison to the standard Freak). It is also available in a wider range of materials. The X is just a slightly more simple and robust take on the haute complication of the original. This 20K-30K price range, despite still obviously being outrageous for any watch, is an achievement. There aren’t many watches in this price range offering a comparable level of engineering and complication. What’s more, the carbon case on offer here is an innovation in itself. The epoxy carbon blend was taken from aerospace applications and altered for the smaller fine tolerances of a watch case. For a used outlay sub 15K, this is a strong value buy. A damn good one. This example comes with a full set and is in exceptional condition. Carbon is not prone to wear, and I see little.

Find this Freak X here from D-Timepieces for 14500 USD.