Ulysse Nardin Unveils the Freak [X Crystalium] With a Shimmering Dial

Summary

• Ulysse Nardin debuts the Freak [X Crystalium] at Geneva Watch Days 2025
• Limited to 50 pieces, the watch features a rotating hour disc made of Crystalium
• Housed in a black DLC-coated titanium case, it’s powered by the UN-230 caliber

Ulysse Nardin’s latest Freak [X Crystalium], unveiled at Geneva Watch Days 2025, marks a pioneering fusion of mechanical innovation and high-tech decorative art. Limited to just 50 pieces worldwide, this edition pushes the boundaries of the Freak line by combining its signature one-hour flying carousel with a radically new hour display material. The traditional dial and hands give way to a rotating Crystalium disc, each one a singular work of fractal, ruthenium-based art created through a controlled vapor-deposition crystallization process.

Housed in a matte black DLC-coated titanium case with a matching bezel and paired with a ballistic-textured rubber strap, the Crystalium disc is set against an ultra-dark backdrop that heightens its shimmering complexity. At the heart of the Freak [X Crystalium] lies its namesake material. Ruthenium, a platinum-group metal ten times rarer than platinum, undergoes days of vapor-deposition crystallization, forming natural, frost-like crystal structures unique to each disc. These are then treated with rose-gold PVD and hand-applied black varnish to amplify contrast and play of light.

Powering this avant-garde display is the automatic UN-230 caliber, developed entirely in-house and featuring a flying carousel with silicon escapement and balance wheel. The movement’s minute bridge doubles as the minute hand, rotating once per hour, while the Crystalium disc beneath acts as a 12-hour indicator. This seamless interplay of movement and material exemplifies Ulysse Nardin’s ethos of mechanical daring and material innovation — proof that the Freak can still surprise by redefining what a watch can be. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.

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