Ulysse Nardin’s Freak [S Howlite] Puts a Million-Year-Old Mineral on the Dial

Ulysse Nardin is marking 25 years of the Freak with one of its most visually distinctive interpretations yet: the Freak [S Howlite], a 15-piece edition created exclusively for North America. The release arrives as the Maison also celebrates its 180th anniversary, revisiting the radical watchmaking philosophy that began with the original Freak in 2001 — a watch that famously discarded the conventional dial, hands and crown in favor of making the movement itself the display. Based on the more technically ambitious Freak S introduced in 2022, the new edition pairs that futuristic architecture with natural howlite, a white mineral distinguished by irregular grey-to-black veining, giving each example a unique geological pattern.

The howlite is used for the rotating hour disc, sitting beneath the Freak S’s three-dimensional flying carousel and providing a stark, almost marble-like backdrop for its mechanical structure. Each disc is individually cut from stone sourced in Canada, with roughly 60% of the raw material rejected during selection to ensure the required color and veining. Above it, the automatic UN-251 calibre places two oversized silicon oscillators at 20-degree angles and links them through what Ulysse Nardin describes as the world’s smallest vertical mechanical differential, averaging their rates to improve stability. The 373-component movement also incorporates DIAMonSIL escapements and the brand’s Grinder automatic winding system, while the entire carousel completes one rotation every 60 minutes to indicate the minutes. As with the original Freak concept, there are no traditional hands or crown; time is adjusted by unlocking the mechanism at 6 o’clock and rotating the bezel.

The Freak [S Howlite] is housed in a 45mm grey titanium case paired with a white ballistic-textured rubber strap and titanium folding clasp, reinforcing the contrast between the pale mineral dial and dark mechanical components above it. The UN-251 delivers a 72-hour power reserve, while the case offers 30 meters of water resistance. Limited to just 15 pieces, the timepiece is available exclusively in North America, retailing at $190,700 USD. For more information, head over to Ulysse Nardin’s official website.