Urwerk x Ulysse Nardin UR-FREAK: An Unexpected Collaboration, Yet a Stunning Result

When two of the most daring innovators in the watchmaking world combine their mechanical languages, the result is an absolutely stunning timepiece.

In contemporary watchmaking, few creations have had such a profound impact on our understanding of time display as the 2001 Ulysse Nardin Freak and Urwerk “Wandering Satellite” watch. Both watches were born from the creative wave of the late 1990s, a time when mechanical watchmaking was demonstrating its strong experimental and innovative spirit. Ulysse Nardin’s Freak watch redefined the mechanical watch by eliminating the dial, hands, and crown, transforming the entire movement into a rotating time mechanism, and also pioneering the application of silicon materials in watchmaking. Urwerk, founded in 1997 by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, completely overturned our conventional understanding of time display with its orbiting satellite hour display system.

Now, in 2025, these two paths converge… Surprisingly, everything feels so natural and familiar… UR-FREAK marks the first collaboration between Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk, a three-year project that integrates the dynamic architecture of the Freak collection with the Freak ONE’s UN-240 movement (based on it) and Urwerk’s signature orbital hour satellite movement, creating a complete integrated movement. This is not merely a simple aesthetic collaboration, but a technological fusion, a new mechanism stemming from shared philosophies: independence, innovation, and uncompromising commitment. Without further ado, let’s explore the secrets of this extraordinary timepiece, UR-FREAK. replica watches swiss

Case Study: The UR-FREAK watch features a 44mm sandblasted titanium case, seamlessly blending the design essence of both Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk. Its rounded contours echo the Freak ONE watch, while the grooved titanium bezel and exposed mechanical structure pay homage to Urwerk’s angular geometry and dynamic movement architecture. Despite housing a complex movement, the case is only 12mm thick, giving it a remarkably slim appearance thanks to its monocoque construction and compact automatic winding system.

Following the founding principles of the Freak series, the UR-FREAK has no crown. Time is adjusted by rotating the bezel, secured by a small locking plate at 6 o’clock marked with the UR-FREAK logo. Releasing the locking plate allows the bezel to engage directly with the minute hand for precise tactile adjustment. Winding is accomplished by rotating the case back, another hallmark of the ergonomic design of the two collaborating brands. Despite its flexible case structure (containing moving parts), it remains water-resistant to 30 meters.

Time Display: Beneath the sapphire crystal, there is no traditional dial. Instead, the entire mechanical display revolves around an exposed silicon oscillator. Three hands support an arched hour dial, sliding along the 60-minute arc on the right side of the dial. Each hour dial is engraved with luminescent numerals, while the ruthenium-plated baseplate serves as both the movement’s chassis and a visual backdrop, lending the watch a sense of structure and depth. In short, this timepiece cleverly blends the iconic elements of UN and Urwerk, presenting a stunningly harmonious beauty. urwerk replica watches

Concept watches often struggle to guarantee legibility, but this timepiece maintains that. The current hour is displayed numerically on the hands, which feature yellow luminescent hands in Urwerk’s signature electric hue, moving along the linear minute markers, retaining the fluidity of analog hands while offering the precision of digital hands.

Mechanism: At the heart of this mechanical fusion timepiece is the UN-241 movement, jointly developed by engineers at Ulysse Nardin in Le Locle and Urwerk’s workshop in Geneva. The UN-240 movement, based on the UN-240, comprises 263 components, approximately 150 of which were entirely new, created specifically for this project. The UR-FREAK watch movement integrates Ulysse Nardin’s microengineering and silicon chip technology with Urwerk’s orbital time display technology.

The central rotating disc of the UN-241 is a direct evolution of the Freak mechanism, completing one rotation every three hours. However, unlike earlier Freak models that relied on a fixed bridge to support the gear train and escapement, the UR-FREAK integrates Urwerk’s three-arm wandering hour satellite system directly into the rotating platform. Each arm rotates to display the current hour, and their precise synchronized movement via a set of Geneva crosses and star wheels creates a smooth, dynamic effect.

On the same moving platform is the regulating mechanism: an oversized silicon oscillator (what else could it be…), 25% larger than standard, to enhance inertia and stability. It rotates continuously like a tourbillon or carousel, averaging positional errors and thus improving timekeeping accuracy. The oscillator vibrates at a frequency of 21,600 times per hour, regulated by a variable inertia balance wheel with four gold weights. The escape wheel and escape fork are crafted from DIAmonSil, Ulysse Nardin’s exclusive diamond-coated silicon composite material, offering ultra-low friction and exceptional wear resistance, requiring no conventional lubrication.

Power is supplied by a single mainspring barrel, providing up to 90 hours of power reserve even with the energy-intensive rotating components. Winding efficiency is achieved thanks to Ulysse Nardin’s Grinder system, a four-bladed spring-loaded automatic rotor that captures even the slightest wrist movements and converts them into torque. The Grinder system is compact, efficient, and nearly twice as efficient as a traditional automatic rotor, ensuring a continuous and stable power output with minimal effort.

The UR-FREAK watch’s exquisite design is evident in the drifting satellite hands, seemingly telling the story of time’s passage. However, its true innovation lies in the unparalleled refinement of its materials. Back in 2001, Ulysse Nardin introduced silicon to watchmaking with his first Freak timepiece, and this 2025 collaboration continues that tradition. Silicon’s non-magnetic, lightweight, and self-lubricating properties make it ideal for high-frequency escapements, while the addition of DIAmonSil (a diamond-coated silicon composite material) further enhances these properties, creating near-zero-friction, corrosion-resistant, and durable components. Ulysse Nardin replica watches

Silicon and DIAmonSil together form the invisible foundation of the UR-FREAK watch’s performance, ensuring its enduring durability matches its avant-garde mechanical structure. These carefully designed materials guarantee precision and longevity, making the UR-FREAK a perfect fusion of visible art and intrinsic science.

The Idea: The UR-FREAK watch is a collision and fusion of two independent creative masters. Urwerk’s Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei view the watch as a dynamic sculpture, where engineering and emotion are inextricably linked. Ulysse Nardin views the Freak watch as a continuous laboratory of exploration, constantly testing new materials and movement concepts. Both brands cherish the same philosophy: unrestricted freedom of innovation, whether it’s manufacturing their own silicon components or rethinking how time flows on the dial. The UR-FREAK watch is the culmination of this freedom: it represents genuine technological collaboration, not merely a superficial brand partnership.

Mechanically, it perfectly blends tradition and innovation, cleverly integrating Urwerk’s “wandering hour” movement with Freak’s rotating movement. Visually, it embodies the futuristic minimalism that both brands have refined over decades.

Technical Specifications – URWERK X ULYSSE NARDIN UR-FREAK

Case: 44 mm diameter x 12 mm thickness – Sandblasted titanium case and bezel – Crownless design, time adjusted via the bezel and wound via the case back (Freak style) – Sapphire crystal glass on both front and back – Water resistant to 30 meters

Dial: Skeletonized design – Tourbillon movement rotating around its own axis with satellite time display – Domed luminous hour markers – Central silicon oscillator – Curved minute markers

Movement: The UN-241 automatic movement features a flying rotating balance wheel, satellite hour display, silicon balance wheel and hairspring, DIAmonSil™ escapement, automatic winding, ruthenium-plated bridges, yellow Super-LumiNova luminous coating, 263 parts, 25 jewels, a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, a 90-hour power reserve, rotating satellite hour markers, and curved minute markers.

Strap: Yellow ballistic textured rubber strap – also available with a black rubber strap – titanium sandblasted folding clasp

Reference Number: 2413-500LE-2A-UR/3B