lysse Nardin has been the undisputed master of silicium since 2001. Continuing its trajectory, it has once again turned a material originating from the electronics industry into an authentic medium of artistic craftsmanship. Ulysse Nardin now presents an astonishing new Freak X model, embellished with a decorative technique that had hitherto been almost totally undiscovered: silicium marquetry. A revolutionary material par excellence, silicium had already proved its worth in Ulysse Nardin’s watch movements. It now exhibits its virtues on its watches’ dials for the second time.
A totally new revelation in the world of watchmaking, silicium marquetry involves assembling slivers of silicium cut into segments with a plasma accelerator. The subtlety of this technique lies in the craftsman’s dexterity, given that the silicium used is extremely flaky and fragile when moved.
![The art of silicium marquetry by Ulysse Nardin](https://www.europastar.com/local/cache-gd2/06/5d9307c10563a76e86b4a32c9046f1.jpg?1721992971)
Slightly superimposing the segments one on top of the other (rather than interlocking them) would be enough to chip their edges. It thus represents a veritable feat of “technological craftsmanship” - assembling by hand a collage of segments needed to create these astonishing mosaics. The end result delivers a unique impact as the eye is dazzled by the glittering marquetry, which resembles a galaxy of interacting laser beams.
For this new Freak X, Ulysse Nardin used an advanced technology, still in silicium, to produce a matt effect on the blue part of the decorative plate, thus creating a visual contrast with the green “X” in silicium marquetry. Silicium marquetry offers a spectacular display of reflections of unmatched brilliance, with fragments in different sizes illuminated as the light sweeps around the watch like the beam of an X-ray!
![The art of silicium marquetry by Ulysse Nardin](https://www.europastar.com/local/cache-gd2/26/0208710ed7b1c5bbf36e18f464fb61.jpg?1721992971)
The Freak X watch makes its debut as the entry point into the Freak collection. The sizing, 43mm, makes the watch easy to read and operate. It has a crown for time correction, which breaks with one of the most iconic aspects of the crown-less Freak Vision which correct time by the bezel. The movement is a carrousel, turning once on itself every hour to indicate the time.
It has no dial and no hands - the central bridge acts as a minute hand and one of the wheels indicates the hours. Inside and clearly visible beats a super-light balance wheel in silicium, extra-wide, with nickel flyweights and stabilizing micro-blades The movement itself, the UN-230, is a fusion of the manufacture calibers UN-118 and Freak Vision UN250. The case, nicely rounded with curved lines, is seriously transformative.
![The art of silicium marquetry by Ulysse Nardin](https://www.europastar.com/local/cache-gd2/66/7a234598a234007e6faf6a7dee0b1b.jpg?1721992971)
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Reference: 2303-270LE/03-MARQ-BQ
- Movement: Caliber UN-230, self-winding movement
- Oversized oscillator with Silicium technology
- Wide-diameter 3Hz silicium balance-wheel with nickel inert masses
- Index & Bridges in Vivid Blue with Superluminova
- 205 Components
- Power reserve: 72 hours
- Case: Titanium with Blue PVD
- Diameter: 43 mm
- Case-back: Open Sapphire crystal
- Strap: Blue alligator leather strap
- Water resistance: 50 m
- Decorative plate: Cutting-edge Métiers d’art with Silicium marquetry decorative plate (bottom of the movement)
- Limited edition: 30 pieces – Boutique Only
- Price: CHF 29,500