The Freak remains one of the most consequential watches of the twenty-first century. When it appeared in 2001, it dispensed with hands, dial, and crown in a single stroke, and the movement itself became the time display. Thirty-five patents and the distinction of being the first watch to use silicon components have secured its place in horological history. The Freak X distilled that radical architecture into a more wearable format, adding a crown for winding and setting while preserving the signature flying carrousel and rotating hour disc that define the collection's identity.
Now entering its third year of collaboration with the Gumball 3000 rally, Ulysse Nardin presents the Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2 in a 150-piece limited run that channels the rally's culture of speed and individuality through the Freak X's unconventional mechanical platform.
The 2026 Gumball 3000 rally runs from Miami to Mexico City, spanning seven days, 3,000 miles, and a finale timed to the FIFA World Cup opening match at the Estadio Azteca. It is the kind of ambitious, boundary-crossing event that suits a watch built on the same principles.
Things to Know
The 43 mm case is executed in titanium with a black DLC satin finish, complemented by an open sapphire case back in the same treatment and a personalised side plate carrying the serial number in orange. With a thickness of 13.78 mm, the proportions keep the watch within comfortable daily-wear territory despite its mechanical complexity inside.
The visual anchor is a Carbonium hour disc—an ultra-light material crafted from aerospace-grade carbon fibres upcycled from the aviation industry, woven with vivid orange epoxy resin. The process produces a three-dimensional texture reminiscent of Damascus steel, with each disc carrying a pattern unique to that individual piece. It is a material Ulysse Nardin has developed significant expertise in, and one that suits the Gumball partnership's black-and-orange design language particularly well.
A notable addition for this edition is an orange Super-LumiNova ring on the minute wheel—a first for the Freak X—joined by white Super-LumiNova on the indexes and bridges. The combination sharpens legibility and adds graphic intensity that reads well against the dark Carbonium disc. The black openworked rubber strap with orange inserts and stitching completes the rally-inspired aesthetic.
The Movement
The self-winding in-house Calibre UN-230 drives the piece, comprising 206 components and 21 jewels. The flying carrousel—held without an upper bridge—rotates once per hour to indicate the minutes, while the Carbonium hour disc beneath completes a full rotation every 12 hours for the hour display. The silicon oversized balance wheel, balance spring, escapement wheel, and anchor deliver the anti-magnetic performance and precision that silicon technology affords, operating at 21,600 vph, providing a power reserve of 72 hours.
Summary & Price
Three years in, this collaboration has found a credible rhythm. The Freak X's unconventional architecture gives Ulysse Nardin a canvas that absorbs bold material and colour choices without losing its mechanical identity, and the Carbonium hour disc is a stronger proposition than a simple livery change. For collectors drawn to both the rally's world and the Freak's engineering, this is a well-judged continuation.
Sticker Price USD 46,400. More info on Ulysse Nardin here.
