In a landscape often dominated by surface-level brand partnerships, Ulysse Nardin and URWERK have unveiled a collaboration that goes far beyond a simple meeting of logos. Launched at Dubai Watch Week, the UR-FREAK is, in fact, the meeting between these two brands that should have happened maybe 20 years ago and has already drawn praise as one the best collaborations to date in watchmaking. Briefly, the watch is a kinetic sculpture where the “mechanics define the design.” Unfortunately, that — and even the pictures — does not quite capture it. The UR-FREAK is a technical fusion of two of the most disruptive concepts in modern horology: the Ulysse Nardin Freak and the URWERK wandering hour satellite indication.
In the UR-FREAK, the entire movement rotates once every three hours. As it spins, a massive silicon balance wheel — 25 percent larger than standard versions — oscillates at the centre, serving as the beating heart of the display. Orbiting this heart are the satellite arms, which carry rotating hour blocks that slide along a minute scale, a signature URWERK method of time-telling now powered by Ulysse Nardin’s carousel. This is why we call the UR-FREAK a fusion of disruptive concepts, to be clear.
As mentioned, the spiritual origins of this 2025 partnership trace back nearly three decades. The late 1990s saw the founding of URWERK by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei
Read more from original article, all rights reserved Ulysse Nardin and URWERK Unite for the UR-FREAK
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