Ulysse Nardin applies purple enamel on a new Freak

• The Freak S Purple Enamel is the final edition of the Freak S. • Its purple enamel hour disc is crafted in-house at Donzé Cadrans. • Manufacture calibre UN-251, a flying carousel movement that rotates on its own axis, indicates the hours and minutes. The movement boasts several technical innovations. • The 45 mm case is made from titanium. • It is a limited edition of 50 pieces.

Kunaal Khemka

November 15, 2026

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What is the new Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Purple Enamel]?

It is a new and final version of Ulysse Nardin’s Freak [S]. It features a purple enamel hour disc that is crafted in-house by Donzé Cadrans, a renowned Swiss specialist in enamel dials owned by the brand. As with the watches in the brand’s Freak collection, the showpiece is a flying carousel movement that rotates around its own axis. The UN-251 powers the Freak [S]. It is housed in a 45 mm titanium case.

What is its dial and case features?

Dial: The Freak [S] does not have a conventional dial. A rotating hour disc featuring a pointer that completes one rotation every 12 hours is the closest thing to a dial in the Freak [S]. This final edition of the Freak [S] features a guilloché-flinqué hour disc coated with purple enamel.

“Before enamelling begins, the disc is stamped with a signature pattern, designed in house to intensify the visual rhythm of the rotating carousel and its twin silicon oscillators. The enamelling process itself is both science and art. Raw solid compounds are washed, ground by hand using a traditional mortar and pestle, and reduced to an ultra-fine powder. These pigments are then blended, a process that demands deep knowledge of chemistry, reactivity, and colour theory. Water is added to form a pigment paste, which is applied to the disc and fired at approximately 800°C. This is repeated across three to four layers, each one enhancing the tone, texture, and intensity of the enamel. After the final firing, the surface is manually polished, a delicate, hour-long operation that reveals the enamel’s full depth and luminosity.”

Case: The case is made from titanium, measuring 45 mm (diameter) * 13.66 mm (perceived height) / 16.65 mm (overall height). The bezel, locker, and caseback are also made from titanium. The dial side and caseback feature sapphire crystals. The watch is water resistant up to 30 metres. The watch comes with a purple calf-skin leather strap fitted with a folding buckle made from titanium.

The time is set by unlocking the locker at 6 o'clock (where it states "Freak") and then rotating the bidirectional bezel. The watch is wound by rotating the caseback anti-clockwise.

The pointer on the hour disc indicates the hours, whereas the pointer on the flying carousel movement indicates the minutes. Regulating two low-frequency oscillators is bound to be challenging for the grand complication watchmaker tasked with assembling the watch from start to finish. Notice the vertical differential between the two oscillators.

Notice the silicon balance wheel. Ulysse Nardin pioneered the use of silicon in watchmaking with the original Freak of 2001. The métiers d’art hour disc contrasts well with the ultra-complicated movement.

Does its movement feature two oscillators?

Yes! Manufacture calibre UN-251 is an automatic flying carousel movement that rotates around its own axis. It indicates the hours and minutes. It measures 42.15 mm (diameter) and comprises 373 parts and 33 jewels. It features two oversized oscillators, each inclined by 20° and featuring silicon balance wheels. Both oscillators beat at a luxurious or low-frequency of 2.5 Hz, or 18,000 VPH. The escapements are made from DIAMonSIL®, “a fusion of silicon and diamond coating” that the brand patented in 2007.

The movement features a vertical differential that averages the rate of the two oscillators. Comprising 47 parts and 6 ball bearings, it is the smallest vertical differential in the world. Furthermore, it features the brand’s Grinder® automatic winding system with blades technology, stated by the brand as “the most efficient automatic winding system in the industry.” It enables the watch to have a power reserve of 72 hours.

What do we think?

The Freak [S Purple Enamel] is the final edition of the Freak [S], suggesting that a replacement is soon on its way. I am not surprised. 2026 is the 25^th anniversary of this horological icon, and to commemorate, Ulysse Nardin unveiled the [Super] Freak, a 50-piece ultra-complicated version, during Watches and Wonders Geneva earlier this year. The brand states that it is the most complicated time-only watch ever made. In June, they unveiled the Freak [X] New Generation, a simpler and more accessible version, and the successor to the Freak [X].

Until the Freak [S] replacement comes along, let us celebrate the artistic and mechanical symphony that is the Freak [S Purple Enamel].

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Also Read: Ulysse Nardin unveils the Freak [X] New Generation