Among these innovators, Ulysse Nardin stands apart for its long and distinguished history. With more than a century of traditional watchmaking behind it, the brand’s catalogue includes many classical designs. Yet one creation has come to define its forward-thinking spirit - the Freak.

Introduced in 2001, the Freak challenged every established convention. It featured no dial, no hands and no crown. Instead, the movement itself was placed on the dial side and used as the time display. The gear train served as the minute indicator, while the mainspring barrel cover indicated the hours. At the time, the concept was nothing short of revolutionary.

Today, while collectors have grown more accustomed to innovation in high horology, the Freak remains a bold statement of technical imagination. With modern evolutions such as the Freak X, this iconic design continues to push boundaries while becoming more approachable for a new generation of collectors.

Founded in 1997 by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, Urwerk has, from its earliest days, focused on exploring unconventional ways of displaying time. Central to the brand’s identity is its satellite time display, first introduced in 2003 with the UR-103.

This system uses rotating satellite discs, each marked with three hours, which move across a minute track over a 60-minute cycle. The result is a display that simultaneously indicates hours and minutes in a fluid, almost cinematic manner.

Surrounding this technical innovation are cases inspired by spacecraft, organic forms and futuristic architecture - designs that reflect the founders’ imagination and commitment to experimentation.