Ulysse Nardin pays homage to the Donze Cadrans with the Freak X Grey Enamel Japan Limited Edition

The Freak is a signature collection from Ulysse Nardin, known for being one of the first in the watch industry to use silicon in its escapement. In September 2025, a limited edition model of the Freak X, based on the Freak, was released for the Japanese market. What is the quality of this Japan-only model, which features an enamel dial by Donze Cadrans?

Ulysse Nardin releases the Freak X Grey Enamel Japan Limited Edition!

　In 2001, Ulysse Nardin's Freak was one of the first watches in the industry to incorporate silicon into its escapement. Based on the concept of "no dial, no hands, no boundaries," the Freak features a giant carousel in the center of the face instead of hands, and has no crown, making it a unique watch that remains renowned for its innovative mechanism and design. Since its launch, this collection has produced masterpieces through repeated trial and error, including the Freak X, which was released in 2019. The Freak X is a more basic version of the Freak, with the crown located at 3 o'clock on the case.

　Now, Freak X has released a limited edition model for the Japanese market: the "Freak X Gray Enamel Japan Limited Edition Model."

　This model, which will be sold exclusively in Japan with only 25 pieces, features a gray enamel disc combined with guilloched decoration, known as a "guilloché flanque." This disc was crafted by Donze Cadrans, a specialist enamel dial workshop now under the umbrella of Ulysse Nardin.

　As mentioned above, the Freak has no hands or dial. Instead, the movement itself rotates, with a pointer on an enamel disc indicating the hours and a flying carousel indicating the minutes. The Freak X's rotating disc is a moving part integrated with the movement and is fastened with multiple screws, making the enamel processing more complex than a typical dial.

　Donze Cadrans masters this complexity with masterful skill. After the disc is guilloched to enhance the visual effect of the rotating carousel, the raw solid compound is washed and ground into a fine powder using a traditional mortar and pestle, then meticulously processed to ensure uniformity and color tone, creating a gray enamel—a gray enamel specifically developed for the Freak X. Once the right blend of pigments is achieved, water is added and the plate is carefully applied. It is then fired at approximately 800°C, cooled, washed, and fired again, with three to four additional layers of pigment applied—each layer enhancing the depth, intensity, and brilliance of the color. Once fired, the disc is polished by hand.

　During firing, there is a risk of defects such as bubbles or cracks occurring in the kiln, often requiring the process to be redone. Each rotating disc in this work is made individually, taking at least a full day, or approximately 8 to 12 hours, to complete, and no two discs are exactly alike. As a homage to this process and technique, Freak X has, for the first time, adorned the hour disc with the secret "DONZÉ ÉMAIL" engraving.

　While retaining Freak's unique avant-garde character, this watch features a subdued gray Guilloché Franquet disc for a subtle design. The titanium case is treated with black DLC, and the black color contributes to the subdued design while also providing scratch resistance. The strap is made of black ballistic rubber with white stitching, creating a unified look.

　The movement is the automatic Cal. UN-230. It is also used in other Freak X models and is essential to establishing the flying carousel mechanism of this work. The rotor is made of 18K gold and is individually engraved with a serial number.

　The retail price of this title is 7,007,000 yen including tax. The warranty period after purchase is 5 years.