The Freak Vision is a timepiece that has heralded a new era for Ulysse Nardin. Super contemporary, incredibly complex and with an aesthetic that looks like it’s come straight off the wrist of William Shatner’s wrist, the Freak Vision is what I like to imagine what watches will look like in the near future (present company excluded, of course).
This pioneering piece took the world by storm, and Ulysse Nardin have astutely found a way to continue this wave of momentum and focus on the Freak Vision by implementing a brand new bespoke customisation process, aptly named the FreakIT.
Ulysse Nardin have named the FreakIT as “the ultimate in bespoke personalisation”, and that it most certainly is. The FreakIT is an application that allows the user to create their very own unique Freak Vision, virtually from the ground up (no pun intended).
The customisation app allows the user to choose from an enormous amount of bespoke and custom options, not only limited to the case and strap. You can choose from different bridge and bezel options, there’s an array or grinder, locker, side plate and movement parts. You can design your Freak Vision to be as colourful or monochromatic as you like.
You can even inscribe something on the case locker and side plate, by utilising Ulysse Nardin’s custom laser etching tool. This level of bespoke watchmaking is unprecedented, especially so considering the advanced nature of the Freak Vision as a whole.
CEO of Ulysse Nardin, Patrick Pruniaux, was quoted saying the following regarding the implementation of the FreakIT personalization tool: “The FreakIT app pushes bespoke personalization to the extreme,” said Patrick Pruniaux, Chief Executive Officer of Ulysse Nardin. "It is unprecedented in the watch world, which until now was far behind the car industry, where brands such as Rolls Royce, Ferrari and Bentley provide customers with a full set of bespoke options. Now in-store Ulysse Nardin customers, with a few swipes and taps, can create their own, one-of-a-kind Freak Vision - one that fully expresses their individuality. Bespoke is the defining element of high-end luxury. Affluent buyers, especially haute horlogerie collectors and millennials, place a strong premium on more emotional and personal priorities. FreakIT allows these individuals to create watches as unique as they are.”
Better still, Ulysse Nardin have set a fixed price for the utilisation of the FreakIT, which is available in-store at selected boutiques and retailers. The package will cost 10,000CHF, regarding of how many options you choose to incorporate into your Freak Vision. So, the total cost of your very own, custom and bespoke Freak Vision will cost 105,000CHF (or about $145,000AUD). At a glance, yes, this is not at all a cheap service, but considering you’re getting one of Ulysse Nardin’s most illustrious, most complex and most forward-thinking timepieces, that has been customised to your exact specifications, I truly think that this is definitely going to be money well spent.