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Ulysse Nardin Freak X 43mm 18ct Rose Gold Case
Ref. 2305-270/02
Sits in Ulysse Nardin’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Ulysse Nardin watches we list, which start at £6,550.
Price range £6,550 to £103,100 across 34 Ulysse Nardin watches in stock.The Freak began in 2001 as a deliberate provocation: Ulysse Nardin built a watch with no dial, no hands, and no conventional escapement, then made the entire movement revolve around a central axis to tell the time. The Freak X carries that logic forward while making it more accessible — the bezel is now fixed and a conventional crown handles setting, a concession the original's designers would never have allowed, but one that opens the concept to daily use without softening what the movement does. What the movement does is genuinely strange to watch. The flying carrousel, carried on silicon components and beating at 3 Hz, sweeps around the black chapter ring to mark the hours, with its own rotation tracking the minutes. There is no separation between the engine and the display; the whole mechanism is the display. In rose gold and titanium with a black DLC finish against the dark dial, the contrast between the warm case and the industrial architecture inside it is considered rather than accidental. At 13.7mm the case is not thin, but the geometry is honest — a movement of this complexity and visual weight needs the room, and the proportions carry it without looking swollen on the wrist. The 72-hour reserve means a weekend off the wrist costs nothing when Monday comes.
- Reference
- 2305-270/02
- Brand
- Ulysse Nardin
- Case size
- 43mm
- Case thickness
- 13.7mm
- Case material
- Rose gold
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- UN-230
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 72 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Ulysse Nardin
Leonard Ulysse Nardin founded his workshop in Le Locle in 1846 and specialised in marine chronometers — the instruments ships used to determine longitude, where an error of seconds meant an error of miles.
The house became one of the two or three most important chronometer makers in the world. More than fifty navies used Ulysse Nardin instruments, and the company holds an extraordinary record at observatory trials: over four thousand certificates and dozens of gold medals, more precision awards than any other manufacturer.
Its modern era began in 1983 when Rolf Schnyder bought the failing company and partnered with Ludwig Oechslin, a scientist and horological historian. The results were the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei of 1985, which displays the positions of sun, moon, and stars and entered the Guinness records as the most functional wristwatch, followed by the Planetarium and Tellurium — together the Trilogy of Time.
Oechslin also designed the Freak of 2001, arguably the most radical wristwatch of the modern era: no dial, no hands, no crown. The entire movement rotates to indicate the time, and it was the first watch to use silicon components in the escapement, a material now standard across the industry.
The Marine collection continues the chronometer heritage. Kering acquired the brand in 2014.
- 1846
- Leonard Ulysse Nardin founds the workshop in Le Locle.
- 1985
- The Astrolabium Galileo Galilei is released.
- 2001
- The Freak pioneers silicon escapement components.
- 2014
- Acquired by Kering.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,460), Automatic Watches (1,573), Leather Strap Watches (854) and Solid Gold Watches (151).
Temporarily out of stock
Goldsmiths is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 26 September 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 72-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Ulysse Nardin's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 43mm sits at the larger end
Ulysse Nardin Freak X alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 2305-270/02 | 81010-52-3118-1CC | 1-36-12-02-05-62 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £32,940 | £33,000 | £34,700 |
| Case size | 43mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | 54 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 72 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
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