Ulysse Nardin Ignites the Freak X Gumball 3000 – Edition 2

The Gumball 3000 is far from a conventional race. Since 1999, founder Maximillion Cooper has led a handpicked group of participants on a roughly 3,000-mile journey across the globe, a high-octane adventure filled with speed, creativity, and unforgettable moments. Here, it’s not about best times, but the experience and the community. Artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and pop-culture icons converge with supercars, classic vehicles, and one-off creations. The 2026 edition of the Gumball 3000 will take place from June 4 to June 12, covering a route from Miami to Mexico City, with stages and public events in cities along the way. This adrenaline-fueled spectacle forms the foundation for the third collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. Following the original Freak X Gumball 3000 Limited Edition launched two years ago, the Freak X Gumball 3000 – Edition 2 continues the partnership with a new, performance-oriented interpretation.

No hands, no traditional dial, no crown: when the Freak debuted in 2001, it shattered the conventions of haute horlogerie. Instead of these familiar elements, the mechanical movement itself became the display, with hours and minutes indicated directly via the rotating carousel. A radical concept that still fascinates today. With more than 35 patents, including the pioneering use of anti-magnetic silicon in the escapement, the Freak set a technological benchmark that Ulysse Nardin has explored in numerous variations ever since. The Freak X, introduced in 2019 as a more accessible and slightly smaller spin-off, added a crown for time setting while retaining the iconic architecture.

For the Freak X Gumball 3000 – Edition 2, black and orange accents bring the rally’s vibrant energy to life while highlighting Ulysse Nardin’s mastery of advanced materials. At its center is a Carbonium hour disc, crafted from recycled aerospace-grade carbon fibers. Interwoven with bright orange epoxy, the material develops a unique three-dimensional texture and a damascene-like appearance. For the first time, the minutes are marked by an orange Superluminova ring, complemented by markers and bridges with white Superluminova details. The lightweight 43mm titanium case, finished in black DLC, reinforces the watch’s technical and high-performance character. Inside, the UN-230 manufacture movement with automatic winding drives the watch. Composed of 206 components, it operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour. The oversized balance with silicon hairspring, along with the silicon escapement and pallet fork, ensures precision and resistance to magnetic fields. The movement provides a 72-hour power reserve, and the watch is water-resistant to 50 meters.

To learn more, visit Ulysse Nardin, here.