New Ulysse Nardin Freak celebrates 25 years of the Gumball rally

This is the ultimate watch for car lovers

BY SAM CROSS

You could pick out a whole range of different pieces to call the best watch on the market. There are models from a whole host of brands which offer decent specs, unassuming looks and a relatively modest price tag.

None of those have the bonkers personality of something like the Ulysse Nardin Freak, though. With a balls to the wall persona, the Freak is a marvel of modern watchmaking, offering a unique watch built by master craftsmen.

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Swiss watchmaker, Ulysse Nardin, has combined with the Gumball 3000 for a limited edition watch.

The Freak will be limited to 150 pieces and first offered to participants in the race.

Now, the brand has paired its poster child piece with another feat of the bonkers nature of humanity – the Gumball 3000 rally. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Gumball 3000 is a 3,000 mile trek which celebrates lavishness, style and speed.

Kicking off in Saigon, Vietnam this Saturday (14th September), the race concludes in Singapore eight days later. Viewers can expect to see some of the hottest supercars and rarities on the planet as part of the event.

To celebrate, the Ulysse Nardin x Gumball 3000 watch will be offered to those taking part in the event. Seen as the perfect way to immortalise their experience, participants will be able to have their watch personalised with the team number on their rally car. The piece is limited to just 150 pieces, and will be offered to the wider market if they aren’t all secured by participants.

The watch itself is everything you’d expect from Ulysse Nardin. A 43mm case is crafted from black DLC titanium and Carbonium, for a sleek, modern look.

Inside, you’ll find a Calibre UN-230 movement, with the iconic handset the brand has become renowned for. Those hands are finished in an orange hue which matches the Delugs strap and motif on the caseback.

I’m a huge fan of this. The Freak is a real Marmite watch, but there’s no denying how impressive it is. That seems like the perfect accompaniment to the Gumball rally – whether you love of hate the idea of a 3,000 mile drive across countries, there’s really no denying it’s an awe-inspiring feat.

This article is originally available at www.t3.com