Ulysse Nardin

Does anyone know what happens when you send a Freak 1 back to the factory for a retrofit?  My understanding is that it gets all Freak II guts including the silicon parts.

Is it a good idea to have this done or keep the original Freak 1 innards ?

I own a very early Freak 1, and was concerned as well that it might develop problems after reading some of the posts over the last year or two.  I wrote to UN via email and attached is the reply.  Based upon the input, I decided not to pursue and to keep the watch "original".

From the company:

Thank you very much for your email dated of 17th October 2006 and thank you for your trust in Ulysse Nardin. I am very sorry for the delay in answering your email.

We understand your feelings regarding the technical problems to the Freak but do not worry: Only a small percentage of Freaks had problems and it took the scientist at the supplier of Silicium escapement parts some time to determine why some of these parts caused a loss of amplitude and eventual stoppage and others worked fine. The Silicium components were made in small badges and small differences in processing them after the etching process made some parts perform differently. This matter is now under control.

Please feel free to contact us for any further information and we wish you much pleasure with your Freak as well as with your other fabulous UN timepieces.

Thank you very much again and best regards,

ULYSSE NARDIN

The Freak II is a completely different movement to the freak I, it is a different design and size and uses different but similar technology - the Freak I remains unique and although I 'm sure the upgrades will continually be improved upon by what is learn't from the Freak II and of course the 160 that now uses parts of the Freak II's movement, the Freak I upgarde certainly doesn't include fitting the Freak II movement.

No message body

This is not my understanding from having spoken to UN about my upgrade, as I undertand it, it is simply a case of upgrading certain parts with a revised tolerence compared to the original - I was told the movement remains the same design and is indestinguishable from the original.

With a 10x loupe or less.