Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gumball 3000 – Edition 2
Introducing the Ulysse Nardin FREAK [X GUMBALL 3000] – Edition 2
For the third consecutive year, Ulysse Nardin and Gumball 3000 have collaborated on one of the most trusted automotive partnerships in watchmaking. Released on February 23, 2026, the FREAK [X GUMBALL 3000] – Edition 2 (model: 2303-270LE-2B-GUM/3A) is not merely a superficial upgrade to its predecessor. It features a new Carbonium® carbon fiber dial, a minute wheel with orange Super-LumiNova® luminous coating for the first time, and a more striking visual design, perfectly embodying the "Edition 2" name.
Gumball 3000 – The 2026 Gumball 3000 Rally, subtitled “Road to the World Cup,” starts in Miami and travels 3,000 miles over seven days, culminating in Mexico City, passing through Amelia Island, New Orleans, Austin, Monterrey, and San Miguel de Allende. Rally participants will arrive at Mexico City’s iconic Aztec Stadium to luxury replica watches the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 26™ as VIPs.
Since its inception in 1999 by Maximillion Cooper, Gumball 3000 has grown into a billion-dollar lifestyle platform, attracting participants from Lewis Hamilton to Idris Elba, with the Freak X Edition 2 serving as the official timer for its 2026 event.
Freak X – Dial
The Freak X watch abandons the traditional dial: no printed hour markers, no applied hour markers, and no traditional surface. Time is presented entirely through the movement's own structure. The most striking visual element at the bottom of the dial is the Carbonium® hour disc, crafted by Ulysse Nardin from aerospace-grade carbon fiber (recycled material from the aerospace industry) interwoven with vibrant orange epoxy resin. The Carbonium® texture is inspired by the grain of Damascus steel, and its three-dimensional quality ensures that each of the 150 watches is unique. The minute carousel bridge sits above the hour disc, and the minute wheel features an orange Super-LumiNova® luminescent coating for the first time, complementing the white Super-LumiNova® coating on the hour markers and bridge. The overall color scheme is clean and bright, highly characteristic of the Gumball 3000 swiss replica watches.
Freak X – Sport
The Edition 2 watch is powered by the UN-230 movement, whose intricate technical details deserve a deeper exploration. This in-house automatic movement comprises 206 parts and 21 jewels, oscillates at 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), and boasts a 72-hour power reserve. This power reserve is powered by Ulysse Nardin's exclusive Magic Lever bidirectional winding system – the "Grinding Mill." The movement's automatic winding mechanism utilizes a fully rotating rotor, driven by Ulysse Nardin's Magic Lever bidirectional winding system. Its time display is unique in Swiss watchmaking: a central rectangular flying wheel integrates the complete gear train, escapement, and regulating mechanism, rotating once per hour to indicate the minutes, while the Carbonium® hour disc below rotates once every 12 hours.
The true highlight of this timepiece lies in its silicon components. Ulysse Nardin manufactures the escapement wheel, escape fork, hairspring, and oversized balance wheel entirely from silicon at its dedicated silicon manufacturing plant, SIGATEC. Silicon requires no lubrication, is completely antimagnetic, and exhibits negligible mechanical wear. Furthermore, the oversized balance wheel is equipped with nickel flyweights and stabilizing microblades, utilizing air resistance to regulate the amplitude. This technology, initially used in the Freak Vision watch, is now also applied to the Freak X mens replica watches. Considering the price Ulysse Nardin has set for this timepiece, the UN-230 movement demonstrates true technological value.
The Oddity – Case Study: This 43mm case is entirely crafted from black DLC-coated titanium: the top, bottom, and sides all feature the same satin-finished DLC finish. Despite a total case thickness of 13.78mm, the ergonomic shape of the DLC titanium makes it feel only 11mm thick on the wrist. It is water-resistant to 50 meters. The case back is clearly visible through the sapphire crystal glass set within the black DLC titanium frame. A personalized plaque with an orange serial number is engraved on the side of the case back, identifying each of the 150 limited-edition watches. The strap is crafted from openworked matte black rubber, accented with orange inserts and stitching, echoing the watch's visual elements without overshadowing the intricate details of the movement. The crown serves both winding and adjusting functions, a practical feature absent in the original Freak watch from 2001.
FREAK [X GUMBALL 3000] – Edition 2: Review
FREAK [X GUMBALL 3000] – Edition 2 perfectly embodies the qualities of a second collaborative timepiece: it doesn't simply repeat its predecessor, but rather builds upon it. The Carbonium® carbon fiber dial, the new orange Super-LumiNova® luminous coating on the minute wheel, and the more refined graphic design combine to create a more sophisticated piece than Edition 1. Ulysse Nardin celebrates its 180th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the Freak collection with this well-deserved timepiece.
Richard Mille RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer
Ulysse Nardin FREAK [X GUMBALL 3000] – Second Edition Technical Specifications
Reference Number: 2303-270LE-2B-GUM/3A
Movement
Calibre UN-230, in-house manufactured
Automatic winding
Functions: Hours, minutes
Flying carousel rotates once per hour (minute), Carbonium® hour disc rotates once every 12 hours (hours)
Oversized silicon balance wheel and balance spring
Silicone escapement wheel and support anchor
Oversized oscillator
206 components, 21 jewels
Frequency: 3 Hz / 21,600 vibrations/hour
Power reserve: 72 hours
Dial
No traditional dial
Orange Carbonium® hour disc (woven from aerospace-grade carbon fiber and orange epoxy resin)
Minute wheel with orange Super-LumiNova® luminous ring
White Super-LumiNova® luminous markers and bridges
Claws
Material: Black DLC-coated titanium, satin-finished
Diameter: 43 mm
Total height: 13.78 mm / Height on wrist: 11 mm mm
Case back: Black DLC-coated titanium skeletonized sapphire crystal
Orange personalized side panel with serial number.
Water resistance: 50 meters
Strap
Black skeletonized matte rubber-coated strap
Orange inserts and orange stitching
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