Ulysse Nardin Unveils Limited Edition Freak X Gumball 3000 Watch to Celebrate 25 Years of Maverick Rally
In a groundbreaking partnership, Ulysse Nardin, the acclaimed Swiss watchmaker renowned for the Freak, collaborates with the visionaries behind Gumball 3000 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic rally. They unveil the Freak X Gumball 3000 Limited Edition—a timepiece crafted for the daring and adventurous.
This exclusive watch, limited to only 150 units, allows each Gumball 3000 driver to customise their piece with a dedication plate that includes their team number, honouring the rally's quarter-century legacy.
Since 1999, Maximillion Cooper has led a diverse array of mavericks on a thrilling 3,000-mile journey that celebrates speed and style. The Gumball 3000 is not about the destination but the journey, challenges, and stories that unfold along the way. For 25 years, this unique endurance event has attracted an eclectic mix of sheikhs, rock stars, artists, and entrepreneurs, all united by a passion for adrenaline and adventure.
The 2024 rally traverses Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia, concluding at the electrifying Singapore F1 Grand Prix. This year’s route takes participants from Saigon's rural byways to Bangkok's bustling streets, blending chaos, luxury, and adventure—a hallmark of Gumball's 25 memorable years.
Maximillion Cooper, founder of Gumball 3000, stated, “Celebrating 25 years of Gumball 3000 is a significant milestone, and collaborating with Ulysse Nardin to craft something unique was the perfect way to mark it. Each driver can personalise their Freak X watch to reflect their team number, paying homage to the spirit of uniqueness and adventure that defines our rally. Like the Gumball, the Freak X breaks the mould, boldly defying norms and engineered for those who challenge limits.”
Since 1846, Ulysse Nardin has been a trailblazer in watchmaking. Among its pioneering creations is the Freak, a watch that has redefined modern horology.
Introduced in 2001, the Freak astounded the watchmaking industry by challenging and redefining age-old norms, igniting a revolution in design, mechanics, and materials.
Featuring no hands, dial, or crown, its design was revolutionary. It presented the first wristwatch where mechanics and aesthetics merged, where movement design became an aesthetic spectacle. Aptly named, the Freak diverged from traditional watch designs, expressing time as an emotional and artistic experience.
The Freak also marked a mechanical revolution as the first to deconstruct movement to express time uniquely, pioneering a new language in watchmaking that influences contemporary designs.
It introduced pioneering technologies, including silicon parts, propelling the watchmaking industry into a new era.
The award-winning Freak symbolises every innovator and iconoclast who defies norms, forges their path, and pursues success while maintaining integrity.
“Gumball 3000 and Ulysse Nardin share a mutual passion for challenging norms and seeking adventure, whether in life or horology. For the 25th anniversary, we aimed to create something as bold and unique as the rally itself. The Freak X Gumball 3000 embodies this spirit, celebrating the individuality and adventure that defines Gumball 3000,” stated Matthieu Haverlan, Managing Director at Ulysse Nardin.
This special edition watch, restricted to 150 pieces, is a striking fusion of cutting-edge horology and Gumball’s unmistakable rebellious energy. It features a bold, personalised case-back engraved with the Gumball 3000 logo, a lightweight Carbonium case, and iridescent Gumball orange Super-LumiNova on the hour markers, finished with a striking orange rubber strap.
Initially available exclusively to participants of Gumball 3000’s 25th-anniversary rally this September, these watches offer a unique opportunity to immortalise their racing memories. Further enquiries are now being accepted on the Freak X GB3K website. With only 150 pieces available globally, this edition is set to become one of Ulysse Nardin’s most exclusive and sought-after releases.