Ulysse Nardin Marine Collection Chronograph Manufacture 1186-126-3/E0 Replica Watch

Freak Damonsier: Advanced Freak [2007]
Ultimately, Ulysse Nardin and GFD found a less complicated solution to incorporate synthetic diamond – DIAMonSIL (or diamond-coated silicon), which is obtained by producing a layer of diamond on a silicon substrate. The new material, which is essentially reinforced silicon, has all the qualities of silicon, including diamagnetism, low density and the ability to be fabricated precisely, but with improved surface hardness to ensure durability.

The result was presented at Freak DIAMonSIL in 2007, featuring a Ulysse double escapement made of DIAMonSIL. The escapement has reached its peak thanks to new materials that not only offer high energy transmission efficiency, but also have a surface hardness suitable for extended service life.

Innovision 1: Radical Freaks [2007]
In 2007, Ulysse Nardin also launched the InnoVision 1, a Freak thoroughly committed to the vision of a silicon-driven future. Not only did it show the world the enormous potential of silicon to offer better shock resistance, better rate stability, and higher efficiency—qualities that undoubtedly benefit the end user—but it also showed the world how complex Three-dimensional manufacturing helps watchmakers. The movement has a richer silicon material than the Ulysse double escapement system, including a silicon bridge for the double escapement wheel and a bi-material bridge for the gear train, which consists of a central plate made of silicon with two sides It is a nickel-phosphorus outer bridge fabricated using LIGA. The use of silicon eliminates the need for jewellery, allowing greater freedom in the design of the movement, while using silicon bearings on the lower bridge of the gear train, requiring no lubrication and no oil cups. In addition, it features silicon integral shock protection integrated into the balance shaft pivoting on a silicon disc. Silicon's elasticity allows the disk to bend and instantly return to its original shape when subjected to a shock.

Most notably, the concept watch also introduces three-dimensional silicon components. In its infancy, silicon parts were mostly etched as flat, planar parts. But the most critical parts of the oscillator in InnoVision 1, namely the escapement brake and safety pin, the balance roller and impact pin, and each escapement wheel and its pinion, are made of silicon as a single unit on two levels. In addition to being able to be manufactured to extremely fine tolerances, these multifunctional single components reduce assembly time.