The X-Men return to the cinema next week with Dark Phoenix, the culmination of nearly two decades of the movie franchise about fantastic freaks.
Speaking of cool and sexy Xs, the watch world has its own audacious X collection, whose genesis lies in Ulysse Nardin Manufacture in Switzerland.
Now under luxury group Kering, the innovative brand dates back to 1846 when Ulysse Nardin established his workshop in Le Locle, in the Jura Mountains.
"We were born to shake up things and challenge ourselves," said CEO Patrick Pruniaux. "The Freak X and the Skeleton X aren't just inspired by adventure. They are the call."
The Swiss maison pioneered the use of the supertough Carbonium in the watchmaking industry for producing the hardy cases of the X models. Robust and resilient, Carbonium is a sustainable material used in the aeronautical sector for making vital structural parts of modern aircrafts, such as fuselage and wings.
It is roughly twice as light as aluminium and twice as environmentally friendly as conventional carbon composite because 95% of it is eco-sourced from carbon by-products in the aeronautical cycle.
The innovative process development used to upcycle aerospace grade carbon material is based on three patents led by France-based start-up Lavoisier Composites.
"Its production has 40% less environmental impact than other carbon composites, as it uses offcuts from aeronautical pieces," said Pruniaux. "Our use of a material like Carbonium comes as a clear reminder that we dare make a difference."
Requiring high pressures and temperatures, the process also brings out the beauty of the organic pattern created by the 7µm diameter carbon fibres. As a result, the high-performance Carbonium is aesthetically pleasing, with marbled waves of brilliant and matte layers rendering a unique fluid pattern for each watch case.
The Freak X family of four watches include one housed in a matte Carbonium case. Without a crown, dial or hands, the iconic Freak features a manufacture flying carousel movement rotating around its own axis and silicium escapement components.
The Freak X differs with its smaller size at 43mm, and having a crown for time correction. The new "baguette" movement is still a carousel, turning once on itself every hour to indicate the time, but simpler with fewer wheels. One of the wheels indicates the hours while the central bridge acts as a minute hand.
Function defines the designs of the Freak X and Skeleton X, which has Ulysse Nardin introducing the X-factor in creating the bold models.
The 24th letter in the alphabet is virtually everywhere, from the representation of a chromosome and a generation to the multiplication process and radiography.
The Skeleton X is the brand's X-ray vision of haute horlogerie that brings out the inner beauty of the timepiece's architecture and function.
By intricately cutting away as much material as possible, without jeopardising tolerances or shock resistance, the openwork reveals the new manufacture movement with a super-light silicium balance wheel, providing a 96-hour power reserve.
The X-factor in the design is its shape-within-shape-within-shape geometry, as an X formed by four of the indexes is framed in a rectangle, in turn inside a circle.
From the four variations, the one in the 43mm Carbonium Gold case outshines with a shimmery and flowing black and gold waves.
A fusion of 7μm carbon filaments and dispersed gold particles within a thermosetting matrix results in the veined gold effect that varies from case to case, in making each Skeleton X timepiece unique.
