Urwerk indulge in high-tech complications
The unique watchmaking brand, Urwerk was founded in 1997 by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, who held a strong belief that the history of Fine Watchmaking is a constantly revolving art form. Felix Baumgartner, learnt the craft from his father who in turn learnt from his father
With time running through the family genes, Felix is an expert in the secret language of minute-repeaters, tourbillons and perpetual calendars, while his company partner, Martin is the artistic counterpart to the already present technical expertise flowing throughout Urwerk. The brand’s first watch was developed in the early nineties, and featured hours rotating on a disc that rises and sets in an arc, just like the cycle of the sun. The wandering hour has since formed the basis for Urwerk’s astonishing 103 watch collection that includes the latest models; the UR-202, the UR-110 and the UR-210. Each model possesses a highly original design that illustrates advanced watchmaking techniques and new concepts.
UR-210S
Many horology enthusiasts, who are aware of the orbital complication and imposing retrograde minute hand of the UR-210, may not know that the UR-210S is a limited edition of just 35 pieces built to incorporate an even stronger monochrome aesthetic with its full metal bracelet. Martin Frei states, “It’s impossible to boil this creation down to one specific feature. It really is about a coherent whole formed by each of its elements – the movement, mechanisms, case and dial – as well as the bracelet.”
The primary feature of the dial is a high-tech, oversized, three-dimensional retrograde minute hand. Its function is to enclose the hour satellite and indicate the time as it hovers over the 0-to-60-minute scale. However, the true beauty of the watch is only shown at the 59th minute, where a distinct ‘click’ is heard that signals the return of the minute hand to its starting point and the change in hour. Positioned at 1 o’clock is the traditional power reserve indicator while opposite, at 11 o’clock is the winding efficiency indicator that keeps a record of the last two hours.
EMC Black (Electro Mechanical Control)
At the end of October 2014, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awarded Urwerk with both the ‘Mechanical Exception’ and ‘Innovation’ prizes for the Black EMC timepiece. The sophisticated Electro Mechanical Control watch with ‘artificial intelligence’ enables timing to be easily monitored and adjusted by its owner and is the world's first 100% mechanical, high precision tool that monitors the movement's timing rate. Along with the conventional indications of hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve, the EMC dial comes equipped with an instrument panel that features a patented performance indicator display, instantaneous rate delta/δ, which is activated on demand by a push of a button. Each remarkable feature is housed in a black DLC-treated titanium and steel case which is water resistant to a depth of 30 metres.
The UR-110 EastWood
Three key elements have been combined in this ingenious creation; precious wood, bespoke tweed strap and attractive mechanics. The UR-110 “EastWood” is the ultimate recital of the UR-110, otherwise known as the "Torpedo", and it astonishes with rich, polished ebony bezel with a modern take on tweed. The final edition of the UR-110 line, the Eastwood, was a successful complicated feat. URWERK co-founder Martin Frei says, “For this last addition to the collection, we wanted something crazy. Wood. Now here is a material that is at once noble and beautiful yet something we had never worked with before. Carving a rounded bezel out of ebony, one of the hardest, densest timbers on the planet would prove a great challenge. But to master that carving and have it marry perfectly with the precise construction of the UR-110 would be a near impossible feat. However, there is nothing more appealing than the thought of conquering the impossible: We were ready to dive in.”
The UR-1001 TITAN
One of the most outlandish, complex, desirable and high-tech timepieces of 2015, the UR-1001 TITAN is truly unique. Presented on the large dial are functions ofseconds, minutes, hours, day, date, month, years, centuries and even millennia are housed in a colossal titanium case complete with a thick, robust strap. The watch boasts a patented, revolving satellite complication with wandering hour hand and retrograde minute hand that is fixed to a sprung ring around the circumference of the satellite complication. The Revolving Satellite Calendar is an original calendar complication, with months and date replacing the traditional hours and retrograde minutes, but as a smart feature the month automatically adjusts the last date on the calendar complication according to whether it has 30 or 31 days. The UR-1001 TITAN also features a day/night and power reserve indicator on the dial and turning the case over, an alternative universe is revealed featuring remarkably long time measurements, the 5-year ‘oil change’ and 100-year and 1,000-year odometers are displayed above the bottom of the satellite hours and retrograde minutes mechanism, its black surface punctuated by ruby jewel bearings.
