Urwerk UR103T Tarantula Watch

Take the Urwerk UR103 T watch in your hand, look at it straight-on and you'll decipher the arachnid design influences in this novelty. The central satellite construction in the watch does (sort of ) have eight legs when you look at it the right way. And for all the effort of seeing that you get to refer to this new Urwerk watch as the "Tarantula." Slated for release soon at Baselworld, the UR103 is the newest timepiece novelty from the closely watched workshops at Urwerk.

The 50mm tall and 36mm wide watch case and movement are constructed of a blend of metals comprised mostly of steel, titanium, and some aluminum, with a healthy amount of creative alloys. The calibre 3.03 manually-wound movement is unique to this watch featuring a 43 hour power reserve able to operate the complex litany of mechanical complications involved in powering the watch. While the satellite method of telling time is not unique to Urwerk, they certainly put the effective time readout system on the map. Reading the time is simple: follow the then viewable hour number on the rotating satellite and connect its position on the spot where it touches the curved minute scale. As the conical satellite drags across the scale, the hour passes and eventually a new satellite takes over. Each satellite has three hour numbers on the cone.

A large curved sapphire crystal covers the top of the watch, while the vertical grooves on the watch case make for a refined looking wrist instrument. The tapered alligator strap helps remove heft from the design making it comfortable while being more visibly bearable, and the top placement of the large crown makes winding the Tarantula while worn simple and convenient. The UR103T Tarantula is a perfect addition to the Urwerk line up adding a fresh new face, while strictly keeping with the brand's personality.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.