Urwerk

Urwerk UR-202 "White Shark" Highly Limited Watch

There are limited editions, and then there are "Rare Species Collection" limited editions. While no Urwerk watch enjoys high levels of production, they have a subset of even more rare timepieces. Here is their new "White Shark" UR-202 watch, based on the Hammerhead UR-203 watch that I discussed hands-on here. The UR-202 and UR-203 watches are among my favorite in terms of design and utility for Urwerk. I find that this retractable rod system for telling the time is great, all based on Urwerk's "satellite" system model for time indication. The UR-202 was the first of this collection, and is here being released in a very special limited version of just 12 pieces. In fact, there are only about three stores in the world that will carry this watch. Aside from telling the time, the watch has a moon phase indicator and a day/night indicator. You can lock the rotor for the automatic movement (during high vibration/shock activity) to protect the watch via a lever on the caseback.

Called the "White Shark" due to its whitish silver color, this UR-202 is actually made from a steel and titanium case. Much "lower market" than other Urwerk watches. Meaning that this should be a relatively cheaper Urwerk model (still a high-end luxury watch though). The size of the watch is about 46mm by 43.5mm, and 15mm thick. The watch has a combo of satin and brushed finishing on the case. This mixes well with the similar tones on the dial and the perlage polish on the movement plate. The 12 watches will be spread out and available at Chronopassion in Paris, The Hour Glass in Singapore, and via Urwerk directly in Geneva. Check out some hands-on images here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Urwerk UR-202 White Shark watch

Tags: ur-202, Urwerk, watch, white shark

Urwerk UR-CC1 Black Cobra Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The highly complex Urwerk UR-CC1 King Cobra watch will not be offered in a limited edition UR-CC1 Black Cobra model. Thankfully, there are plenty of snakes, arachnids, and other creepy crawlies sufficient for Urwerk to continue to have fun names for their unique timepieces. I first discussed the interesting qualities of the "linear time telling" King Cobra watch here. You can refer to that article for more on its function and technical information. I got to personally play with the large watch that was inspired by a car dashboard, and can say that it is truly a unique luxury machine (which can really be said about any Urwerk piece). Time is told on a few linear scales - styled like some retro speedometers. The lower scale is for the hours, then higher up you have the minutes, and at the top of the case is a seconds indicator. The hour and minute scales "jump" back to their starting positions when they reach the end of the line (according the Urwerk, that last little operation was a pain to develop). Actually, the watch as a whole took about three years to develop.

The new Black Cobra is in a black PVD coated case made from black AlTiN - a complex aluminum titanium alloy, better known as Aluminum Titane Nitride. 42mm wide on your wrist, the watch is almost 54mm tall. Inside the watch is a Urwerk made calibre UR-8.02 manually wound mechanical movement. The well over $100,000 Urwerk UR-CC1 Black Cobra watch will be limited to just 25 pieces.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: black cobra, ur-cc1, urwerk, watch

Urwerk UR-203 Watch Hands-On

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Not too long ago Urwerk came out with a watch that they nicknamed the Hammerhead. Given this name because of its widening dial that makes room for the minute scale near the front of the face. In the tradition of Urwerk, time it told via an ingenious system of rotating hands that display the hour and follow a linear minute scale. The spinning central system has three such hands, each with four hour indicators on them. Urwerk calls these "satellites." The proper hour pivots into position to face you so that you can read the time. Seen in a visually pleasing, almost lime-green tone. Thus, in the image here it is about 7:30. The first such was was the UR-202, and seen here is the follow-up model, the UR-203. The 203 has some interesting differences, most notable are a few different complications, and a case in platinum that is covered in in black. An odd thing really - having a precious metal case that is covered so as to disguise the metal below. Urwerk doesn't seem to mind that no one knows the watch is in platinum. It is enough for them that the wearer does.

Reading the time is easier that you might expect - a reasonably alternative to hands. If you notice the little needle coming out of the hour indicator like a precision hand, you'll be impressed that the hand retracts back into the unit when it is time for the satellite to spin back around the case. One of the coolest things about the 203 is the view from the back. The automatic winding movement spins a duo of turbines on the rear of the watch. These spin as you move around the timepiece - showing that the automatic winding is functioning. A very nicely stylized part of the watch. There is a level on the rear of the watch (simply to use and refined to the touch) that will lock the automatic rotor in place. Two red bars appear in a window on the rear when winding is locked. Why would you want to lock the winding? So that the watch can put up with more shock resistance during strenuous activity. You can then unlock the rotor when you are done with your golf swing for example.

Gallery: Urwerk UR-203 Watch

Tags: 203, hammerhead, hands-on, review, UR-203, Urwerk, watch

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Urwerk 103T Shining-T & Mexican Fireleg Watches Hands-On

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

People make a pretty big deal out of Urwerk and brands like it. The idea is perhaps that they are doing something so different that their work is worth recognizing. Also it could possibly be that their pieces exhibit a superior form of finishing and craftsmanship. Then again, people might just like their watches. The real reason behind the success of the small, luxury watch maker Urwerk is perhaps a combination of elements. Personally, I like the polished refinement in their pieces, and the straightforward execution of their time-telling concepts. In Switzerland I met with them and checked out some of their watches. Here for you are their newest pieces. Line extensions of the 103T watches, done in limited editions named the Shining-T and Mexican Fireleg (no doubt you can tell which is which). I previously wrote about these watches here.

Time spent with the watches reveals a lot of hidden details. They are "interesting" to wear, and cooler to look at. The cases are very solid and well made, with the interior details having the refinement of a precision tool. These are really the un-watch. They want to tell time in a different way, and play with traditional concepts of luxury. Take for instance the black PVD coated case of the 103T Shining-T. Know what is under that black PVD? 18k rose gold. Yup, and you'd never even know it was there. The Shining-T is my fav, though they are both cool. It uses sapphire crystal for the time telling satellites.

Urwerk really put their time into making the movements. Really high quality and ergonomic. This is a brand that actually understands watches are meant to be precision machines. On the back of the watch you have some additional information. Here is a special 15 minute dial that helps with precision setting of the time, as well as a power reserve indicator and seconds dial. Putting the watches on you feel a curious sensation wearing the device. It looks less like a watch than you might think - and that is part of the point. Reading the time is actually quite simple, and you don't really need any adjustment time. These two limited edition pieces aren't cheap, but they are well made - and you can't find quality or craftsmanship anywhere else for a novelty like this.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com

Gallery: Urwerk 103T Shining-T and Fireleg

Tags: 103T, 2010, mexican fireleg, MexicanFireleg, shining-t, urwerk, watch

Urwerk 103T Mexican Fireleg and Shining-T Watches

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Last year it was the Urwerk 103T Tarantula that was getting people excited. The "Tarantula" part of the name was based a bit on the vague visual idea that the style of satellite time arms on the watch look like legs - arachnid legs, but proved most to be a good marketing idea. The all black titanium watch is back this year with two new versions. Most notable is the 103T Mexican Fire Leg as seen above. Aside from very minor changes and the orange tone of the numerals and other accents on the case, the watch is the same. But now with a new name that sounds a lot like a disease you might pick up in a Sonoran desert. "Keep hydrated and change your socks regularly, else you might come done with some nasty Mexican Fire Leg." Though the name just refers to a creepy looking tarantula from "them parts."

The Shining T on the other hands has a bit of cosmetic changes on the dial and arms that move the satellites around the watch face. I am not sure, but Shining T sounds like a character or show from Japanese animation. Manga nerds rejoice, and start saving up. For the price of about 40,000 comic books, you too might be the proud owner of Urwerk's finest.

Each watch features an Urwerk made manually winding movement that displays the hours and minutes. The cases are done in aluminum and titanium and 36mm wide by 50mm tall - attached to alligator straps. The Mexican Fire Leg is available in a limited edition of 60, while there will be just 33 pieces for Shining to. Click Read More below for an image of the Shining T watch.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 103, 103t, mexican fire leg, MexicanFireLeg, shining t, ShiningT, urwerk, watch

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Urwerk UR-CC1 King Cobra Limited Edition Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Linear time sounds a lot like what time actually is (even though a few rogue physicists and/or time machine building hopefuls might disagree with you). Though that is exactly how this Urwerk UC-CC1 King Cobra watch displays the hours, minutes, and to a lesser degree, the seconds. This might be the perfect watch for regular computer users as telling the time looks a lot like the progress bar on a slow processing application.

Set as a limited edition in two materials, the UR-CC1 watch is an horological technical achievement reserved as a spectacle for most people, and as a new piece to their collection for just a few. With 25 pieces in 18k gray gold and another 25 pieces in 18k black gold (yea - makes no practical sense, I know), the limited edition King Cobra adds a new flavor the already creative and high technical looking luxury watch line by the famous boutique Swiss brand.

The case is over 47mm tall and just over 43mm wide. Two sapphire crystal covered crystals make up the face of the watch showing the seconds in the upper window and the minutes and hours below. The seconds display is actually one large disc with a spiral and with Arabic numerals around the edge. The user can read the seconds via a small window as the numbers (every other seconds) sweep by, or via the spiral that appears to progress in
a linear manner along the gauge. All indicators on the watch are retrograde, meaning that they instantly jump back to the "0" position after they extend all the way.

While luxuriously crafted in high grade materials (gold, titanium and others in each watch), the watch style is instrumental and "effective looking." Urwerk points to design influences as a late 1950s Patek Philippe concept watch displaying linear time, as well as the dashboards of older cars with similarly designed instrument gauges. These are not exactly the sexy subjects of most other $100,000 plus timepieces but for the right 50 people the story and look of the watch will easily match Urwerk's technical prowess and level of refinement.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: URWERK UR-CC1 King Cobra Limited Edition Watch

Tags: king cobra, KingCobra, limited edition, LimitedEdition, linear time, LinearTime, ur-cc1, urwerk, watch

Urwerk UR103T Tarantula Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

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.

Tags: tarantula, timepiece, ur103, ur103t, urwerk, watch

The Hardest Watch in the World?

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Avant garde Geneva-based watchmaker Urwerk produces what they claim is the world's hardest timepiece, the 103.08 TiAlN, the Wealth Bulletin reports. That stands for Titanium Aluminum Nitride, a coating less than 4 microns thick and much lighter than gold and platinum but much, much harder - more than 5 ½ times harder than steel, in fact. Nearly indestructible, the watch is practically immune to scratches, shocks, oxidation and even acids, they claim. Theirs is the first timepiece ever to use the coating.

Shown here in rose gold, the limited edition watch will run you about $70,000. The slanting sides of Urwerk's signature "orbiting hour satellites" allow you to see what time it is without turning your wrist. The company, which launched in 1997, has been doing revolutionary things to timepieces, yet their inspiration goes back several centuries. The name is an homage to Ur, an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia, one of the earliest known civilizations in the history of the world. Take a look at some of their other designs below.

Gallery: Urwerk's Wild Watches

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Tags: Limited edition watches, LimitedEditionWatches, Urwerk, Wealth Bulletin, WealthBulletin

Urwerk 201 Hammerhead Watch

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Take the Urwerk 103 and the Opus V and mix them up with a little Felix Baumgartner magic and you have the latest from Urwerk, the 201 Hammerhead. This amazing watch features the classic Urwerk hour satellites but adds in telescoping minute hands that adjust their length as they follow the minutes and then retract. The watch has a five-day power reserve indicator and a day/night indicator. On the back of the watch there is an oil change indicator and the world's first horological odometer which keeps track of the total time of use for over a 100 years. I haven't heard any news on official prize but Gizmodo UK is saying it is around $50,000. True Urwerk junkies will appreciate this slow motion deluxe video tour and the pics here.

[via Acquire Mag]

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Tags: felix baumgartener, timepiece, urwerk, watch, wristwatch

Urwerk 103 Blackbird Watch

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

If you thought the Urwerk 103 was sexy in rose gold or platinum, check out the 103 Blackbird, a black-coated, platinum timepiece which is being made in a limited edition of only 10 pieces. The supersleek Blackbird has a coating of PE-CVD otherwise known as Plasma Enhanced-Chemical Vapor Deposition which is scratch resistant. The SuperLuminova markers are yellow by day and glow in blue by night. It has a Calibre 3.03 manual-winding movement with a 43-hour power reserve.

[via Europastar]

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Tags: blackbird, timepiece, urwerk, watch, wristwatch

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