urwerk

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.

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.

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.

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]

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]