Urwerk UR-210 Keeps Tabs on the Movement of YOU

If you think you are keeping tabs on the movement of your timekeeper - Think Again.  The Urwerk UR-210 is a timekeeper that keeps tabs on the movement of you.  I would like to introduce the first ever "winding efficiency indicator".  You must understand this is a highly technical advancement only achieved by extreme mastery of mechanics.
So being the first of its kind, an explanation of  your function is in order. Before you claw at your face in despair at the quality of internet writing nowadays and glare at my seemingly rash use of pronouns, let me explain why I have intertwined watch wearer and watch in my description of functions.
You see a winding efficiency indicator does not indicate the efficiency of the timepiece but rather the efficiency of its wearer.

Power Reserve Indicator
Above the Urwerk's remarkable display of time ,I will come to that later, at the one 'o'clock position there resides a relatively unassuming power reserve indicator. Unassuming as it is, the complication of a power reserve indicator serves a very useful function. For a mechanical watch to run at a regular rate it is imperative that 30% of the mainspring is wound. The power reserve indicator displays the amount of tension of the mainspring at any moment and the amount of time the watch will function when not worn.
For the power reserve to always be in the "green" so too speak, a watch must be worn for at least 10-15 hours a day. However merely wearing a watch does not mean one is actually winding the mainspring.  One may be wearing the watch at ones desk for hours at a time or watching  24 hour  reruns of Star Trek for hours at a time not really moving ones wrist at all.   These activities are not really conducive to optimal automatic winding motion, since it is the swinging motion of ones arm which moves the oscillating weight thereby winding the mainspring.

Winding Efficiency Indicator
So how does one know if one's activities actually wind the watch?
That is where the Urwerk UR-210 "winding efficiency indicator" becomes handy. 
The "winding efficiency indicator" is located at the 11'o'clock and displays ones winding efficiency over the last 2 hours.  Sitting in your armchair watching reruns of Star trek, your efficiency indicator will be firmly placed on RED (in other words - you are being inefficient ).  If you happen to get up and walk Porthos the dog well then your efficiency indicator will jump into the green.

Winding Efficiency Selector

However Urwerk is not a weight loss watch company and understands if you have no time to run around and swing your arms all day, so Urwerk has developed a movement to meet your energy needs. With the knowledge that you are not a mover or swinger, you can use the Winding Efficiency Selector discretely located at the back of the watch.  The Winding Efficience Selector has three options "FULL", "REDUCED" and "STOP"

"FULL" - If the Winding Efficiency Indicator shows up in the red, you can either become active or select the "FULL" option on your Winding Efficiency Indicator.  What this will do is convert even the slightest motion into stored energy. In this mode a turbine connected to the rotor aids in a smooth transfer of power from rotor to storage.
"REDUCED" - If one is very active one can opt for the REDUCED mode triggering a "rotor damping system".

Rotor Damping System
The Rotor Damping System comprising of an air turbine compressor is  placed on ruby bearings and spins creating internal resistance. The function of this is to create sufficient friction to slow down the rotor.

"STOP" - This mode entirely disables the automatic winding system essentially converting the watch to manual wind.

Time Display
Although Urwerk's time displays are always highly original, the originality does not effect the ease of readability.  Urwerk's displays are a breeze to read and so very very clever. The UR-210 utilizes its signature retrograde minute display indicated by an ultra large hand framing the current hour.  The satellite hours always remind me of the earths orbit - turning around its own access at the correct hour and orbiting the central access.  There are three four sided satellites with a different hour marked on each side.  The minute hand moves along the display taking the current hour along for the ride.  At the end of the 59th minute, a flurry of activity occurs - in rapid procession of a mere tenth of a second.  The minute hand springs back meeting up with the correct hour. The transition is smooth - components performing in utter symphony.

Retail Price $145,000

UR-210 - Technical Specifications

Indications: Patented revolving satellite complication with wandering hour and three-dimensional retrograde minute hand; power reserve indicator; winding efficiency indicator (patent pending).
Super-LumiNova treatment on markers, dials, indexes, hands, and satellites
Controls: Two-position winding crown On the back: winding efficiency selector

Case
Material: Titanium and steel
Dimensions: Width 43.8mm, length 53.6mm, thickness 17.8mm
Glasses: Sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 30m/100’/3ATM
Surface finishes: Satinized

Movement
Caliber: UR-7.10
Jewels: 51
Escapement: Swiss lever
Balance: Monometallic
Frequency: 28,800v/h, 4Hz
Balance spring: Flat
Power source: Single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: 39 hours
Winding system: Automatic-winding coupled to turbines
Materials: Plate in ARCAP P40; 3D minute hand in aluminum with brass counterweight; central cylindrical spiral in spring-steel; hour satellites in aluminium; central carrousel and screws in Titanium Grade 5.
Surface finishes: Circular graining, sandblasted, circular and straight satin-finished plate; satin-finished and diamond-polished satellites; beveled and polished screw heads.

New Hublot King Power Unico GMT Bares a Striking Resemblance to Urwerk 103

The Hublot King Power Unico Gmt is an incredible feat of watchmaking technology, but although the movement is a brand new in-house Hublot construction, it bares a striking resemblance to the Urwerk 103 collection - save for the analog time display. 
All comparisons aside, I think the Hublot King Power Unico GMT is an exciting step into the companies consistent focus at innovative time display.
 The new time display enables the timepiece to track 24 different timezones which are located on the bezel and at an angle on the edge of the dial.  At first glance the time display may seem a tad overwhelming, but it is a 24 hour time zone watch.  Within the dial, the four GMT discs move with the main time while red indicator lines display the differing timezones.

Urwerk UR 103T

The powerful Hublot caliber HUB 1220 automatic GMT movement has the capability of a 72 hour power reserve.

The Hublot King Power Unico GMT is housed in a 48mm case and available in black ceramic or 18k gold. 
Personally I think satellite discs work better  with the simplicity of pure hour display on the Urwerk 103 timepieces, however in Hublot's defense, it is always quite a challenge to track 24 time zones on the dial of a single mechanical timepiece.

A Pheonix Heeds to the Call of Urwek for Only Watch Auction.

The Urwerk 103- Pheonix is Urwerk's powerful addition to the Only Watch Auction, which will be held by Antiquorium this September at the Monaco Yacht Show to raise charity for medical research of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Urwek ,as we all know, loves fashioning watches with animals in mind. This time Urwerk ordered the Pheonix, which heeded the call and alighted upon the center of the dial framing it with outstretched wings in protection and hope.
Urwek has chosen a powerful creature to rest upon its dial, a bird, according to Greek Mythology, with colorful feathers and a gold and scarlet tail, the symbol of rebirth, immortality, and renewal. As it as been said, a Pheonix at the end of its long days (500-100 years) sits on its nest, both bird and nest burst into flames and everything is reduced to ashes. It seems that all that was had, has been lost, burnt, nothing but a pile of ashes.... but before long out of the ashes , a tiny bird or egg appears - alive, renewed - destined to live another long long life.
Jean-Vincent Huguenin, engraver and artist, captures the free spirit of the Pheonix beautifully engraving the bird into the 18k white gold case.
The Only Watch Auction held by Antiquorum once every two years in September at the Monaco Yacht Show to raise charity for medical research of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. What better symbol than the Pheonix.
I applaud Urwerk. They have chosen well.

Titanic Meets Octopus by Romain Jerome

Being a fictional writer as well, I sometimes get slightly carried away with watches that awake my imagination... and Romain Jerome watches always have that effect. Romain Jerome seems to be accompanying Urwerk to the zoo, and naming its watches after exotic wild life. (Recall Urwerk's Black Bird Timepiece, King Cobra, or better yet its Tarantula Timepiece *Gulp*).
Romain Jerome has opted for the octopus and its watery realm. I suppose the image goes quite well with Romain Jerome's Titanic Watch -where the watch is actually crafted from pieces of the Titanic.
These watches are all part of Romain Jerome "DNA of Famous Legends" collections. Depicted above ,in all its finery, is the Titanic-DNA-Octopus Timepiece. The octopus is engraved on the case back, and hidden from view just as in nature. Any outward sign of the octopus is noted by the octopus-type suction cups situated on the interior of the black vulcanized rubber strap; by the limited edition of 888 timepieces and (you'll love this) by the water resistance - yes this watch is water resistant to 888 feet. The 46 mm steel case houses a Romain Jerome in-house RJ002-A2 automatic movement with a power reserve of 42 hours.
And what of the Titanic? The bezel is crafted from stabilized rusted steel retrieved from the Titanic. The case featuring octagonal screws and screw-lock down crown is reminiscent of the Titanic's portholes. Scratch resistant sapphire crystal protects the "weathered steel look" dial and crisscrossed beams. Hour markers are coated with Superluminova, which glows blue in the dark.
This watch is also available in black with red accentuation with white hour markers and black with white hour markers.

Urwerk's King Cobra UR-CC1

Although so many watch companies captivate the horological world, Urwerk latest masterpieces always cause a flutter of excitement. Each piece is so "out of the box" and refreshing, bending and experimenting with the ways of time display and watch movements. However,Urwerk's watches are vaguely familiar and the familiarity derives from shapes already within our schema, the shapes of members of the animal Kingdom. The new URWERK King Cobra UR-CC1 and the previous Tarantula Urwerk UR103T.

After three years of research and development, Urwerk unveiled the world's first production wristwatch with true retrograde linear displays. Felix Baumgartner gleaned his inspiration for this horological endeavor from Patek Phillipe one and only prototype its 1958 King Cobra designed by Louis Cottier. Now after fifty years, Urwerk pays homage to this unique design. Another inspiration were the linear speedometers in old cars.

The retro case is over 47mm tall and 43mm wide. The seconds display ,in the upper window, is comprised of a large ultra-light disc and a spiral with Arabic numbers at the disc's edge. The progression of the seconds can be viewed in two ways: digitally and linearly: via a small window whereby every other second is displayed and via the spiral which seems to progress in a linear manner along the gauge. Two large cylinders display the hours and minutes in a retrograde manner. Both jumping hours and minutes spring back to the zero position once they are extended all the way..

The watch also features a honeycomb patterned rack (visible through a window on the side) used to rotate the minute cylinder that’s actually made from silicon via a photo lithography process in order to keep it extremely lightweight but also very strong.

Only 50 pieces have been produced: 25 pieces in 18k gray gold and another 25 in 18k black gold.

Urwerk latest pet, the Tarantula Urwerk UR103T

On numerous occasions I have blogged about Urwerk. Complete out of the box thinkers, and I like that. I like that very much. The latest creation is a mesmerizing time display inspired by the Tarantuala. Changes have been made in this new black on black wristwatch. The titanium cross has been replaced by intrinsically new design crafted in ARCAP - a stable copper/nickel alloy. The hour satellites, a trademark of Urwerk, are cocooned within the ARCAP. This ensures the numbers on the hour satellites can only be viewed to display the current hour while passing the arc of minutes. Each satellite hidden from view is rotating simultaneously, preparing for their turn to display the time. The satellites performing a four-beat 480º rotation. As each satellite bears four hour markers, the satellite will turn 120º four times, from the time it leaves the arc until it returns to display the precise hour.

This configuration and movement is a total redesign of the previous Urwerk models making this timepiece a much coveted collectors item. Urwerk UR301T time display is three times the weight of a regular hands on a dial and this intricate precision was required in manufacturing the tiny components, as well as in the assembling, balancing and regulating the timepiece to achieve the precision required to attain the standard required to be deemed a Chronometer. A label only awarded by the C.O.S.C.

The four satellites are crafted in aluminium and mounted on their individual Geneva cross. The actual mechanism is suspended from the central orbital structure which is molded ARCAP 40, a cutting edge material that is light, non magnetic and corrosion resistant.
The minds behind the magic are Urwerk's watchmaker Felix Baumgartner and chief designer Martin Frei whose visions become reality, and their dedicated team.

The constant quest to measure time. Luxury Watch Makers strive to impress.

For centuries, great minds sought to create instruments to measure the passage of time. The oldest, of which, is the sundial dating back to 1500 BC. Earlier than that, men looked at the sun and stars , and the glowing horizon to determine time. The main problem was the driving force - the everlasting constant characterizing time. Weights were use prior to the 1600's, but unless one was thinking of opening up the earliest "Crunch" chain, then this was not the option. Weights were heavy and bulky. Henlein was our first glimmer of hope, he received 15 florins for his gilt musk-apple with a watch in 1524. Thanks to Henlein, the door opened, and innovations and advancements in watch making increased.
At first, the watch movements were made of steel, and then brass. These watches had straight verge movements with no balance springs. They were quite inaccurate "to put it mildly", and had only an hour hand. In addition, they were quite a handful having to be wound twice a day. However, they were the stepping stone to the precise "to the 10,000th of a second determined by the Tag Heuer time-keeping of today.

The movement and the display of the following centuries of watches were quite similar. The watch face, with the traditional hour, minute and second hands, rotating round a central axis and indicating the time on the circumference of the watch face.

A new wave of telling time has infiltrated the watch market, unique and ingenious ideas, confusing our earlier Kindergarten knowledge. Scrap the idea of Ms Hobbs standing before the the class in her sunny yellow dress dappled with tulips, holding a large poster of the watch face with bold red hands.

Now, look at this watch...


The Urwerk UR-202 series. A different way to tell the time. Confusing at first, but once one gets used to the idea, it actual is more simple than the traditional watch face. In the center of the watch is telescopic minute hands which operate through the center of the revolving and orbiting hour satellites. (Kind of like the planets revolving around the sun, spinning on there own axis- I wonder if Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei had such galactic thoughts when designing this watch- I have no doubt) The telescopic hands adjust their length to follow three vectors marking the minutes. The dial is large and easy to read , and since the telescopic hands retract, the size of the case is minimized to provide the wearer with absolute comfort. In addition, this unique watch houses an innovative new winding system regulated by compressing air utilizing miniature turbines. This watch is a re-invention of an old concept.

Another unique watch created by Urwerk, is the 103 collection. Within this collection is the Titanium Aluminium Nitride Urwerk, this TiLAN coating, is the hardest know material known to the World of Watches. This coating , only 4 microns thick, increases the resistance of the underlying metal to scratches, oxidation, shocks and even acids. The coating turns the watch a burnt plum color which is quite appealing. The time display is unique to the 102 collection; however,I think, not as effective as the 202 series.

These watches , although, available in the present, hold a hint of taste to the future.