279 articles found · page 3 of 10
Quill & Pad
Urwerk has installed the latest evolution of its wandering satellite-hour movement on the new he UR-150 Scorpion. It delivers a sense of theatre when one hour dramatically transitions to the next.
As has become the tradition, we always record the panels that occur throughout each of the Windup Watch Fairs. This fantastic, original content is great to revisit for those who had the chance to be there, and is now available to everyone who didn’t have the opportunity to be there in person. These panels are free to attend at the time of their recording, so in the spirit of Windup-an event that puts an emphasis on approachability-it’s only fitting that the content from the show is freely shared as well. We present it here in this roundup in the order that they happened at the fair, starting on Friday and on through Sunday! Diving into the New Oris Divers Date We’re honored that Oris chose to debut its new Divers Date at Windup this year. Worn & Wound’s Managing Editor, Zach Kazan, was joined by Oris Co-CEO Rolf Studer to discuss the significance of this global launch. ______________________________________________________ Openwork Podcast Live: Elements of Design We recorded a joint podcast between the Worn & Wound team and our friend at Collective Horology. Our special guests, Martin Frei of URWERK and Jonathan Ferrer of Brew Watch Co., discussed their particular approaches to designs of their watches. ______________________________________________________ 65 Years of Squale Worn & Wound contributor Griffin Bartsch was joined on stage by Andrea Maggi, CEO of Squale, with special guest: TGV, founder of The Urban Gentry. Together, they discussed the illustrio...
Quill & Pad
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a plane so complicated that materials, manufacturing processes, technology, and understanding of physics all needed to be expanded or invented. So it's fitting that have used the SR-71 Blackbird as the inspiration for a tenth anniversary edition of the groundbreaking Urwerk EMC.
Deployant
Urwerk releases the new UR-150 Scorpion, a timepiece that reinvents the iconic satellite display that made the brand famous. The new model refreshes the bold design and innovative mechanics synonymous with the brand. The Scorpion comes in two variants, Titan, and Dark.
Fratello
We’ve kept our collective lips zipped about the new Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion after seeing it during Geneva Watch Days 2024. Now it’s ready to debut in a choice of two case finishes. The UR-150 Scorpion hosts a new movement and an enhanced complication. As always with Urwerk, it’s a feast for the eyes! During our […] Visit Stung By The New Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion! to read the full article.
Revolution
Hodinkee
Most of the time, it's a slow-moving watch but once an hour, it's got a lightning-fast sting.
Monochrome
While the wandering satellite-hour complication remains a hallmark of Urwerk, featured in one form or another across most of the independent brand’s creations, the evolution of its designs, the inventive interpretations, and the mechanical ingenuity behind each new model is undeniably inspiring. This month, the fascinating and creative brand, led by founders Felix Baumgartner and […]
Time+Tide
Urwerk's iconic satellite hours complication sees its most ambitious retrograde system yet, which resembles the lightning-fast strike of a scorpion.The post Urwerk reinvents its signature complication in stingingly fun fashion with the UR-150 Scorpion appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
I have never mastered packing light, which bit me during Geneva Watch Days 2024. I carried a relatively heavy backpack with camera gear, a video kit, and a daily swag collection. That’s not normally an issue, but the heat and humidity in Geneva were no joke. Then, my colleague Dave Sergeant took me on a […] Visit Hands-On With The Urwerk EMC SR-71 to read the full article.
Fratello
Our Sunday Morning Showdowns are usually quite sensible. Okay…relatively sensible. We often pit two attainable everyday watches against each other to see which wins the popular vote. Well, today is a bit different. Today, we have a brawl between two Nouvelle Horlogerie watches that, unless you are reading this from the sundeck of your 200-foot […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Urwerk EMC SR-71 Vs. MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 to read the full article.
Hodinkee
That's right, for the 10th anniversary, the 'Electro Mechanical Control' is back in a limited edition with pieces from one of the most legendary aircraft of all time.
Time+Tide
Omegas with Easter eggs, Norqains with diamonds and Urwerks modeled after spy planes were the order of the week.The post New releases from Omega, Norqain, Urwerk and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Let me take you back to 2014. This is the year that “Gangnam Style” reaches two billion views on YouTube and Luis Suarez bites an opponent at the World Cup. Did I refresh your memory? You would be forgiven if the 2014 GPHG award winners occupied a less prominent place in your mind. Let me […] Visit Introducing: The Urwerk EMC SR-71 - A 10th-Anniversary Edition Of The Innovative EMC to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Ahead of Geneva Watch Days next week, Urwerk has unveiled what will surely be in the running for “Watch of the Year” talk when 2024 comes to a close. The EMC SR-71 is a new variation of one of the independent brand’s most discussed and honored timepieces. The original EMC, introduced ten years ago, is a former winner of the GPHG prizes in both the “Mechanical Exception” and “Innovation” categories. Even within the strange world of Urwerk, the EMC is an oddity, so it’s always exciting to see them return to this platform with a new variant. EMC stands for Electronic Mechanical Control, a term that seems to contradict itself but actually does a fantastic job of describing exactly what this watch does. What you need to know about how this watch operates is that the traditional time telling functions (hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve) all operate mechanically. But integrated into the movement is an optical sensor linked to the balance that, on demand, can record the rate at which it is oscillating. Using light and an integrated circuit, the movement will tell you the delta between the timing rate of the mechanical movement and a reference oscillator (a 16,000,000 Hz mega-quartz oscillator in this case). Pressing a button on the side of the case activates a meter at roughly 10:00, telling you how fast or slow your watch is running. What’s more, the watch is equipped with a timing adjustment screw on the caseback that can be accessed by the owner wit...
SJX Watches
Urwerk’s highly technical and unique approach to watchmaking is captured in the EMC SR-71, a limited edition of 10 pieces to mark the 10th anniversary of a model that has a built-in user-regulation device. This edition boasts a special and tangible link to military aviation with a crank handle from alloy retrieved from the fuselage of an SR-71 “Blackbird”, the famous Cold War-era, supersonic spy plane. Initial thoughts Although sci-fi and even extravagant in terms of mechanics, materials, and shapes, Urwerk timepiece have a certain hyper-functional, instrument-like quality to them. Trademark features like the “oil change” indicator make its watches feel like actual pieces of machinery. The original EMC was launched in 2014 as an endeavour in blending traditional watchmaking with contemporary electronics and micro computing technology. Though advanced, the EMC complication is esoteric and never really gained traction. However, for a specific niche of watch geeks and nerds, the EMC is an intriguing and original idea. The bit of an SR-71 “Blackbird” in the watch adds to the geeky appeal without being too gimmicky. The EMC is not the only watch with a piece of the SR-71 in it – in fact other such watches are mostly far less expensive – but it is certainly the most advanced and innovative. The Blackbird connection Fundamentally identical in terms of function and mechanics, the EMC SR-71 is special because it features components made from an alloy recast from t...
Monochrome
Flying higher, longer and faster than any aircraft that came before it, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a legendary marvel of engineering. So much so, that it still inspires people to this day. People like Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner, the gifted duo behind the hyper-technical independent watchmaker Urwerk. Their latest is the EMC SR-71, […]
SJX Watches
On the evening of August 29, 2024 in Geneva we’ll have Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk and Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia on a panel moderated by our founder SJX, and hosted by Phillips at its downtown Geneva office. The two eminent watchmakers will be discussing the topic: “What is Soul in Independent Watchmaking?” The panel is taking place outside Geneva Watch Days so we can’t promise any new watch launches, but there will be interesting and engaging conversation, and a few drinks. If you’re interested in attending, drop us a line via our website contact form.
SJX Watches
Singapore retailer The Hour Glass is staging IAMWATCH over four days in October 2024. The event is conceived as a gathering for watch enthusiasts with notable independent watchmakers in attendance, including Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, Florian Bédat and Gaël Petermann, Kari Voutilainen, Raúl Pagès, and Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia. IAMWATCH will serve as a platform for face-to-face engagement between watch enthusiasts and noted industry personalities like Aurel Bacs, Jean Arnault, Maximilian Büsser, and Pierre Biver, providing enthusiasts opportunities to connect and learn. The event includes presentations, lectures, and fireside chats with more than 40 industry insiders. IAMWATCH will be held at the Singapore Edition hotel. Admission is free and open to the public daily October 18-20, from 11 am-8 pm, however, registration is required and it can be done online at Iamwatch.com.
Worn & Wound
It’s hard not to love Max Büsser. Anyone who has met the man in person will tell you that he is a fount of enthusiasm and creativity. The watches he creates are otherworldly and fun and, like ‘em or not, his watches have helped to - alongside brands like Urwerk and watchmakers like Vianney Halter - push independent watch design to new and interesting directions in a big way. One of last year’s big releases from MB&F; (alongside the UFO-like HM11) was the HM8 Mark 2, which was initially released in June to plenty of fanfare. At the time, the watch was available in two configurations - one in white, and a limited edition of 33 in a wonderful British Racing Green. That limited edition is now long gone, and in its place, MB&F; has announced a new limited release of the HM8 Mark 2, this time in blue. For those who may have missed it last summer, the HM8 Mark 2 is an automotive-inspired watch and an evolution of, you guessed it, the HM8 that was first released in 2016. Max Büsser - who has said time and again that he wanted to design cars long before he was interested in watches - has tapped into his affection for automobiles and racing as inspiration for a number of watches and clocks over the years, to great success. The HM8 Mark 2, and the HM8 before it, pull from this history. Racing and watches have always been linked. The simple reality is that racing without timing doesn’t really work and so, for as long as there have been cars, watchmakers have been ...
Worn & Wound
Few brands have the ability to surprise quite like Urwerk, but it makes sense that such an unconventional watch brand would be the one most likely to leave us all scratching our heads in wonder and confusion (in the best way possible, of course). Their latest creation, the Spacetime Blade, is based on a design that made its debut last year ahead of the scuttled Only Watch auction. The clock, outfitted with a series light bulbs lit by Nixie tubes, provides pretty much all the timing information you could want, and plenty you didn’t know you needed, all in a very Urwerk way. What we have here is a glass blade that stands 1.7 meters tall and weighs 20 kilograms. It’s an imposing, large object, made up of a total of 1,446 components. It stands on a large bronze crown that’s been polished and buffed to Urwerk’s preferred level of patina, and provides a base to a large glass dome that protects a series of vertically aligned Nixie bulbs, eight in total. Each bulb contains a total of ten steel cathodes that allow it to illuminate any digit, 0 through 9. The glass is blown by hand and the electrical elements are meticulously assembled by hand as well, using tweezers, in each of the bulbs. According to Urwerk, each bulb consists of 88 parts. Once the blade is assembled and the whole thing is turned on, it’s capable of displaying a variety of information via the Nixie bulbs. The Spacetime Blade has several different modes, and can read the time in hours, minutes, and ...
Monochrome
A lightsaber, wielded by Force-sensitive characters in Star Wars, is a luminescent laser sword powered by a kyber crystal. Shaped like a lightsaber, Urwerk’s SpaceTime Blade cuts through all timekeeping mechanisms with its unique display and countless timings related to our planet delivered via glowing orange Nixie bulbs. Marking its reentry into our atmosphere, Urwerk’s […]
SJX Watches
Best known for its Urwerk-inspired Project 1, Barrelhand is now working on the Monolith, a watch for astronauts featuring novel innovations, including an air-tight crown that can be adjusted in space or underwater. Described as a “professional grade EVA [extravehicular activity] tool watch compatible with current and next generation xEMU spacesuits”, the Monolith is a work in progress, however, a bit of it has just landed on the Moon. The case back of each Monolith will carry a “Memory Disc”, a nickel-alloy plate with 1,000 pages worth of micro-engraving. A permanent, analogue physical storage medium, it’s a time capsule of sorts. A single Memory Disc has just landed on the Moon as part of the payload on the IM-1 mission carried by the Nova-C lunar lander, nicknamed “Odysseus”, launched by Intuitive Machines, a privately-funded space exploration enterprise that has contracts with NASA to deliver cargo to the Moon. Alongside the Memory Disc, IM-1 also carried an artwork by Jeff Koons as well as a space camera, all of which will remain on the Moon (at least for now). Initial thoughts The Monolith is an interesting proposition as according to Karel Bachand, Barrelhand’s founder, the watch is developed to pass the “EVA tests originally outlined for the Apollo missions… [and] we have full documents outlining the criteria and corresponding tests it needs to pass.” Although detailed specifications of the watch are not yet available – they will be when th...
Revolution
Deployant
Urwerk extends their UR-100V collection with a new watch in a new thin ply 54 layer carbon fibre case. Introducing the UR-100V Lightspeed.
Quill & Pad
The Urwerk UR-100V 'Lightspeed'. It shows the speed of light in a way, a poetic complication. It makes you think, it makes you realize how vast our own solar system is.
Time+Tide
Piaget brought back the OG Polo, Grand Seiko celebrated a milestone and Breitling teamed up with Victoria Beckham this week.The post New releases from Piaget, Urwerk, Grand Seiko and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Numbers can be reassuring in a world of change and upheaval. One constant and finite number is the speed of light, a numerical value used to measure distances with extraordinary precision. Urwerk‘s latest take on the UR-100V gravitates around the speed of light, or, rather, the time it takes the Sun’s rays to reach eight […]
Fratello
We know Urwerk as a laboratory for very high-end, off-the-beaten-path creations. The latest release from the Genevan brand does not disappoint in either respect. This is the Urwerk UR-100 LS with a rather exotic new complication for those who think beyond our little blue marble. This watch indicates the time required for a sunbeam to […] Visit Introducing: The Urwerk UR-100 LS “LightSpeed” With A Sunbeam-Travel Indicator to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A lightweight version of Urwerk’s most affordable model, the UR-100V “Lightspeed” retains the signature wandering hours time and carbon composite case of the earlier “C52” model. The Lightspeed, however, gains a facelift with a display that tracks the speed of light from the Sun traveling through the solar system. Initial thoughts At first glance, the Lightspeed may appear similar to the standard UR-100V. Yet, closer scrutiny reveals distinct features, most notably a display indicating the time it takes for light to travel to each of the planets in our solar system. Furthermore, the black carbon case easily complements the aesthetic of the watch. Attention to detail was paid to the light speed display, which also incorporates a new, streamlined cover for the central carousel. And of course the calculations required for the display were clearly substantial. That being said, the display might not be for everyone, as all of the text crowds the dial. A more streamlined arrangement of the planet names or even symbols might have worked better. The Lightspeed retails for CHF65,000 with a limited but unrevealed production run. As Urwerk’s entry-level watch, the new UR-100V is a reasonable proposition in terms of independent watchmaking. However, it has competition from Urwerk’s own catalogue, where the titanium “Magic T” with a matching bracelet (albeit with a simpler case construction) costs CHF10,000 less. Tracing the speed of light The new model is named a...
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