Urwerk Unveils the UR-220 SL Asimov in Carbon and Lume
Launched last year, the Urwerk UR-220 ‘Falcon Project’ is a thinner, lighter, and manual-wind version of the watch kitted out with the brand’s trademark satellite-cube display. Now Urwerk has launched the first iteration of its flagship model, the UR-220 SL Asimov. Dressed up with a generous dose of glow-in-the-dark Super-Luminova, the UR-2202 SL has the satellite cubes made of resin infused with Super-Luminova, so each cube glows in its entirety. The luminous display partly explains the name of the watch, which is a reference to Nightfall, the novel by Isaac Asimov about a planet in perpetual daylight that finally experiences night – which brings madness and catastrophe. Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, the inventive duo behind Urwerk have long had a distinctive brand of humour. Initial thoughts Often matched with an all-black case, a stylised display in yellow-green lume has long been a key part of Urwerk’s aesthetic, especially for its satellite-cube display watches starting with the UR-201. That makes the solid, lume cubes a coherent addition to the UR-220, both philosophically and stylistically – they are a perfect fit for sci fi-techno style of the watch. Admittedly, the luminous cubes are not a major innovation, but they add almost nothing to the price of the watch. The UR-220 SL Asimov is just CHF2,000 over the standard UR-220 – modest for an upgrade that boosts the visual appeal of the watch. Nevertheless, the novelty of the lume cubes will wear ...