SJX Watches
The Entry-Level Urwerk UR-101 Gets the T-Rex Treatment
Modelled on the first-ever Urwerk wristwatch, the UR-101 T-Rex is the independent watchmaker’s latest entry-level model. Priced at CHF38,000 before taxes, or about US$43,000, the UR-101 combines the brand’s signature wandering hours display with an aged bronze case finished with a scale-like guilloche. Initial thoughts Urwerk doesn’t do vintage-inspired watches often, and when it does the result is restyled enough to make it clearly modern. This is in keeping with the brand founders’ ethos, which looks forward rather than back. That’s the case with the UR-101 T-Rex. Though it takes the same form as the vintage original, it’s recognisable as a new creation. The vintage-inspired concept is appealing, as is the sub-US$50,000 price. While I like the idea of a revival, I find the “T-Rex” pattern a bit too aggressive. A polished finish that replicates the original would have been unimaginative, but more subtle engine turning would be an interesting counterpoint to the avant-garde style of the watch. That said, since the UR-101 is a limited edition of 100 pieces, I can safely assume that new variants are planned for the future. The tab on the back releases the crown to set the time Vintage inspired The new UR-101 is Urwerk’s second historically-inspired watch after the UR-102 “Reloaded” of 2023 that was similarly based on the brand’s early creations. Like its predecessor, the UR-101 retains the form of the vintage original, but is scaled up to 41 mm wide ...