Revolution
A Day at Johnny “King Nerd” Dowell’s Workshop
Johnny shares how he became an engraver, what attracted him to watches and what eventually led him to collaborate with Revolution to create unique URWERK timepieces.
Results for Urwerk
325 articles · 26 videos found · page 9 of 12
Revolution
Deployant
Barrelhand Project 1: A Threat to Swiss Watchmaking from the USA?
The story of the US-based Barrelhand Project 1 begins as it should, with one student's Swiss-born muse- the ever incredible Urwerk UR-202.
Deployant
April Fools! : Did we fool you yesterday :) ?
Yesterday in our review of the Urwerk UR-105 T Rex, we slotted in some information regarding its true design origins. April Fools!
Deployant
Harry Winston Opus 5
The Opus project by Harry Winston features many watches with important horological features. I feature one of my favourite Opus projets, the Opus V, by Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk. Quite a superb piece. Photographed here during the Antiquorum preview in Singapore. The caseback
Revolution
Experiment ZR012; Blackout In Singapore
One of the watches that proofed that we are truly living in the Renaissance of the mechanical watch was Experiment ZR012 from C3H5N3O9. This joint-venture of Urwerk and MB&F; took high end watchmaking even a step further than we are accustomed of these already revolutionary brands. Main focal point in this piece de resistance is […]
Revolution
Liquid Power
New Watch Brands Have Been A Little Scarce Of Late, So We Were All A Tad Excited To Hear About Hyt And Its New Mechanically-powered Liquid Time Display For about a decade now, watchmakers have been looking at different ways to indicate time using systems such as orbiting satellites (URWERK), rubber belts (Claret), jumping chains […]
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Urwerk UR-100V ‘LightSpeed,’ Now In White Ceramic
If a hyper-futuristic Urwerk wasn't enough of a statement, you can now wear a ceramic example that tells you how long it will take for light to reach planets you'll never visit.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Urwerk UR-10 SpaceMeter Combines A Conventional Display With Unconventional Information
Even the most normal-looking Urwerk is still incredibly unconventional.
SJX Watches
The Urwerk UR-230 Goes Dark
Urwerk’s latest satellite-display creation, the UR-230 Black Star, builds on more than two decades of the brand redefining the wandering hours complication. A concept first teased in the Harry Winston Opus 5 and later perfected in the UR-210, the retrograde-satellite display has become synonymous with Urwerk’s identity, and the Black Star demonstrates how far the idea has come. With a lightweight fibreglass-reinforced ceramic case, the Black Star is a 35-piece limited edition that looks to be the final instalment of the UR-230 series. Initial thoughts Urwerk didn’t invent the wandering hours display, but the brand deserves credit for dragging the complication into modernity in the late 1990s. While the brand has dabbled in watches with conventional hands, it’s still the satellite time display that carries the essence of Urwerk’s DNA. The UR-230 traces its roots back to the 2012 launch of the UR-210, which introduced the retrograde frame that travels with the satellite cube for hours. The concept for a retrograde hand paired with wandering hours dates back even further, to the 2005 launch of the Harry Winston Opus 5, which was also designed by Urwerk. While the concept has subsequently been elaborated with the UR-150 Scorpion, the UR-230 still looks strikingly advanced even after all these years. The latest black-and-yellow livery seems to be the flavour of the day, closely matching the brand’s recent collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. The signature detail of the...
Monochrome
In-Depth – The Urwerk x Ulysse Nardin UR-FREAK, An Unexpected Collab with a Stunning Result
Not many contemporary watchmaking creations have influenced our perception of time display as dramatically as the 2001 Ulysse Nardin Freak and Urwerk’s wandering-hour satellites. Both were born from the late-1990s creative surge, when mechanical horology strongly demonstrated its experimental and innovative spirit. Ulysse Nardin’s Freak redefined the mechanical wristwatch by eliminating the dial, hands, and […]
Time+Tide
Urwerk and Ulysse Nardin team up for an unexpected collaboration we really should’ve expected
The Urwerk x Ulysse Nardin UR-Freak blends signature time-telling and technology elements from both avant-garde brands in a very natural way.The post Urwerk and Ulysse Nardin team up for an unexpected collaboration we really should’ve expected appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Urwerk UR-100V Magic T In Hunter Green
A limited edition colorway for Urwerk's signature wandering hours complication.
Time+Tide
New releases from Baltic, Urwerk, Louis Erard and more
These have been a fiery seven days, especially for independents and microbrands.The post New releases from Baltic, Urwerk, Louis Erard and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence is Well-Named: Is Louis Vuitton Converging with Urwerk?
The new The Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence has received a lot of press recently, and well deservedly so: it's a well-size (37 mm), quirky take on modern dress watch. But Ian Skellern think it looks too much like a Urwerk UR-101.
Time+Tide
New releases from Piaget, Urwerk, Grand Seiko and more
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.
Quill & Pad
Only Watch 2023 Lots 49 – 62: Including the Wildest Story (Richard Mille) and a Light Sabre Clock (Urwerk)
In this last of the four-part series, we look at Only Watch 2023 Lots 49-62. While there are many fantastic watches here, Ian Skellern particularly likes the imaginative story of Lot 51, the Richard MilleTalisman Origine and the space-age design of Lot 60, the Urwerk Space-Time Blade.
Hodinkee
A Week On The Wrist: The $250K Urwerk Inspired By A Vintage Bugatti And Chicken Grills
Some of us have always wondered what it's like to actually wear one of Urwerk's avant-garde timepieces. So we took one for a spin. Say hello to the UR-112 Aggregat.
Time+Tide
FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Breitling showcases the Top Time among automotive royalty, Naoya Hida presents a new case, URWERK remain URWERK
Jumping right into another edition of the FWD, Breitling hosted a top event at Melbourne’s Dutton Garage for their Top Time line of chronographs. Inspired by iconic American cars, the Top Time pieces sat next to their respective inspirations – the Mustang, Corvette, Cobra and Thunderbird. View this post on Instagram A post … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Breitling showcases the Top Time among automotive royalty, Naoya Hida presents a new case, URWERK remain URWERK appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Urwerk UR-T8 ‘Transformer’: If You’ve Ever Wondered What The Lovechild Of A Reverso And A Tyrannosaurus Rex Might Look Like – Plus Video – Reprise
It's no exaggeration to say that here at Quill & Pad we are big fans of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. And in 2017 Urwerk introduced its own, very robust version of a reversible watch: the UR-T8 Transformer. It's a T-Rex for the wrist that acts much like a Reverso!
Quill & Pad
Urwerk UR-T8 ‘Transformer’: If You’ve Ever Wondered What The Lovechild Of A Reverso And A Tyrannosaurus Rex Might Look Like . . . (+ Video) – Reprise
It's no exaggeration to say that here at Quill & Pad we are big fans of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. And in 2017 Urwerk introduced its own, very robust version of a reversible watch: the UR-T8 Transformer. It's a T-Rex for the wrist that acts much like a Reverso!
Quill & Pad
Only Watch 2021: F.P. Journe, H. Moser & Cie, And Urwerk Unique Pieces On Auction (Video)
Our pals at The Watches TV went hands on with three of the unique timepieces on offer at the upcoming Only Watch 2021, which takes place on November 6, 2021. The unique watches featured are the F.P. Journe x Francis Ford Coppola FFC Blue, the Moser Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Only Watch, and the Urwerk UR-102 Gaïa. Enjoy this rare treat!
Hodinkee
In-Depth: Urwerk Puts The Space Shuttle On Your Wrist
One watch artfully links Swiss manufacturer Urwerk to NASA's Space Shuttle and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York.
SJX Watches
Urwerk Debuts the Tantalum Swansong for the UR-105
Launched in 2014 as a successor to the foundational UR-103, the UR-105 was a more elaborate version of Urwerk’s satellite-disc, wandering-hours watch. After a seven-year run – it’s been replaced by the entry-level UR-100 – the UR-105 series will now be retired. Urwerk is giving the model a grand send-off with the UR-105 TTH, which has the front plate and lid of its case made of tantalum, the bluish-grey metal that Urwerk has only used in one other instance with the UR-110 TTH. Based the UR-105 CT Streamliner with its characteristic hinged lid, the UR-105 TTH is all about its case material. A dense metal with a distinctive colour that’s used for surgical implants, turbine blades, and even artillery shells, tantalum is difficult to machine and finish due to its hardness. Consequently, while tantalum has been used for watch cases since the 1990s, but it is uncommon. Urwerk is one of a handful of brands, alongside Omega and F.P. Journe, to use the metal for a watch case. Initial thoughts All good things must come to an end, and Urwerk is closing the chapter with aplomb. With the distinctive hue of tantalum, the case fits the sci-fi industrial spirit of the brand well. Striking and futuristic, the UR-105 is sleek in tantalum. The metal will make it substantially heavier than the standard steel version of the UR-105, which would make it less easily wearable. Priced at CHF77,000, or about US$86,000, the UR-105 TTH is 20% more expensive the base-model UR-105 CT i...
Quill & Pad
Urwerk AMC: This Atomic (Clock) Mechanical Control Is A 21st Century Version Of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s Sympathique Clocks But Much, Much Better (Geiger Counter Not Included) – Reprise
Here’s a prediction by Ian Skellern: the relatively nondescript AMC movement Urwerk presented at the 2018 SIHH will not only become one of the horological highlights of the decade, but will take its place among history’s most significant timepieces ever. That’s a bold statement. Here Ian explains why he thinks AMC is so important.
SJX Watches
Urwerk Unveils the UR-100V T-Rex in Patterned Bronze
Synonymous with avant-garde watchmaking, Urwerk’s best-known complication is its reinterpretation of the centuries-old wandering hours, executed in both two- and three-dimensional motion. Just over a year ago, Urwerk unveiled the UR-100 SpaceTime, an easily-wearable, entry-level iteration of the satellite-disc wristwatch. Now the brand has taken the covers off the UR-100V T-Rex. Perhaps the most interesting version of the UR-100 to date, the T-Rex has an aged bronze case covered in a pronounced hobnail pattern that evokes the Tyrannosaurus rex. More notably, the “V” suffix in the model name indicates the Zenith Elite base movement in the original UR-100 has been replaced with a Vaucher automatic. Initial thoughts Still original despite being some two decades old, the satellite hours remains the brand’s forte. And the UR-100 is arguably the most compelling version of the watch in recent year, being both the most affordable and wearable. That probably explains why the UR-100 has sold well, resulting in the brand rolling out several variants in a short span of time, ranging from basic version in steel or titanium to the top of the line model in 18k yellow gold. But the UR-100 is at heart a pared-back design, simpler in form than the brand’s early watches, which are mostly more elaborate in the case construction. So the milled scales on the bronze case of the T-Rex sets it apart from other UR-100s – both in aesthetics and tactile feel – giving it an edgy look...
SJX Watches
Urwerk Introduces the UR-220 “Falcon Project”
Urwerk has just revealed the next generation of its flagship wristwatch – the UR-220 “Falcon Project”. Retaining the same case shape and signature satellite-cube hour display as its predecessor, the UR-210, the “Falcon Project” is nonetheless an entirely different watch. The UR-220 is powered by a newly-developed movement that hand-wound, instead of automatic as before, and in a first for the brand, the case is made of carbon composite, matched with a rubber-carbon composite strap. Initial thoughts A landmark in avant-garde independent watchmaking for its three-dimensional wandering hours, the UR-201 evolved into the UR-203 and then the UR-210. The new UR-220 is an incremental improvement in the same vein, though a substantial one. I had hoped for a brand-new time display to succeed the satellite-cube indicator, but that is perhaps something for the distant future. Even though the UR-220 retains the same general aesthetic on the front, it is fundamentally different mechanically. The movement has been substantially reengineered – the base remains the Zenith Elite calibre in the UR-210 but now minus automatic mechanism – and now incorporates new functions like the cylindrical service indicator. It also sees the addition of a split power-reserve display, which Urwerk says was a complex mechanism requiring 83 parts. While that may be true, it feels unnecessary, except to give the face a symmetrical layout. But one of the most significant changes is the case mate...
SJX Watches
Urwerk Introduces the UR-111C Two-Tone
Two years ago, Urwerk unveiled the UR-111C, inspired by the UR-CC1 King Cobra of 2009, which was itself based on an experimental watch built by watchmaker Louis Cottier and jeweller Gilbert Albert for Patek Philippe in 1959. Displaying the time in a linear fashion, the UR-111C marked a departure from the wandering-hour satellite indication that has become the hallmark of Urwerk’s aggressively futuristic watches. Having already presented four variants of the watch in various finishes, as well as an engraved unique piece, the brand has now unveiled the UR-111C Two-Tone, featuring a case that combines a black coating with brushed and polished steel. The central portion of the case is executed in brushed steel, flanked by black-coated ends that close off the tube-like central portion. The use of different finishes accentuates the architecture of the case, drawing attention to its centre, which contains the key functions, including the time display and roller-style crown. Cosmetics aside, the UR-111C Two-Tone is otherwise identical to the earlier versions. At 42 mm by 46 mm and 15 mm high at its thickest point, it is by no means a small watch but the curvature of the case ensures it sits flat and comfortably on the wrist. Despite its complex design, time is presented in a fairly straightforward manner with three rounded sapphire windows located at the front edge of the case to facilitate better readability while driving. The jumping hours and progressive minutes are displaye...
SJX Watches
Hands-On: Urwerk x De Bethune Moon Satellite for Only Watch 2019
The collaboration between Urwerk and De Bethune for the upcoming Only Watch is pretty straightforward: an Urwerk wandering hours time display module mounted on a De Bethune base movement, and housed in a De Bethune case. But it works, and the Moon Satellite is one of the coolest watches of the charity auction. Conceptually the Moon Satellite is similar to the Arpal One made for the last Only Watch. Long and sleek, the Arpal One was a collaboration between Urwerk and Laurent Ferrier that looked good, but with an enormous case – it was 60.8m long – that was much too large. The Moon Satellite, on the other hand, is just right. That’s because the case is derived from De Bethune DB28, which is a large watch but one with a smallish footprint and sprung, pivoted lugs that allow it to hug the wrist. The Moon Satellite is slightly larger than a DB28, but almost the same on the wrist. Entirely in mirror polished titanium, the case looks like a helmet for a warrior robot. Its shape is asymmetric – angular on the lower half and rounded at the top – in order to accommodate the time display. It’s reminiscent of a helmet, but instantly recognisable as coming from Urwerk, having the U-shaped crystal first found on the Urwerk UR-103 and now on the UR-105. Coincidentally, both Urwerk and De Bethune position the crowns on most of their watches at 12 o’clock, and so there it is. Though it has a similar shape to the standard Urwerk crown, the Moon Satellite crown is flat, so tha...
SJX Watches
Urwerk Introduces the UR-100 SpaceTime
Known for its innovative, avant-garde complications and cases inspired by sci-fi, Urwerk’s latest creation is doubly interesting. The UR-100 SpaceTime takes the astronomical theme even further with two quirky, celestial indicators – and it is also priced as an entry-level model. The UR-100 utilises the brand’s signature wandering-hours satellite display, where conventional hands are replaced by a semi-circular minute gauge, across which three discs mounted on a carousel sweep successively. It was originally invented in the 17th century for a Vatican City clock, then popularised for wristwatches in the early 1990s by Audemars Piguet with the Star Wheel. But it was Urwerk that took the wandering hours into the 21st century when it launched at UR-103 in 2003; though it was not the first Urwerk wristwatch, the UR-103 was the watch that put the brand on the map (and the recent UR-105 is a nod to the original). Celestial hours On the UR-100 SpaceTime, the hours wander even further: once the red minute pointer completes 60 minutes (or an hour), it disappears under a bridge and reappears through a cutout at 10 o’clock to indicate the distance travelled from the Earth’s rotation on its own axis, as measured at the equator, or 555km every 20 minutes. Another red pointer at two o’clock measures the distance travelled by the Earth orbiting the Sun, which is 35,740km every 20 minutes. Both astronomical distance displays, however, are a philosophical exercis...
SJX Watches
Hands-On: Urwerk UR-111C “Pistol”
The average Urwerk is distinctly sci-fi in appearance, more Star Trek than Games of Thrones. But every once in a while Urwerk gives one of its watches the ornately-fully-engraved treatment, with the latest being the UR-111C “Pistol”. It’s a one-off creation based on the UR-111C, a watch inspired by the earlier and much more expensive UR-CC1, itself modelled on the 1950s Patek Philippe ref. 3414, an experimental wristwatch nicknamed “Cobra”. The standard UR-111C has a streamlined case with a mechanical looking details, very much in the house style of Urwerk. The Pistol, in contrast, is decorated on all surfaces with an ornate motif that’s hand-engraved by Urwerk’s go-to engraver. It was commissioned by a client who has a soft spot for such engraved Urwerk watches; the UR-111C “Pistol” is his third fully engraved watch. (Editor’s note: This Pistol shares the same name as the EMC Pistol from 2015, and was decorated by the same engraver, but is a completely different model.) Inspired by 19th century French wrought iron fixtures, the motif is in relief, raised against the background by only a fraction of a millimetre but enough to give it significant depth. Add to that the refined, narrow and perfectly straight lines of the decoration, and the talent of the engraver is obvious. Credit for the work goes to Florian Güllert, an Austrian engraver who trained as a gunsmith and usually decorates firearms. Based in Klagenfurt, a city in the south of ...