Urwerk, the new wave watchmaking
In fine watchmaking, there is a before and an after Urwerk. With Urwerk, the mechanical watch has gained a new momentum, reclassifying watchmaking watches as traditional pieces light years away from the Urwerk anticipation watch.
Urwerk is a watch brand created by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei. The first, Felix Baumgartner, is a watchmaker. The second, Martin Frei, is a designer. Together, they will design watches with often automatic winding, watches of high quality made at the cost of several years of watchmaking and mechanical research, resulting in watches with a resolutely unique design and movement.
At the beginning, it was all about display – a linear display that no longer had anything to do with the traditional watch with central hand display, as the traditional watchmaking and mechanical model that was still running when Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei founded Urwerk.
A design revolution
Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei first decided to review the case of the traditional watch in watchmaking. They prefer titanium on each model for almost all their collections. Titanium offers the advantage of a lightweight but durable and affordable case, to which you can get used in a few minutes.
The Urwerk watches designed by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei then offer a mechanical movement whose display no longer has a single point in common with the display of the classic watchmaking model. Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei develop for Urwerk an atypical path for their house, a satellite complication that offers a linear reading of the hour and minutes. Positioning themselves as luxury watches, dressed in a black PVD-treated titanium case, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei’s Urwerk watch collections will almost all adopt this principle of linear display with satellite complications.
An intimate watchmaking relationship
For some watches, the winding is regulated within the titanium case by a system that adapts to the wearer, with the possibility of a powerful winding or, on the contrary, a more progressive winding – the desired effect is to create an intimate link between the Urwerk watch and its owner, so that each model sees its mechanism individually associated with a very specific collector. The power reserve is thus gradually restored under the effect of the winding mode chosen – a watchmaking innovation that is now only available at Urwerk. This winding effect is made possible by the use of a unidirectional rotor, which regulates the winding of the watch.
EMC, for Electro Mechanical Control
Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei also went further with Urwerk, creating a watch capable with its display of indicating the precision of its movement. This watch model, the EMC d’Urwerk, thus has an optical control mechanism for its proper operation, a radical innovation in watchmaking, developed exclusively for Urwerk by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei. The mechanism is of an optical nature and, under the effect of the control of a control movement, the EMC allows the display of the step deviation of its own traditional watch movement. Still within a black PDV treated titanium case, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei have, year after year, created a watch whose mechanism goes beyond the watchmaking tradition to offer the wristwatch a highly promising future.
Chronopassion is AUTHORIZED RETAILER of URWERK since 2003.
The Urwerk Collections: Revolutionary Watchmaking Inspired by Science Fiction and High Technology
Urwerk, founded in 1997 by Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner, is a Swiss haute horlogerie brand known for its avant-garde approach and innovative watches. Each Urwerk collection pushes the boundaries of watchmaking creativity, blending futuristic technology, sculptural design and original complications. Discover the emblematic Urwerk watch collections, each embodying a radical vision and exceptional watchmaking expertise.
UR-Satellite: The Innovation of Vagabond Hours
The UR-Satellite collection is at the heart of the Urwerk identity, using a revolutionary time display with wandering satellite hours. This unique system features hours that orbit the dial in a hypnotic mechanical ballet. Models like the UR-100 and UR-210 display the time in a totally new and surprising way, creating a unique reading experience. Perfect for lovers of innovative haute horlogerie, the UR-Satellite collection is both fascinating and resolutely modern.
UR-T8: The Transformable Watch
UR-T8 is a revolutionary collection that allows the watch to transform itself thanks to a reversible case. This ingenious concept allows the wearer to protect the dial when not in use, while offering a spectacular design and complex mechanics. Inspired by the protective timepieces of the past, the UR-T8 is an ideal choice for those seeking a versatile and fascinating watch, with Urwerk’s iconic satellite hour display.
UR-1001 Zeit Device: The Ultimate Time Tool
The UR-1001 Zeit Device is much more than a watch: it’s a horological device designed to measure time on an unprecedented scale. With complications that include displays for centuries and millennia, this extraordinary watch is designed for collectors looking for a timepiece beyond the ordinary. One of a kind, the UR-1001 is a true work of mechanical art, celebrating Urwerk’s mastery of avant-garde watch design.
UR-220 Falcon Project: The Evolutive Satellite Watch
The UR-220 Falcon Project embodies the evolution of Urwerk’s satellite design with an even more advanced conception. It features a retrograde satellite hour display and a linear power reserve indication. Featuring ultralight materials and a carbon-fiber bracelet, the UR-220 is perfect for enthusiasts of cutting-edge watches looking for futuristic design and innovative mechanics.
Special Projects : Boundless Audacity and Creativity
Urwerk also offers a series of Special Projects, limited edition watches that explore new forms of complication and design. These unique creations include experimental pieces and collaborations with visionary artists and watchmakers, creating timepieces that are as much works of art as they are technical feats. Designed for collectors and lovers of daring watchmaking, the Special Projects are an uncompromising expression of Urwerk’s creativity.
Conclusion
The Urwerk collections are an invitation to explore the world of futuristic haute horlogerie, where each watch is a technical feat and a tribute to creativity. Whether you’re captivated by the wandering hours of the UR-Satellite, the transformable concept of the UR-T8, or the avant-garde of the Special Projects, Urwerk offers timepieces like no other. Explore our collections to discover an Urwerk watch, a symbol of watchmaking innovation and bold vision.
