Even within the wild and fanciful world of haute horlogerie, few manufacturers commit as closely to bringing the look of the longer term to fashionable mechanical timepieces as Urwerk. This artistic, sci-fi inflected design philosophy has paid hefty dividends for the reason that model was based in 1997, however the process of making the aesthetic of the longer term comes with a accountability to maintain creating new concepts. Urwerk’s newest all-new design inverts and expands its calling-card satellite tv for pc hours idea, creating a novel hunter-cased design that will really feel each bit at dwelling on Yavin 4 or Arrakis as it will right here on Earth. The brand new restricted version Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat gives one of many model’s boldest visions of the longer term up to now, and pioneers some genuinely fascinating new horological ideas.
Measuring in at 42mm-wide, 51mm-long, and a substantial 16mm-thick, the titanium case of the Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat is a radical departure from typical watch case designs even by the model’s personal eclectic requirements. The sloping, wedgelike, vaguely rectangular type is rife with unorthodox thrives and intriguing particulars, and Urwerk’s choice to render the matte blasted type in black and heat graphite grey helps to focus on these intricacies in photos. Considered from above, the case’s primary focal factors are its strongly raised central ridge and a hinged part in black with a pointy grooved texture. Though far faraway from its often classical stylistic context, this opening phase is technically a hunter caseback. By urgent down twin pushers alongside the three o’clock and 9 o’clock sides of the case, this cowl swings open, revealing a pair of squared-off sapphire show home windows showcasing the motion, the seconds subdial, and the facility reserve indicator. It’s a deeply unique artistic transfer that each streamlines the look of the case in its common place and will add a hearty dose of visible theater on the wrist. The T-shaped lugs assist to provide this hefty geometric case a way of sci-fi floating lightness in preliminary photos, whereas the folding D-ring crown is semi-recessed into the case alongside the three o’clock edge. The pair of cylindrical sapphire crystals at 6 o’clock show the timekeeping parts with futuristic panache in preliminary photos, whereas the mild curve of the reverse facet of the case ought to assist this watch wrap comfortably across the wrist. Whereas this out-of-the-box, multi-part case building is visually hanging, Urwerk’s capacity to keep up sporty efficiency with such an unorthodox from is value mentioning as properly. The model charges the UR-112 Aggregat for a solidly sturdy 100 meters of water resistance.
The Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat doesn’t have a dial, within the conventional sense. As an alternative, primary timekeeping capabilities are dealt with within the twin barrel-like sapphire crystals at 6 o’clock, the place Urwerk adapts and evolves its acquainted satellite tv for pc hours complication to new heights of complexity. Hours and minutes are marked off by a set of revolving notched black triangular prisms on a planetary gear system. For the minutes show, every prism is steadily changed by the following over the course of 5 minutes, and a boldly graphic white lumed scale and corresponding arrow lets wearers decide the precise minute previous the at present displayed engraved Arabic numeral. In contrast, the hours show is cleaner and less complicated to know at a look. With solely a single orienting line and arrow to take care of, it’s intuitively clear what the present hour is in static photos, however Urwerk ensures this stays simple to learn at any level within the hour because of an added mechanical flourish – a leaping hours mechanism. The general presentation is clear, high-contrast, and utilitarian to assist ease the confusion of studying these offbeat subdials, however with sufficient aggressive ultramodern character to keep away from feeling sterile in photos. The seconds subdial, hidden beneath the hunter-style hinged case lid, makes use of an equally dramatic twist on the usual seconds hand with a parade of transferring Arabic numerals etched on silicon wafer discs transferring right into a strongly brushed and anodized crimson show window. This retains the digital timekeeping theme of the remainder of the design intact in photos, and to make these tiny transferring numerals legible all the crystal atop this subdial acts as a magnifier. Compared to the remainder of the design, the facility reserve subdial is much extra standard, with a easy retrograde needle atop a gauge-like minimalist graphic scale. This multi-aperture format could also be complicated to some, and it’s undeniably complicated, however in preliminary photos it successfully pushes ahead the design ideas of earlier Urwerk fashions.
The proprietary UR-13.01 computerized motion contained in the Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat is each bit as left-field and imaginative as the remainder of the design, however the base efficiency numbers would possibly masks this considerably. Though on paper the 48 hour energy reserve at a 28,800 bph beat price might not sound as much as par on this ultra-luxe market phase, with a purpose to admire what Urwerk has accomplished with this motion one wants to contemplate the format of the design. That is removed from a conventional gear practice, and in some methods has extra in frequent with an automotive drivetrain than a typical mechanical watch motion. To facilitate the weird form and planetary gear show, the one mainspring barrel is linked to the hours and minutes show by an automotive-style perpendicular driveshaft, full with a differential on the finish. The opposite consideration for this unorthodox system is torque – primarily each design selection right here, from the displaced hours and minutes shows, to the heavy revolving prisms, and the fast-moving silicon seconds discs, is much extra power-hungry and demanding on a mechanical motion than a standard three-hand format. To protect each drop of power from the one mainspring, Urwerk turns to a different fashionable automotive expertise – kinetic power restoration and regenerative programs. Briefly, Urwerk makes use of the complicated motions of the satellite tv for pc minutes show to energy the sharp and high-torque leaping motion of the hours prism by storing a number of the previous hour’s amassed pressure within the planetary gear practice and releasing it in a burst to advance the hours show. Though a lot of the motion itself is hidden from view past a set of perlage plates, the conceptual creativity behind the UR-13.01 motion lends its personal form of visible drama. Urwerk finishes the UR-112 Aggregat with a ruggedly easy tapering black textile strap, preserving the robust and sporty character of the design whereas maintaining the main target squarely on the case in preliminary photos.
Though the otherworldly design selections behind the restricted version Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat is not going to enchantment to all tastes, the sheer creativity, mechanical prowess, and futuristic considering behind this all-new design successfully rings in a brand new technology of the model’s avant-garde artistic philosophy. Solely 25 examples of the Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat shall be made, and the watch is on the market now by way of approved sellers at an MSRP of 250,000 CHF. For extra particulars, please go to the model’s web site.
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