Urwerk - The Geneva Watch Auction: XIII Geneva Saturday, May 8, 2021 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Urwerk
    Year: 2019
    Reference No: UR 100 Black
    Case No: G19'133
    Model Name: UR100 Space Time Black
    Material: DLC coated titanium
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. UR 12.01, 39 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Kevlar
    Clasp/Buckle: DLC coated Titanium Urwerk pin buckle
    Dimensions: 49mm length, 40mm width
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Urwerk International Warranty, product literature, leather folio, travel pouches, fitted box and outer packaging

  • Catalogue Essay

    Urwerk was founded in 1997 by Felix Baumgartner, a watchmaker who started his career doing restorations on antique timepieces, along with Martin Frei, an artist passionate about architecture and design. At the time in their early 20s, their inspiration came from pop culture such as Sci-Fi, comics and design, which brought a completely fresh and out of the box approach to watches and watchmaking.

    The brand is known for its wandering hour time indication via rotating satellites. The UR100 launched in 2019 takes its inspiration from a clock made by French clockmaker Gustave Sandoz and gifted to Felix Baumgartner by his father. Interestingly, the clock doesn’t indicate time but shows the number of kilometers the Earth has rotated each day at the equator.

    The UR 100 Spacetime does indicate time however, via the signature rotating discs.

    Time is read via 4 three-dimensional orbiting and revolving hour-display satellites, a red hand above the discs indicates the minutes. The same hand disappears into the case and indicates – via two apertures on each side of the case - the number of kilometers the Earth has rotated at the equator over a 20-minute period, up to a total of 555 kilometers and how many kilometers the Earth has traveled along its orbit, for a total of 35,740 kilometers in every 20-minute period.

    The UR100 Spacetime is a limited edition of 25 pieces in steel and 25 pieces in black DLC coated titanium like the present example and is offered in almost unworn condition with its box and papers.

  • Artist Biography

    Urwerk

    Swiss • 1997

    The Swiss firm's name "Urwerk" is a play on the German word meaning clockwork. "Ur" is an ancient Sumerian city in which the populace used sundials for timekeeping, while "werk" is German for creation. The company started by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei is known for their innovative avant-garde designs inspired by space travel. With their own take on time indication, like many of their contemporaries, their futuristic timepieces are rooted in high-end traditional watchmaking. Their signature floating method of time indication using rotating satellites traces back to a watch made in 1656. Producing only 150 watches per year, they have impressed connoisseurs with their innovativeness and cutting-edge technical prowess.

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Ref. UR 100 Black
An unusual and cutting edge limited edition DLC coated titanium wristwatch with three-dimensional satellite hour display, warranty and presentation box

2019
49mm length, 40mm width
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed

Estimate
CHF20,000 - 30,000 
€18,100-27,200
$21,800-32,700

Sold for CHF50,400

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

 

 

The Geneva Watch Auction: XIII

Geneva Auction 8 - 9 May 2021