Urwerk - The Geneva Watch Auction: XV Geneva Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Urwerk
    Year: Circa 2009
    Reference No: UR-103T
    Model Name: Tarantula
    Material: 18k white gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. UR3.03, 21 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: Titanium Urwerk pin buckle
    Dimensions: 45mm length and 35mm width
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Urwerk presentation box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Urwerk was founded in 1997 by Felix Baumgartner, a watchmaker who started his career doing restoration on antique watches and working for Vacheron Constantin, along with Martin Frei, an artist passionate about architecture and design. Both being in their early 20s, their inspiration came from the pop culture they grew up with such as Sci-Fi, comics and design. Their unorthodox inspiration brought a completely fresh and out of the box approach to watches and watchmaking.

    The UR-103T is a limited edition version of the classic 103 model, made in sixty pieces only. The model 103 is the watch which arguably put Urwerk on the horological map. The watch displays time in a completely unusual manner through four three-dimensional orbiting and revolving hour-display satellites. Unlike the classic model, the 103T includes the addition of a large sapphire crystal which displays the watch movement. The carrousel holding the time satellites is reminiscent of a spider's legs, and as such "crawls" as it moves, hence the name "Tarantula".

    Incredibly innovative, the present watch is cased in white gold and speaks to the ingenuity and daring nature of Urwerk and their designs.

    Urwerk generously offers a complementary servicing of the watch to the winning bidder.

  • 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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146

Ref. UR-103T
A rare and attractive limited edition white gold wristwatch with three-dimensional satellite hour display and presentation box

Circa 2009
45mm length and 35mm width
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed

Estimate
CHF20,000 - 40,000 
€19,600-39,300
$21,200-42,500

Sold for CHF69,300

Contact Specialist

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

+41 22 317 81 81
AGhotbi@phillips.com

Tiffany To
Head of Sale, Geneva

+41 22 317 96 63
TiffanyTo@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XV

Geneva Auction 7 - 8 May 2022