Inside the Urwerk UR-100 Electrum

What We Know

There's never any lack of imagination in the watches put out by Urwerk. Every release seems more whimsical than the last, especially when it comes to the brand's 100-series designs. Heck, the last one timed the launch and landing sequence of the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Today, Urwerk is pushing the 100-series platform even further with a case made of electrum, an alloy made by mixing silver and gold, that features concentric grooving; in a press release, co-founder Martin Frei keys us in on what themes this design is meant to explore: "The case of the UR-100 Electrum is covered with grooves. Everyone can project their own universe into this design. I see the tiers of an ancient Greek theatre, the subtle pleats of an Iris van Herpen dress, a piece of raw earth hollowed out by the imprints of time, the Seigaiha motif of a traditional kimono ... this creation is an invitation to embark on a temporal and sensory journey.”

And the UR-100 Electrum isn't only about new visual flourishes. There's a timekeeping element that tracks a universal human experience on earth – traveling through space on our rotating planet. In a press release, co-founder Felix Baumgartner hints at the watch's wild inspiration, saying, "This creation was inspired by a gift from my father, Geri Baumgartner, a renowned restorer of antique clocks. It is a clock made by Gustave Sandoz for the 1893 World’s Fair. Its distinctive feature is that instead of counting off the hours, it indicates the distance travelled by the Earth at the Equator."

What We Think

When the minutes hand passes the 60th minute of the hour it disappears for a bit and then reappears as a kilometer-counter, illustrating the 555 kilometers the earth turns every 20 minutes. This figure is derived from the average speed that the earth is rotating at the equator. For my fellow Americans, it's about 1,000 mph. This happens on the left hand side of the dial. On the right-hand side, another scale is measured: The distance the earth travels around the sun in 20 minutes – about 35,740 kilometers.

The Urwerk Caliber 12.01 powers the three-satellite time display in addition to both of the revolution-counters. Of course, it's not only about a technical achievement in horological innovation, there's a larger philosophical idea at work. According to Frei, "a watch is both a physical and abstract reproduction of our situation on Earth. It anchors us to a precise time and longitude, while at the same time testifying to the fleeting nature of that position."

Urwerk doesn't stand still. The UR-100 Electrum is a physical – and philosophical – testament to that idea that none of us do. Whether we like it or not, we're always moving. Just look at the counters on the dial to track it.

The Basics

Brand: Urwerk
Model: UR-100 Electrum

Diameter: 41mm
Thickness: 14mm
Case Material: Electrum yellow gold
Dial Color: Titanium
Lume: SuperLuminova
Water Resistance: 30M
Strap/Bracelet: Leather

The Movement

Caliber: UR 12.01
Functions: Satellite hours, minutes, Earth's rotation on its axis at the equator in 20 minutes, Earth's revolution around the sun in 20 minutes:
Power Reserve: 48 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800vph
Jewels: 39