replica Urwerk Watches – 25 years and counting
Angus Davies continues his journey through 25 years of URWERK watches, looking at the brand's journey, looking at the company's selection of models, the challenges encountered along the way and, of course, its many achievements.
I've interviewed several independent watchmakers over the years, and one thing most of them have in common is a willingness to take risks. It's safer to be cautious when creating new models and follow the path that others have already taken, yet the most exciting emerging brands show tremendous courage from the start, despite the inherent risks.
URWERK's formative years were challenging, described by the brand as "six years of hardship and struggle." Despite this, Felix and Martin remained calm, stayed true to their principles, and after a successful launch of their first model, launched the UR-103.01. The UR-103.01 features a curved case with a series of lines on the surface, giving it a fresh and original look.
replica watches high qualityIn line with the brand's DNA, time is expressed in lingering hours, but with a twist. This time, three conical satellites orbiting the interior of the case display four different hour values, with each satellite taking turns indicating the hour as it travels in a minute orbit. Thankfully, the courage shown by URWERK's founders paid off and the brand continues to enjoy commercial success.
Harry Winston 5 (2005)
As early as the 1990s, there were many talented people eager to exercise their right to self-expression through the medium of watchmaking. Some of these freethinkers have experience working for big brands but want to go their own way, while others have been groomed by artisanal watchmakers like Svend Andersen.
In 1998, Max Büsser was appointed CEO of the Harry Winston Rare Timepieces Division. He came up with the idea of creating co-branded watches, producing them in partnership with independent watchmakers and selling them under the "Opus" label. His first co-creation, Opus One, draws on the talents of François-Paul Journe. He has since collaborated with several other talents, including Antoine Preziuso, Vianney Halter, Christophe Claret and eventually URWERK, culminating in Opus 5 (2005).
replica Watches luxuryThe Opus 5 continues the brand's preference for displays that use wandering time to convey time, showcasing URWERK's talents to a wider audience and cementing URWERK's reputation as a creator of haute horlogerie and mechanical art.
URWERK UR-110 Eastwood (2015) – Collaboration
Following its release in 2011, the URWERK UR-110 - a model with three satellites fully displayed through sapphire crystal - won the 'Best Designed Watch' award at the 2011 Grand Prix de la Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). This reference brought great success to the brand and was affectionately known as "The Torpedo". However, it has never been a brand to rest on its laurels and continues to craft new expressions of URWERK's ticking art in earnest, culminating in the release of the UR-110 Eastwood model in 2015 based on its award-winning reference.
Both Felix and Martin are passionate about working with different materials, and they often look beyond the boundaries of watchmaking for inspiration. When making the UR-110 Eastwood models, they chose to decorate the upper portion of each model's case in either Macassar ebony or South African red ivory.
high quality watches replicaSurprisingly, Felix and Martin set their sights on Savile Row, the home of British tailoring, and chose to collaborate with Timothy Everest. The esteemed tailor came up with different tweed designs for the straps and ultimately settled on two fabrics to complement the aforementioned wooden bezel.
Since the launch of Opus 5, URWERK has repeatedly shown a willingness to collaborate with other parties including De Bethune and Laurent Ferrier. It also works with craftsmen outside the watch industry, including engraver Johnny Dowell and knifemaker Emmanuel Esposito. Its willingness to work with others often leads to synergistic results.
URWERK EMC Series
No one can accuse URWERK of plagiarism. In fact, for many spiritualists it remains an endearing quality that elicits recognition. The EMC, launched by the brand in 2013, is billed as “the first high-end mechanical watch with ‘artificial intelligence'”.
Although URWERK watches are examples of modern design, they also offer exceptional timekeeping performance. Nonetheless, the advent of the first EMC models broke new ground.
Watches are usually adjusted by a trained watchmaker sitting on a bench using a Witchi machine. Assuming the movement has a small disc, the watchmaker will adjust the effective length of the hairspring to change the rate. In addition, they will check the beat error and amplitude to ensure they are within tolerance.
replica luxury watchesWhile these tests are important, they are performed under static laboratory-like conditions. URWERK recognizes that the balance wheel can behave very differently when the watch is fixed to the wrist. In fact, as the brand explained at the time, "changes in position and temperature, as well as vibrations, can adversely affect the isochrony (regularity of timekeeping) of the watch". The EMC Walking on First Snow is a mechanical watch that can be easily adjusted by the owner even without watchmaking expertise.
Equipped with a starter handle reminiscent of old cars, the EMC folds a crank located on the side of the watch case and rotates it to generate enough current to power the optical sensors and computer within the watch. An optical sensor reads the oscillation rate of the balance over 3 seconds and transmits the information to the computer. The observed exchange rate is compared with the reference exchange rate and the deviation is shown on a dedicated display in the upper left corner of the watch face. If EMC needs adjustment, screws on the bottom of the watch provide a user-friendly means of adjustment.
Despite its futuristic appearance and ground-breaking adjustments, the URWERK EMC still includes high-end finishing such as Côtes de Genève, snailing on the screw heads and polished bevels. The Swiss brand once again proves that pioneering technology and avant-garde design can be compatible with haute horlogerie.
EMC's brilliance has not gone unnoticed, winning the "Mechanical Abnormality Watch Award" and the "Innovative Watch Award" at the 2014 GPHG.
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