URWERK Unveils One Big Ass Wristwatch, The UR-1001 Titan.

Urwerk-UR-1001-Titan-pocket-watch-bracelet-1

URWERK has unveiled their ginormous wristwatch with the release of the UR-1001 Titan. Debuting at 2015 Basel World, the “TITAN” is so named because of its imposing and enormous titanium case which is as superlative as the complications within.

urwerk ur 1001 titan on blk IIHIH

Initially designed as a pocket time machine named the Zeit Device, The UR-1001 is the craziest, most complex, most desirable, most high tech, most futuristic of all URWERK’s creations. It is now available to collectors as a wristwatch as well as a pocket watch / device.

On The Wrist:
Urwerk Titan watch front and profile IIHIH

Urwerk Titan watch backside IIHIH

Urwerk-UR-1001-Titan-pocket-watch-bracelet-2

Urwerk-UR-1001-Titan-pocket-watch-bracelet-3

Urwerk-UR-1001-Titan-pocket-watch-bracelet-5

Urwerk-UR-1001-Titan-pocket-watch-bracelet-9

The UR-1001 Zeit Device houses a constellation of indications, which include orbiting satellites and a comet-like flying retrograde. Dials, springs, satellites, carrousels, retrograde spiral spring are all manufactured in-house by URWERK, as are most of the components in the Zeit Device’s complications and indications.

In Your Pocket:
UR-1001 pocket watch all angles IIHIH

UR-1001 pocket watch with chain in hand IIHIH

In Desk Stand:
UR-1001-DeskStand IIHIH

The UR-1001 is a grand über complication both measuring and quantifying the era in its entirety, from a solitary second to astronomical millennia. Exuding force from a case seemingly carved from a block of solid metal, the UR-1001 marks the passage of time in seconds, minutes, hours, day/night, date, month, years, 100 years and all of the way to a monumental 1,000 years.

UR-1001-Drawings IIHIH

“Since we founded URWERK, it has been Martin Frei’s and my horological playground in which we have developed new – both technically and visually – methods of displaying time. However, we were always constrained by the size of the wristwatch. With Zeit Device we could allow ourselves carte blanche and created a larger playground for our imaginations… and then filled it with all of our complications and indications.” – Felix Baumgartner

Exploded view:
Image converted using ifftoany

The UR-1001 “TITAN” is so named because of its imposing titanium case of which the dimensions – 106mm x 62mm x 23mm – are as superlative as the complications within, making it an ideal platform for presenting URWERK’s savoir-faire.

• A patented, revolving satellite complication with wandering hour hand and retrograde minute hand.

patented revolving stellite complication

Carrying three conical satellites bearing hour markers, the central carousel is the nerve center of the satellite complication. The carousel revolves on a precision ball bearing system so that no upper support bridge – which would block the stunning view – is required.

The retrograde minute hand is fixed to a sprung ring around the circumference of the satellite complication. This ring is pushed along a guide rail by the hour satellite. A swan’s neck spring on each arm of the carrousel engages two coaxial star-cams that slide along the guide rail carrying the minute hand. When the minute hand gets to the end of the rail at 60 minutes, the star-cams trip over to release the minute hand, which springs back to zero at the start of the scale where it rendezvous with the next satellite hour.

• Revolving Satellite Calendar

revolving calendar

The Revolving Satellite Calendar is an original – both technically and graphically – calendar complication completely developed in-house by URWERK. Visually it is in the same family as the hour satellite complication, with months and date replacing hours and retrograde minutes. However, whereas the hours rotate across the minutes with unchanging 60-minute regularity, the month automatically adjusts the last date on the calendar complication according to whether it has 30 or 31 days.

FelixBaumgartner_TE_HD

Felix Baumgartner URWERK co-founder and chief watchmaker, above, reveals how the mechanism works: “At the end of 30 day months — April, June, September and November — the date advances automatically to the 1st of the following month. At the end of the short months, a finger on a Maltese cross intervenes to make the date wheel advance two days to the next month.”

•Day Night and Power Reserve Indicator

power reserve indicators

The Day/Night indicator is a rotating disc marked with Black Super-LumiNova for the night, white brushed-ruthenium for day and a striped mix for dusk/dawn. While useful in its own right, the Day/Night indicator comes into its own when setting the calendar mechanism.

diagrams titan

The Power Reserve indicator monitors the amount of power in the mainspring up to 39 hours and features a red warning zone to remind the owner when the UR-1001 “TITAN” needs refueling.

Turning the UR-1001 “TITAN” over and lifting up its protective cover, an alternative universe featuring remarkably long time measurements can be discovered: Long-term indications – the 5-year “oil change” and 100-year and 1,000-year “odometers” – are displayed above the bottom of the satellite hours and retrograde minutes mechanism, its black surface punctuated by ruby jewel bearings.

“Oil Change” indicator.
The shortest time interval measured on the back is the 5-year “Oil Change” indicator at centre right, which alerts the user when a service is due after three years when the dial changes from white (years one to three) to red (years three to five). This is counter is reset to zero when the timepiece is serviced.

100-year indicator.
The 100-year indicator advances in 5-year increments and acts like the odometer of a car. Where a car’s odometer keeps track of the total distance number at vehicle has driven, the 100-year and 1000-year indicators of the UR-1001 register the total running time of the movement.

1000-year indicator.
When the hand reaches the 100-year mark, the small pointer at the bottom of the 1000-year indicator on the left takes a small – small for the UR-1001 “TITAN”, but a giant leap for mankind – 100-year step upwards on its imperceptibly slow, but deliberate journey to a new millennium.

Fine finishing.
The fine finishing and decoration throughout the case, dials and components of the “TITAN” are a harmonious blend of the contemporary and the traditional, echoing URWERK’s ethos of 21st century watchmaking based on a solid foundation of the very best in traditional horology. Circular lines engraved into the top of the case give hint to the fact that the form of the “TITAN”’s case is actually a circle with cut sides. Clous de Paris guilloche on the dial provides both a rich texture and a pleasing contrast with the flat surfaces on the indications. The satellites and their hands feature diamond-cut bevels that reflect light during the day, while flush embedded white Super-LumiNova ensures legible reading of the time at night. Clous de Paris guilloche surfaces continue on the back of the timepiece and in a tip of the hat to URWERK’s home, Geneva waves (Côtes de Genève) are engraved on sections of the bridge supporting the base of the Hour Satellite Complication.

The UR-1001 “TITAN” – Technical Specifications

Movement
Calibre: UR-10.01
Jewels: 51
Escapement: Swiss lever
Balance: Monometallic
Frequency: 28,800v/h, 4Hz
Balance spring: Flat
Power source: Single mainspring barrel. Unidirectional winding rotor
Time mechanism: Retrograde minutes on aluminum ring with platinum counterweight, double star cam
Calendar mechanism: 93 tooth wheel, 3 Maltese crosses
Retrograde minutes: Anti-shock safety device
Retrograde minute spring: Spiral of 6.5 turns, dimensions 174.4mm x 0.1mm x 0.3mm with mobile piton (adjustable pin). Long length ensures flat torque curve Surface finishes: Circular-grained, Côtes de Genève and DLC treated mainplate and baseplate, chamfered and polished screw heads

Indications

Dial side
Revolving satellite hour complication
Retrograde minutes
Revolving satellite calendar with months and dates
Day/night indicator: black Super-LumiNova for night, white brushed-ruthenium for day, mix for dusk/dawn
Power-reserve indicator 39 hours with red low-power zone
Running seconds: three-handed indication displaying 3 x 20 seconds on a 120° dial
Côtes de Genève on Day/Night and Power Reserve indicator dials

Back side
“Oil change” indicator (5 years)
Running-time indicator for 100 years
Linear running-time indicator for 1,000 years

Surface finishes
Sandblasted carousel
PE-CVD and DLC treated mainplate, baseplate, dials and satellite complications
Satin-finished and diamond-polished satellites
Super-LumiNova treatment on markers

Setting and winding
Three-position winding crown
Position 1 against case: winding
Position 2 one click: month and date
Position 3 two clicks: setting hours and minutes

Case
Material: Titanium
Dimensions: 106mm x 62mm x 23mm
Glasses: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: Pressure-tested to 3ATM
Surface finishes: Micro-sandblasted Strap:
Black leather strap based on an original design by URWERK

Screenshot 2015-03-22 16.50.41

For pricing, availability or more info, contact URWERK or visit their website.

all information and watch photos courtesy of  Urwerk. Photos of watch on arm, courtesy of A Blog to Watch