Mario C 
We don’t always talk about Urwerk, but when we do… you know it’s bound to impress! Get over here while we tell you about their latest creation, the UR-150 Scorpion!
What makes the ultimate modern timepiece? From a layman’s perspective, technologically speaking, this title probably belongs to the utility-forward digital and smartwatches of the world – it only seems logical, no? In my opinion, though, the road less travelled is often the more entertaining one. The ruleset and limitations of what makes mechanical watchmaking, compared to that of the digital age, can seem rather archaic, set in stone. But, almost all of these rules exist for just one reason: to be broken, time and time again.
Designer Martin Frei and master watchmaker Felix Baumgarter seem to agree on this, too. After all, why else would you push mechanical watchmaking – which is, to some, a redundant practice with few unique exceptions – to the limits that they have? When it comes to hyper-modern, ultra-disruptive, and hilariously over-engineered mechanical works of art, I’m sure you could name at least two or three brands in a list of distinctive greats – and Urwerk should be one of them. If not, you should probably check that list again. Ever since founding the company in 1997, Frei and Baumgartner have persisted in blending futuristic, avant-garde aesthetics with traditional mechanical engineering in their pursuit of the ultimate modern timepiece.
It’s why most of the Urwerk roster share names with menacing and powerful creatures. Names like Hammerhead, T-Rex, Tarantula, and Cobra are all meant to evoke the fearsome and tireless nature of Urwerk’s savoir-faire (know-how). The theme has stayed true to this day, and especially in October last year as they unveiled their all-new UR-150 models, lovingly named ‘Scorpion.’
Those familiar with the… well, works of Urwerk know that dial layout all too well. A consistent speciality of theirs, the new UR-150 Scorpion once again features the satellite/wandering hours complication. It’s an intimidating piece of tech to look at – which is the idea – but the principle behind it is rather simple. Three plus-shaped modules, with Arabic numeral hours printed on each, orbit in a circle around the centre, with the lowest of the three telling the time in an arc rather than a full revolution. Behind the scenes, a small pin will rotate the next module to display the upcoming hour, so as one module leaves (on the left), the next one arrives (on the right). It’s a lot to get your head around when it’s served on a plate of words like this, but trust me – it’s super easy to understand if you see it in person.
However, the satellite/wandering hours complication, as graceful as it is to watch, usually has one major design flaw: A rotating number is nowhere near as good at telling precise time as a regular minute hand! That’s where the UR-150 Scorpion comes in: The Scorpion’s namesake is thanks to the oversized, angular minute hand that accompanies the hour on its orbit. Because time is told on an arc, though, the minute hand cannot make the usual 360° revolution that a normal watch would do – which is why Urwerk have fitted it with a retrograde mechanism that allows it to swiftly swing back to the next hour, similar to the sudden and powerful strike of the Scorpion’s sting. All of this is powered by the in-house UR50.01 automatic movement, which has also been custom-fitted with a rotor that self regulates its own winding speed and shock resistance. While it’s only accompanied by a 43-hour power reserve, the way that Urwerk designs their winding systems usually means that it’ll be a long time until you have to bring one of these in for a service!
Engineering aside, the UR-150 Scorpion comes in two references: Titan, constructed from titanium and steel with a sandblasted finish and green accents; And Dark, which comes with the expected full-black colourway accompanied by red accents. Both standing at 42.5mm wide and 52mm long, these pair of UR-150s are certainly not for the faint of wrist. Then again, has any Urwerk really ever been that way?
My Thoughts
As I said, we don’t usually get the opportunity to talk about Urwerk here. But any time we do, it’s always as fun of a time as it is a major head-scratcher. You never really know what to expect next from the Geneva-based brand, so even writing a general release article on one can feel like you’re making the world’s most elaborate peer-reviewed essay.
But when it comes to the future of watchmaking, nothing is ever set in stone. But the folks at Urwerk, under the tutelage of Frei and Baumgartner, are intent on finishing a book that has yet to be written. They pride themselves in defining what the future of haute horlogerie will look like long before we get there, and quite frankly I’m here for it. With designs like these and mechanics beyond belief, Urwerk’s UR-150 Scorpion is yet another chapter written by the prophets of the future of watchmaking. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up making the first flying car while they were at it, too.
Reference: UR-150 Titan/Dark
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 42.49mm case diameter x 52.31mm lug-to-lug x 14.79mm thickness
- Case Material: Steel and titanium with black PVD coating
- Dial: Black with red or green accents
- Movement: Automatic UR 50.01 with satellite/wandering hours & retrograde minute complications
- Power Reserve: 43 hours
- Water Resistance: 50m (5 BAR)
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.
- Bracelet: Black textured KISKA rubber with butterfly folding clasp
