Our Take

The UR-103 became the signature flagship timepiece for Urwerk for roughly a decade between 2003 and 2011. An icon in modern independent watchmaking, many collectors and enthusiasts have the UR-103 in mind when they think “Urwerk.” It’s with great pleasure that we present one of the earlier versions, the UR-103.1 in an exceptional polished yellow gold case.

The UR-103’s innovative mechanics and design were the brainchild of Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner, the artist and master watchmaker duo behind Urwerk. Testament to a “no limits” approach to haute horlogerie, the four orbiting and rotating satellites indicate the time in both analog and digital fashion as it arcs across the minute chapter. Inspired by a night clock created for Pope Innocent XI by the Campanus Brothers in 1682, years of research, development, and testing went into miniaturizing the mechanics for a wristwatch. The end result was a remarkable tonneau-shaped, spaceship-esque case with an exceptionally large crown at 12 o’clock.

It is easy to over-emphasize the space-age aesthetics and understate the watchmaking prowess of Urwerk timepieces. Part of the brand’s magic is that they push the limits of technical watchmaking as much as they break the mold of traditional watchmaking aesthetics. There’s no sacrifice of chronometric performance at the cost of aesthetics.

That watchmaking expertise and innovation is best represented in the challenge of ensuring isochronal performance for the satellites while minimizing friction and energy loss in the UR-103. It was no small feat designing a movement that has the power to drive the satellite indications of time, roughly 150 times heavier than traditional hands.

Retired more than twenty ago in 2011, the UR-103.1 has only gained wider popularity amongst collectors. As the bedrock on which Urwerk was built, the UR-103 represents some of the finest work from one of the avant-garde watchmakers of the 21st century.

The Details

Brand: URWERK

Model: UR-103

Movement: Manual winding

Power reserve: 42 hours

Decoration: Mainplate: palladium finish, côtes de Genève stripes radiating from the centre. Bridges: polished and chamfered. Wheels: circular satin-finished. bridges: polished and chamfered. screws: blued and chamfered, polished heads. oscillating weight: 22-carat gold. true-beat seconds mechanism: 18-carat gold bridges, polished and chamfered.

Bezel: 18K Rose Gold

Case Size: 46 mm

Case Back: Transparent

Complications: 15-Minute Display, Minutes, Seconds, Power reserve Indicator, Wandering Hours