Independent Swiss watchmaker URWERK has just unveiled the UR-220 “Falcon Project”, a new addition to its popular UR-Satellite collection. With its manually wound movement and control board on its back, the new UR-220 goes back to URWERK’s earlier technologies in a case that is sleeker, more ergonomic and as stunning as ever.

Although the UR-220 has adopted some of the features of its predecessor, the entire movement has been reconceived, redesigned and reworked.

Placed at the back of the watch, URWERK’s signature Oil Change indicator returns after years of absence to show the accumulated engine running time of the watch. This original type of information had for long featured in the UR-110 models. In the UR-220 model, the Oil Change indicator features some well thought out upgrades.

In the UR-220, the Oil Change indicator takes the shape of a numerical counter calibrated in months, shown on two adjacent rollers. The log of the movement’s running time is started by the owner of the watch who removes a security pin and presses the pusher on the back of the UR-220.

From then on, the counter displays the accumulated running time of the watch in months. When it reaches 39 months, it is time to take the watch in for a service and oil change. URWERK’s watchmakers will set the counter back to zero and replace the pin at the end of the service.

The space-ship inspired case of the UR-220 watch is made from carbon. This is the first time URWERK has adopted the high-tech transformation of this common element. The result is an extremely tough but featherweight case, composed of 81 ultra-thin layers of high-resistance 150g CTP carbon compressed into a hard resin. The carbon structure of the UR-220 has a pattern all of its own with a finesse and regularity that emphasises the curve of the case.

The UR-220 adopts the patented satellite indication of its predecessor, in which the wandering hours are indicated on three rotating cubes. In turn they pick up the minutes pointer as they enter the 120° scale of 60 minutes. At the end of the hour, the minutes pointer leaps back to the start of the scale to be picked up by the next hour. To minimise the inertia of the retrograde minutes, each side of the pointer has been pierced to make it as light as possible.

The only other indication on the dial is that of the power reserve. This is displayed on two up/down gauges, each of 24 hours. When the movement is wound, the right-hand gauge reacts first. As soon as it shows 24 hours of power reserve, the left hand gauge takes over.

Splitting the power reserve indication turned out to be a complex task, requiring 83 mechanical parts. Martin Frei has also designed a new typography for the numerals of the UR-220. In their livery of URWERK’s radioactive green, their new design makes the hours and minutes even sharper.

With the UR-220’s strap, URWERK again ventures into new territory. It is the company’s first rubber strap, and therefore has to be something special. The strap is cured, moulded and textured by the Vulcarboné© process which gives it a touch like velvet. Many years of research into nano-textures were needed to create this effect. Then the strap is stitched and finished by hand to ensure supreme comfort, strength and appearance.

Technical details

Model: URWERK UR-220 “Falcon Project” Carbon edition

Movement

Calibre
Calibre UR-7.20, developed by URWERK
Winding: Manually wound
Escapement: Swiss lever
Frequency: 28, 800 v/h – 4 Hz
Hairspring: Flat
Energy source: Single mainspring barrel
Jewels: 59
Power reserve: 48 hours

Materials
Baseplate in ARCAP P40, 3D minutes pointer in aluminium with bronze counterweight; central spring in steel. Hours satellites in aluminium; carrousel and screws in grade 5 titanium.

Decorative finishes
Power reserve bridge and module circular-grained in black.
Power reserve subdial shot peened in black.
Vertically brushed satellites with polished bevels.
Carrousel and its cage finely sanded with a circular satin finish. Rhodium plated in black.
Satellite cam finely sanded with a circular satin finish.
Painted SuperLuminova markers: white glowing blue for the power-reserve indicator; green glowing green for the hours and minutes; red glowing green for the 60 minutes marker and the end of the power reserve scale.
Polished screws.

Indications
Wandering hours on a satellite complication (URWERK patent)
3D retrograde minutes hand
Double power-reserve indicator
Oil change indicator on two rollers on the back showing the accumulated running time of the movement in months

Exterior

Case
Material: Carbon CTP (Carbon Thin Ply) – 81 layers
Dimensions: Width: 43.8mm; length: 53.6mm; depth: 14.8mm
Glass: Sapphire crystal
Caseback: Black DLC on titanium and sapphire crystal glass.
Water resistance: Pressure tested to 30m/3 ATM

Decorative finishes
Black DLC on shot-peened and sanded crown; Black DLC on sanded crown guard; Caseband in matt-black smooth carbon
Back: black DLC on sanded caseback
Pin: satin finished body with sanded engraving, polished hand
Tinted sapphire crystal
Polished screws

Bracelet
Vulcarboné© cured rubber, reference “Kiska” with black DLC buckle; Velcro© fastening

Price

CHF 145,000. (Swiss francs /excl. tax)