URWERK UR-220 Red Gold
URWERK presents UR-220 Red Gold, the last representative of its 220 collection. Sparkling and flamboyant, this timepiece features a 4N gold case secured on a white textured strap.
The two stand-out features of this timepiece are the Oil Change indicator and the iconic satellite complication.
Placed of the case back side, the Oil Change indicator showing how long the watch has been operating. This unique information, which has long enriched models such as the UR-110, has undergone significant changes.
On the UR-220, the Oil Change takes the form of a digital gauge, whose unit is the month, indicated on two adjacent rollers. The wearer of the watch triggers this device by removing a protective pin and pressing a pusher on the back of to activate the counters which display the mechanism’s accumulated running time of in months. After 39 months – three years and three months – a service is recommended and once this is complete, the URWERK teams reset the counter and replace the pin.
The UR-220 features URWERK’s patented revolving satellite complication. The wandering hours are displayed on three rotating satellite cubes. Each in turn slots into a hollowed-out minutes hand. Together they travel 120 degrees along the counter before – once the hour is up – the hand makes a big jump back to the “0” marker to accommodate the next cube.
This retrograde minutes display is doubtless still the largest to be found in a wristwatch. In a quest for greater power and velocity, all faces of the minutes hand have been open-worked.
This lightning-fast retrograde system is based on three key elements:
- The central axis set in ruby bearings ensures the perfect stability of the mechanism and is the foundation on which the entire complication rests. A marine chronometer-type cylindrical spring running along this axis generates the tension necessary for the snap-back retrograde motion.
- The atypical minutes hand – which forms a frame for the hours satellites – features extraordinary dimensions. Milled from aluminium to ultra-accurate hundredth of a millimetre tolerance, the entire structure has a total weight of 0.302g and ideal measurements (width 8.03mm x length 22.29mm x height 7.30mm), while its perfect balance is ensured by a brass counterweight.
- A double coaxial star-shaped cam regulates the retrograde mechanism through its gearing and its rotation defines the trajectory of the minutes hand.
Another item of information provided on the dial is the power-reserve indication which can be read on two subdials. The power reserve is indicated by these two 24-hour gauges.
During manual winding, the right-hand gauge is the first to indicate the mainspring state-of-wind. Once it has reached its maximum level, the left-hand indicator takes over. This power reserve distributed between two “reservoirs” is composed of 83 mechanical elements, testifying to the complexity of its development.
The typography of the hour-markers on the UR-220 has been completely redesigned by Martin Frei and the hours and minutes numerals feature an even sharper profile.
Technical details
Model: URWERK UR-220 Red Gold 4N – limited edition
Movement
Calibre
Calibre UR-7.20 developed by URWERK
Winding: Manually wound
Escapement: Swiss lever
Frequency: 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
Hour transporter in aluminium; central carrousel and screws in grade 5 titanium
Finishes
Black circular-grained power-reserve bridge and module
Black shotpeened power-reserve subdial
Vertical satin-brushed transporters, polished bevels
SuperLuminova© -painted components: white glowing blue indexes; red glowing for the 60-minute 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: 4N red gold
Dimensions: Width: 43.8 mm; length: 53.6 mm; thickness: 14.8 mm
Glass: Transparent sapphire crystal
Caseback: Black DLC-treated titanium and sapphire crystal glasses
Water resistance: Pressure tested to 30 m/3 ATM
Finishes
Black DLC-coated shot-peened and sandblasted crown; matt sandblasted logo; Black DLC-coated sandblasted crown guard
Back: black DLC-coated sandblasted caseback
Pin: satin-finished body with sandblasted engraving, polished needle
Tinted sapphire crystals
Polished screws
Strap
Rubber; Velcro® fastening
Price
CHF 149,000.00 (Price in Swiss francs / excl. taxes)
