BOUTIQUE
URWERK
UR-111C
Urwerk’s impressive new UR-111C, a descendant of the
2009 Urwerk King Cobra, once again artfully converts
the timekeeping results of an unusual horizontal move-
ment into a fascinating series of vertical time displays.
Here, new linear minute and hour projections are
both creative and practical. You’ll find the minutes
displayed twice. Minutes can be seen on a truncated
cone within a sapphire glass at the right side of the
case (for optimal viewing while driving) as well as
along the front of the dial, where they progress in a
linear and retrograde fashion, jumping back to zero at
the start of each hour. To the left, within another
truncated cone, you’ll find the hours rotating.
The seconds display is also entirely new,
representing a world premiere, according to Urwerk.
This consists of a sapphire window that projects the
digital seconds (in five-second increments) through a
cluster of fiber optic tubes. As two rotating discs rotate
below, within the movement, the seconds indications
on those discs are projected directly through this fiber
optic pathway to the window one-tenth of a millimeter
above them, at the top of the case.
Baumgartner and Frei’s inventive minds also
devised an unusual winding and setting mechanism.
Instead of a conventional crown, the pair has made
a thumb-sized roller situated at the top of the case,
fluted for an easy grip. Turning it winds the mainspring
via an impossibly complex series of gears.
Need to set the time? Why just swing that lever from
the right side of the case and turn the roller in either
direction.
The case represents yet another innovation, allow-
ing the movement to be slid into place from the side
during construction.
Urwerk is offering the UR-111C with a polished steel
case and a steel case with a matte gunmetal finish.
Only twenty-five of each will be made.
Price: $135,000.
IW RATING
Design: 10 (out of 10)
Love it or hate it Urwerk pushes design boundaries to
the limit.
Innovation: 9
New engineering solutions to power transmission,
winding, and display.
Finissage: 8
Precise technique on case.
Legibility: 8
Great contrast and orientation on unique display
system.
Rarity: 9
Only 25 in each metal to be made.
Value: 8
Excellent value retention on previous releases.
Overall iW rating: 52 (out of 60)
36 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | FALL 2018