Primed And Ready!

Transcript

' STORY: TIMMY TAN DESIGNERS: JOYCELYN HAN, KAMELL POON, PEI LING It is known as the Urwerk UR-1001 Zeit Device and an important accessory is a protective vest. PRIMED AND READY! TANG Portfolio In late 2011, an “explosive story” unfolded when a timing mechanism was unveiled by Urwerk. In our opinion, the UR-1001 (held in the hand of Felix Baumgartner above) is without a doubt an explosive device that would ignite many raging fires in the hearts of horological fans. 3 Image: TANG Portfolio / Hand model: Felix Baumgartner Image: TANG Portfolio / Hand model: Felix Baumgartner Why is the UR-1001 so “explosive”? Well, for a start, this hand-held device is well-primed as it is packed with many interesting features and complications. In fact, it is probably one of the most complicated pocket watch created over the past two years! Three-position winding crown. Position 1: winding Position 2: setting the month and date Position 3: setting the hours and minutes 4. Day / night indicator. (the 24-hour indicator) Black SuperLuminova symbolising the night, white-brushed ruthenium for the day, a mix for dusk / dawn It currently indicates that it is night time as confirmed by the alphabet “N”. The alphabet “D” represents day time Note the Côtes de Genève finishing on the plate 8. The month indicator. 1. The revolving satellite hour complication. This encompasses a “flying” design as there is no top bridge to support and secure the carrousel. This allows for unobstructed views of the satellite hour complication 2. The retrograde minute hand. The time shown is 10.08 at night The features and complications on the dial side of the UR-1001 Zeit Device 4 From the rear, the UR-1001 pocket watch seems like an incendiary device. However, once you turn it on its front, or flip open the spring-hinged metal covering the back of this hunter-case pocket watch, a totally different look emerges. 6. The revolving satellite calendar. The revolving satellite calendar is an ingenious mechanism in line with the Urwerk DNA. Fans of the brand will recognise the use of the satellite mechanism but this time round, it is used for the months and date of the month rather than for the hours and minutes. This satellite system is from the same family as Urwerk’s hour satellite complication 7. The date of the month. 3. The power reserve display. When at the red-colour levels, the power reserve is low. Note the Côtes de Genève finishing on the plate Continuous sweep seconds. This is a three-handed pointer where each pointer will make a 20 seconds appearance through a 120-degree aperture on the dial 5. The annual calendar Urwerk’s revolving satellite calendar mechanism features the annual calendar which means setting of the date is done once a year, at the beginning of March Illustration by: TimeWerke The features and complications on the rear of the UR-1001 Zeit Device The fob chain is secured to this eyelet above the crown 9. The running time indicator for 100 years Each track on this indication represents five years and is like an odometer of an automotive recording the total distance it has traveled 11. The service or “oil change” indicator The “oil change” indicator alerts the owner that a service is due after three years. The pointer will begin in the white zone from years one to three and when it enters the red zone, that is when sending the UR-1001 in for regular servicing and maintenance is recommended. The pointer is reset to zero after every servicing 10. The linear running time for 1,000 years After the 100-year indicator has crossed the century milestone, a small pointer on the linear 1,000-year indicator will move up to the 100 mark and so forth At the front of the UR-1001 Zeit Device, we counted eight horological complications based on our own definitions. In general, a horological complication is defined as any other time-telling display apart from the hour, minutes and seconds. Illustration by: TimeWerke COMPLICATIONS OF THE URWERK-1001 Brand Functions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Urwerk Model The timekeeping functions The hour satellite The retrograde minute hand Power reserve display 24 hour indication The calendar functions The annual calendar The revolving satellite calendar The day of the month The months The 100-year indicator The 1,000-year indicator Service (“Oil change”) indicator Total number of complications Production Year produced UR-1001 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 Limited to 8 pieces 2011 Compiled by TimeWerke. The individual complications are indicated by the same Arabic numerals in the illustrations spread over these two pages In the case of the UR-1001, the hour satellite mechanism is considered a complication because the system does not simply rely on basic hour and minute hands powered by the movement to tell time. Instead, it is a technical engineering innovation through the employment of a central carrousel carrying three hour satellites, each with four Arabic hour numerals on their surfaces, to tell the hours. As the carrousel revolves, the satellites rotate on their vertical axis and the current hour is shown on the top as the satellite travels along the path of the minute tracks. The minute hand is classified as a complication because it utilises the retrograde system. An additional three horological complications are found on the case back. All in all, there are a total of 11 complications on the UR-1001 Zeit Device. The features are impressive and that is why the Urwerk UR-1001 can rightly be deemed a super watch. The 11 complications are highlighted in the table: Complications of the Urwerk UR-1001 and each is identified by an Arabic numeral (from 1 to 11) in red which can also be seen in detail from the illustrations. 5 The minute rail track. The retrograde minute hand The star cam Those familiar with Urwerk timepieces might find want to have a better understanding of the UR-1001’s minute hand complication as it features a retrograde minute hand. Here, the retrograde minute hand is fixed to a sprung ring around the circumference of the hour satellite complication. The ring is pushed along a guide rail by the hour satellite. A swan’s neck spring on each arm of the carrousel engages two coaxial star cams sliding along the guide rail and carrying the minute hand. A small bar of platinum on the sprung ring acts as a counterweight to the minute hand pointer. There is also a safety mechanism ensuring that the minute hand does not swing past 63 minutes even in the event of any shock. The finger that acts on the Maltese cross The revolving satellite calendar is yet another show of force for Urwerk’s satellite mechanism. For months with 30 days, namely April, June, September and November, the date will advance to the first of the subsequent month. The Maltese crosses 6 The date wheel has 93 teeth and the threearm carrousel completes a revolution once every three months. “Mounted on the date wheel are three Maltese crosses, each corresponding to a satellite of four months at the opposite end of the date wheel. At the end of each short month, a finger acts on a Maltese cross and the intervention enables the date wheel to advance by two days to begin at the first of the following month,” explains Urwerk master watchmaker and founding partner, Felix Baumgartner. “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” ~ Winston Churchill Urwerk UR-1001 Zeit Device Introduced in 2011 Features: • Calibre UR-10.01 automatic movement • 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) • 39 hours power reserve • Unidirectional winding rotor • Time mechanism: double star retrograde with aluminium ring and platinum counterweight • Calendar mechanism: 93 tooth wheel, 3 Maltese crosses • Base plate in ARCAP • Titanium non-oxidising screws • Movement surface finishes: circular-grained, Côtes de Genève decoration, DLC-treated main plate and base plate, chamfered and polished screw heads • Revolving satellite hour complication • Retrograde minutes • Revolving satellite calendar with months and dates • Day/night indicator • • • • • • Power reserve display Date and month displays “Oil change” indicator Running time indicator for 100 years Linear running time indicator for 1,000 years PE-CVD and DLC-treated main plate, base plate, dials and satellite complications • Satin-finished and diamond-polished satellites • SuperLuminova treatment on markers • Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating • 106mm by 62mm by 23mm case in AITin steel (aluminium titanium nitride) with titanium elements • Pressure-tested to 3 atm (30m) • Surface finishes: micro-sandblasted • Chain: handmade, heat-blackened steel links featuring a bespoke Urwerk clasp with carbineer closure Production: 8 pieces 7 8 The 11 complications of the UR-1001 will appeal highly to serious watch connoisseurs. “This pocket watch is the mother ship [of Urwerk]. It contains the largest retrograde system I know in watchmaking,” declares Baumgartner. While there are the 100-year and 1,000-year indicators for tracking its lifespan, the UR-1001 does not feature the perpetual calendar complication. Rather, its revolving satellite calendar mechanism is essentially an annual calendar complication. “This pocket watch is a further evolution of the Opus 5 and this comes in a much larger format. The UR-1001 is three times larger than a regular wristwatch. This means that we have a playground that is three times larger to create and install complications and innovative features. “The development for the UR-1001 can come in again in the future for wristwatches. There are good possibilities so the UR-1001 is somewhat like the mother ship,” surmises Baumgartner. This means that the date has to be changed only once a year and this is at the beginning of March. This is good enough and the 100-year and 1,000-year indicators reflect the confidence in the longevity of this particular timepiece and the brand. If you are wondering about what the black case of the UR1001 is made of, well it is in aluminium titanium nitridecoated stainless steel. Aluminium titanium nitride (AITiN) coatings are industrial surface treatments developed for minimizing wear-and-tear of machine cutting tools. “The automatic base movement used in UR-1001 is from Girard-Perregaux. We do not highlight it as we did not create it. The focus and complexities of our device is for everybody to see on the dial and the case back,” explains Baumgartner. With the case of the UR-1001 AITiN-coated, this pocket watch has more resistance towards oxidation and its hardness is increased somewhat. While its semi-matte black colouration makes it seem like a military-grade device of sorts, what is more important is that one can be sure of the protection the coating offers. Is the Maltese cross system a complication? “Who creates the law?” asks Baumgartner. “Our creation is about artistic reflections rather than traditional values found in watchmaking. “I took one year of learning just to regulate an escapement. Our three-dimensional mechanisms are pushing the definitions of haute horlogerie and complications. “For me, the Maltese cross system is a complication of today though it may not have been viewed the same way 20 years ago,” says Baumgartner. The UR-1001 required four years of work and production is only eight pieces. “I wouldn’t say that the total limitation is eight; it is only eight units in this execution. "The price for each UR-1001 pocket watch is 340,000 Swiss francs and it would be 50% more of this value if we made this as a commercial piece,” surmises Baumgartner while explaining the difficulties in production. "The most challenging technical aspect in the development of the UR-1001 is in the distribution of energy and power for the movement to operate smoothly. Only the best optimised construction can make the whole watch work properly. We have to manage the energy and power in an intelligent and optimized manner,” says the master watchmaker and founding partner of Urwerk. What is truly important is that the UR-1001 epitomises the brand DNA of Urwerk. “The Zeit Device is a piece that truly demonstrates what we are about. Take a closer look at the finishings, the dial, the technical components and our new construction of the calendar mechanism. From what we understand, in terms of weight, some 80% comes from the movement itself and the base plate. Sizewise, Baumgartner indicates that he likes the pocket watch form factor. In fact, the form factor was tried and tested over a long period, notably by Martin Frei, co-founder and chief designer of Urwerk. “After drawing the first few hand sketches of the Zeit Device, I need to test, shape and size the future UR-1001 case. I therefore crafted a model out of plum tree wood. Only when I was 100% sure that the three-dimensional object worked perfectly on both a tactile and visual level were the actual dimensions set. A second mock-up was made after engineering and design work were nearly finalised. “This mock-up was again tested and used, especially during our collaboration with Timothy Everest in the process of creating the ideal waistcoat fob pocket for our bespoke suit,” explains Frei. HOW URWERK IS WORN - PART I Question is, how is the UR-1001 with case dimensions of 106mm by 62mm and 23mm carried and worn by a gentleman? As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Urwerk’s Zeit Device is essentially a pocket watch. This is why you’d be able to note that a steel link chain with a special clamp with carbineer closure was sketched, designed and produced solely for the UR-1001. This is in a sense, a customised fob chain with heat-blackened steel links for the Zeit Device. 9 Photo: Urwerk Martin Frei | Co-founder and Chief Designer | Urwerk 10 The word fob originally referred to a small concealed pocket in a gentleman’s trousers found below the waistband. It was in the fob pocket that the pocket watch was kept and the chain attached to it was what was displayed. As it was a typical dressing style for gents of the 18th century, the fob became associated with the chain, hence the term “fob chain”. [Source: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry by Harold Newman.] “The watch would be produced for viewing with a flourish equivalent to that used when producing the equally exquisite snuff boxes to partake of snuff”, according to Genevieve Cummins in her book How the Watch was Worn: A Fashion for 500 years, adding that, “Some watches and snuff boxes were made en suite and both would be a statement as to the elegance, taste and wealth of their owners.” [Cummins is a paediatric surgeon working in Sydney, Australia and she is an avid antique collector. This gem of a book, published in around 2010, was purchased in Geneva during the 2012 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie.] Photo: Urwerk During the Victorian era, the style of carrying the pocket watch evolved and it was kept in the shorter vest or waistcoats rather than the fob pocket. One common method of attachment is the use of a T-bar at the end of the fob chain to a buttonhole on the vest. The pocket watch would then be kept in the vest pocket. Martin Frei’s self-portrait sketch with the UR-1001 Zeit Device and fob chain. The bespoke Urwerk clasp with carbineer closure is also sketched and it is secured onto the eyelet found above the crown The modern-day UR-1001 pocket watch and its accompanying fob chain can be carried in the same manner. This explains why we mentioned at the start of the article that an important accessory for the Zeit Device is a protective vest. It also explains why both Baumgartner and Frei had bespoke suits specially tailored by Timothy Everest for their remarkable UR-1001 pocket watches. The UR-1001 may also be admired in an automatic winder cum display case which is made of polished walnut wood with buffalo leather lining. This is a good solution as the Zeit Device can be kept running and the inconvenience of resetting the time and date for this annual calendar pocket watch can be avoided. The UR-1001 Zeit Device is a highly fascinating timepiece, a stunning work of art that is viewed with “flourish” in the flesh which is a statement of contemporary horological innovation and not just a show of wealth of the owner. “The Zeit Device is not a daily-use object; it is not something you can wear on your wrist or carry daily. It is more of an artistic object, an objet d’art,” concedes Baumgartner. When translated to English, the French term objet d’art means a work of art. This fob chain was specially created for the UR-1001 Zeit Device. The steel links are heat-blackened. Remarkably, the form factor of the UR-1001 began with a block of wood that was shaped and modified over time by Martin Frei That is why the UR-110 “Torpedo” comes instantly to mind when subsequently asked what Urwerk timepiece can then be worn on a daily-wear basis. 11 Photo: TANG Portfolio Urwerk UR-110 worn on the wrist of Felix Baumgartner (September 2011) HOW URWERK IS WORN - PART II Simply put, Urwerk timepieces are worn with a certain attitude and style. You can spot easily spot and identify an Urwerk on a wrist due to its unique case structure. In Urwerk’s UR-103, UR-202 and UR-203 colllections, time is read from indications between the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions through the use of the characteristic revolving satellites. However, in 2011, Urwerk changed the time-reading dynamics by placing the indicators, namely the minute track on the right-hand side of the dial and between the 1 o’clock and 5 o’clock positions. The change came about with the debut of their new UR110 “Torpedo” line models in 2011; namely the UR-110 in titanium and the UR-110 which is Black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) and AITiN-coated (Aluminium Titanium Nitride). The UR-110 “Torpedo” in grade 5 titanium was first unveiled in January 2011 while the black DLC and AITincoated version came a few months later in March 2011 at the annual BaselWorld watch fair. Due to Urwerk’s unique case constructions, our opinion is that its collections, the UR-110 included, are all instruments of mass recognition. 12 Urwerk UR-103T “Mexican Fireleg” (2010). The hour and minute indicators are treated with orange SuperLuminova URWERK UR-110 The two-position crown with integrated protection The day and night display The seconds sub-dial The minute track The minute indicator, an arrow-shaped "torpedo" The time indicated is 10.31 Red zone on the oil change indicator Finishing: matt, circular graining and diamond-cuts The hour module Red Arabic numeral 60 on the minute track For the UR-110 series, time is indicated between the 1 o’clock and 5 o’clock positions. In other collections such as the UR-103, UR-203 and UR-202, time is read between the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions Illustration by: TimeWerke In fact, at the 2011 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, Urwerk’s UR-110 secured the award for the “Best Design Watch”, confirming the industry’s acknowledgment of the brand’s unique aesthetics and form factor, not to mention the highly intelligent use of its characteristic orbiting satellite systems. In the UR-110 series, the arrow-shaped “torpedo” is the minute hand indicator. It is affixed to a counter-rotating hour module that displays the hours in Arabic. In this example, the Arabic numeral 3 represents three o’clock Urwerk UR-110 “Torpedo” in titanium. Introduced in 2011 13 YELLOW FEVER, RED ALERT Best known for their yellow corporate colour, fans of Urwerk, or those we would diagnose as having “yellow fever” so to speak, were given more tempting offerings when in January 2012, the UR-110 added a new family member with the UR-110 RG with its grade 5 titanium body having a bezel in 5N red gold. “Gold provides a unique feeling and emotion thanks to its density and its special appearance. In all the ancient and modern civilizations, gold was regarded as the material of the Gods. “For me, as a trained sculptor and painter, touch is the first sense. This certainly explains my visceral attraction to gold. I like its solid, heavy, reassuring and eternal character. Our UR-110 collection could not be complete without a counterpart in gold,” says Frei. Speaking of red gold, Baumgartner wore a striking red suit when we met him during the presentation of the UR-110 RG in January 2012. This was no coincidence as it was right around the time of the Chinese New Year celebrations. “I am like a big red hong bao,” Baumgartner jokingly declared in his usual humorous style. [The Mandarin word hong bao means “red packet” in English. It is essentially a red envelope to hold money. During Chinese New Year, it is a customary tradition for married couples to give red packets to friends and relatives who are single, and who pay their respects to them. Red is also a fortuitous colour during this Chinese festival.] SECRET (SEX) APPEAL? Baumgartner was indeed a sight to behold and so was the UR-110 RG. Both offered striking contrasts to the surrounding environment and one’s sensory perceptions naturally perked up during the presentation and attention was obviously captured. Speaking of red, it is generalised that men are particularly attracted to this colour; this is one reason why red lipsticks are a must-have item for any lady. In fact, there are also many red-coloured elements in Urwerk. This might even be another reason why male fans of Urwerk have gravitated towards the brand and developed a strong emotional attachment. Though its Superluminova indicators are in orange and not red, the UR-103T Mexican Fireleg for example, is also extremely attractive because of its striking and contrasting aesthetics. In the UR-110 collection, red is a common colour used on the disc of the oil change alert indicators and the Arabic numeral 60 on the minute track. 14 Urwerk's UR-110 RG features a grade 5 titanium case and a 5N red gold bezel In fact, the colour red may have even made gentlemen who wear Urwerk timepieces “sexier” or “more physically attractive”. How is this possible? According to a research article published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, females in the United States, Britain, Germany and even China find men pictured wearing red or framed in red more sexually attractive than in other colours. The research covered young ladies aged between 19 and 22 years of age. Based on a Reuters report, the author of the study, Dr Andrew Elliot, was quoted as saying that while red is a sexy colour for women, the research also concluded that the “… link between red and sex also applies to men” and the findings across the countries were consistent in suggesting that ladies were attracted to men in red. One explanation offered was that primates, male chimpanzees in particular, which were high in their social ranking order could turn more red when competing for the opposite sex. The colour is a status indicator and females would tend to gravitate towards such high-ranking males by using such cues, according to Dr Elliot. While the use of red is a means of enabling more legible reading of the indicators through contrasts, could it be that Urwerk also stumbled upon a “secret ingredient” that spices up their timepieces? Was Baumgartner providing a big hint when launching the UR-110 RG by wearing his red suit? Well, the best way to discover that is to own and wear any of the UR-110 “Torpedo” timepieces and here’s a tip: the Image and effects: TANG Portfolio Was there another reason why Felix Baumgartner donned his striking red suit when the UR-110 RG was launched? 15 Urwerk UR-110 “Torpedo” ST Introduced in 2012 Features: • UR 9.01 automatic movement • 46 jewels • 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) • 39 hours power reserve • Uni-directional rotor regulated by double turbines • Monometallic balance • Flat balance spring • Single barrel • Satellite complication with rotating hour/minute modules mounted on planetary gears • Control board: day/night display, oil change alert indicator (information on service intervals) and small seconds display • Bezel in AITiN • Case in Grade 5 titanium, 47mm by 51mm by 16mm • Water-resistant to 3 atm • Two-position crown with integrated protection Note: This is the fourth version of the UR-110 “Torpedo”. The UR-110 “Torpedo” was first launched in 2011 with its case in grade 5 titanium. What followed was the UR-110 which is black DLC and AITiN-coated. The third reference was the UR-110 RG (unveiled in January 2012) with its case in grade 5 titanium and bezel in 5N red gold fourth reference in the series, the UR-110 ST launched in March 2012 which comes in a grade 5 titanium case and a bezel in AITiN, offers good contrasts. Such features already make it a super watch and the redcoloured elements which may be "sexy" to ladies are an added bonus. Photo: Urwerk However, the most striking, in our opinion, is the UR-110 RG. Don’t forget too that the bezel has the magic word “red” as it is in red gold. For immediate results, perhaps the UR-110 RG is the choice and for those who wish to be more covert, then the UR-110 ST may score better. On a more serious level, do note that the UR-110 “Torpedo” is a highly technical watch. Not only does it offer the satellite complication with the rotating hour and minute modules mounted on planetary gears, it also features the day and night displays and the oil change indicator. Felix Baumgartner may be wearing a more sombre custom outfit made by bespoke tailor Timothy Everest but do note that the colour red is used on the Arabic numeral 60 on the minute track and the disc of the oil change indicator of the UR-110 16