Stealth spaceship by day, luminescent installation by night, the UR-220 SL Asimov is the third variation of the 220 collection. Under the impetus of designer and URWERK co-founder Martin Frei, the model has undergone subtle changes in materials, colours, finishes and aesthetic characteristics. Against a predominantly black carbon backdrop, the UR-220 revisits a fascinating play on contrasts and luminosity.
The UR-220 SL Asimov indicates the time by means of luminous truncated pyramid-type hour transporters. The cube shape featured in previous versions of the UR-220 resulted from meticulous work on URWERK’s CNC machines. In this iteration, these elements free of any sharp edges are cast from a silicon mould and hand-adjusted to ensure their perfect finish. Their degree of hardness at the end of the process is close to that of ceramic. This technical expertise was developed by the Swiss company RC Tritec, which has 80 years of experience in the field.
The three hours transporters are therefore “made” of colour, specifically Swiss Super-LumiNova Grade X1 BL. And it is at night that the transformation takes place, when they become phosphorescent. There is no engraving here, as the satellites and hour-markers are one and the same. They are light catchers, active pigments whose function is to capture each light unit and then restore them in the dark so as to achieve optimal nocturnal legibility.
This UR-220 SL Asimov is a quintessential expression of URWERK-ian design construction in which interior and exterior are melded into a coherent whole. The inner or outer shapes, finishes and colours may be merged, shifted or flipped in either direction. The complex shape of the bezel, the slender, hollowed-out lines of the case middle, the strength of the crown at 12 o’clock, are all part of a horological layout exclusive to URWERK.
URWERK UR-220 SL Asimov retails for S$226,300. For more information, visit thehourglass.com.
