The launch of the URWERK UR-150 Scorpion masterfully combines mechanical innovation with striking design. Reinventing its iconic satellite hours complication, URWERK introduces a new retrograde mechanism that delivers a dramatic, lightning-fast transition, evoking the stinger of a scorpion. The result is a timepiece that embodies the duality of elegance and ferocity.
A Scorpion’s Precision
At the heart of the UR-150 Scorpion lies its retrograde minute hand, a feat of engineering that arcs across a 240° minute track before snapping back to its origin in just 1/100th of a second. This retrograde action, guided by a flying carousel of three-hour satellites, reflects the scorpion’s poised and lethal sting.
This movement represents a departure from URWERK’s traditional mechanisms. Felix Baumgartner, master watchmaker and URWERK co-founder explains: “We replaced the Maltese cross system with a cam and rack design, creating a new satellite complication system. The motion is driven by a spring machined in-house, enabling the retrograde hand’s explosive yet controlled return.”
The result? A dynamic interplay of force and precision redefines watchmaking mechanics’ boundaries.
An Organic Aesthetic with a Sting
Despite its fierce nickname, the UR-150 Scorpion surprises with a harmonious, organic design. The rounded case, coupled with an arched sapphire crystal, follows the curve of the wrist, offering an ergonomic and visually captivating silhouette. “It’s about creating tension,” says URWERK Creative Director and Co-Founder Martin Frei. “The gentle curves of the case contrast with the powerful motion of the mechanism, imbuing the watch with energy and vitality.”
The aesthetic extends to the watch’s minute hand, which mirrors the curved profile of the case and crystal. This seamless integration ensures that reading the time is intuitive, without the need to twist the wrist.
Enduring Innovation
The UR-150 features URWERK’s latest evolution of its wandering satellite-hour movement. The innovative retrograde system optimizes energy use, maintaining perfect isochronism.
A speed regulator, inspired by the mechanisms of minute repeaters, ensures the retrograde hand’s return is smooth and controlled, balancing the immense forces at play.
The automatic winding system is equally groundbreaking. Equipped with dual turbines, it absorbs shocks to protect the rotor while delivering unparalleled energy efficiency.
A Theatrical Display of Time
The UR-150’s retrograde action transforms the passage of time into a moment of theatre. As the hour transitions, the minute’s hand leaps back to its starting position while the satellite carousel rotates, a spectacle described by Frei as “a vibration in the spacetime continuum.”
This dramatic interplay between slow minutes and instantaneous transitions adds a poetic dimension to the timepiece. Collectors and enthusiasts can secure this mechanical marvel in Iron or Dark, available now at The Hour Glass is the sole retailer of URWERK in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand.
The UR-150 will be available in two variations – Iron and Dark – of 50 pieces each.
The URWERK UR-150 Scorpion Iron and Dark retail for SGD 143,000 and SGD 145,000 with tax respectively.
