As the Beatles once famously sang – “here comes the sun”, and the sun that lights up URWERK’s line of remarkable timepieces is the UR-100 Electrum.
Electrum, a naturally occurring alloy mainly comprised of gold and silver, is known as one of the original precious materials. It was highly coveted among the Ancient Greeks, Ancient Egyptians, and Amerindian civilisations as a veritable treasure. It was once used as the exterior coating to the pyramidions atop ancient pyramids and obelisks, in the making of ancient drinking vessels, as well as the first ever metal coins.
Today, URWERK incorporates this precious metal into the latest addition to the 100 collection. The case – made of an organic gold and palladium alloy – recreates an ancient and mythical aura, made contemporary with a structured, pleated, and undulating surface. This distinctive aesthetic is based on the numerous references of Martin Frei, the co-founder of URWERK.
“The case of the UR-100 Electrum is covered with grooves. Everyone can project their own universe into this design,” he comments. “I see the tiers of an ancient Greek theatre, the subtle pleats of an Iris van Herpen dress, a piece of raw earth hollowed out by the imprints of time, the Seigaiha motif of a traditional kimono. This creation is an invitation to embark on a temporal and sensory journey.”
Taking place in the centre of this golden arena is the satellite-type hours and minutes display, while introducing a new item of information. Once the 60th minute has passed, the minutes hand vanishes and reappears as a kilometre counter illustrating the 555 kilometres travelled every 20 minutes by every inhabitant of the Earth. This, in fact, corresponds to our planet’s average speed of rotation calculated at the equator. Earth’s revolution around the sun – corresponding to 35,740 kilometres per 20 minutes – is displayed exactly opposite.
On the face of the UR-100 Electrum, the units are illuminated in incandescent green for the hours, while striking white marks the kilometres. The indication of the distance travelled by the Earth comes inspired by a clock gifted to master watchmaker and co-founder Felix Baumgartner by his father, Geri Baumgartner, a renowned restorer of antique clocks.
“In my view, a watch is both a physical and abstract reproduction of our situation on Earth,” he tells. “It anchos us to a precise time and longitude, while at the same time testifying to the fleeting nature of that position.”
The URWERK Calibre 12.01 beats beneath the dome of this new model, with its three-satellite time display. The satellite indicating the exact time moves from 0 to 60 along the minutes track.
Limited to only 25 pieces, the UR-100 Electrum retails at RM288,000. For more details, visit the official website.
Photos: URWERK
