Urwerk

Urwerk is a notable Swiss watchmaking brand founded in 1997 by Felix Baumgartner, a talented watchmaker, and Martin Frei, an accomplished artist and designer. The collaboration between Baumgartner and Frei, both graduates of the distinguished Schaffhausen University, gave rise to a brand that defies traditional horology.

The name "Urwerk" is a portmanteau derived from the ancient city of Ur, one of the earliest known centers of human civilization, and the German word "werk," meaning work or creation. This connection underscores the brand’s mission to blend historical horological traditions with contemporary innovation.

Urwerk's first timepiece, the UR-101, presented in 1997, marked a departure from conventional wristwatch design. Inspired by the wandering hour clocks of the Renaissance period, the watch featured orbiting satellite hours that displayed time in a retrograde manner. This groundbreaking design quickly captured the attention of horology enthusiasts and collectors.

The brand continued to push boundaries with the release of the UR-202 in 2007, introducing the first and only mechanical watch to incorporate fluid dynamics for time display. This model featured telescopic minute hands and a rotating satellite hour complication, reinforcing Urwerk's reputation for avant-garde engineering.

In 2011, Urwerk unveiled the UR-110, which received the prestigious "Best Design Watch" award at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. The remarkable shift in displaying time within a three-dimensional space set new precedents in high-end watchmaking.

Urwerk also made strides in exploring innovative materials, demonstrated in their use of ARCAP, a non-magnetic and corrosion-resistant alloy, in several models, starting from the early 2000s. This period established the brand’s commitment to not only aesthetic and functional innovation but also material experimentation.

A notable model in Urwerk's lineup is the EMC (Electro Mechanical Control), introduced in 2013. The EMC represented the first watch capable of being audited and fine-tuned by the wearer, merging electronic components with a mechanical movement, confirming the brand's dedication to evolving the concept of what a wristwatch can achieve.

Urwerk remains influential in contemporary horology, prized for its radical interpretations of timekeeping and unwavering originality.