Urwerk EMC SR-71

Urwerk has reimagined the EMC with inspiration from the SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, resulting in a limited edition model incorporating elements of the aircraft’s titanium fuselage. The EMC is a mechanical watch first introduced by Urwerk in 2014—offering traditional functions like hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve while introducing a patented feature—the δ performance indicator. This feature allows the wearer to evaluate the watch’s chronometric precision at the push of a button, making it the first watch to offer real-time performance monitoring.

In December 2020, two watch enthusiasts, Jason Sarkoyan and Dr. Roman Sperl, visited Urwerk’s Geneva headquarters with an intriguing idea. Sarkoyan, an experienced watch collector, and Sperl, an aeronautical engineer and SR-71 Blackbird expert, wanted to celebrate the EMC’s anniversary by merging elements of the iconic aircraft with the EMC’s groundbreaking technology. Their vision led to a collaboration involving the use of actual titanium from the SR-71 fuselage, which would be crafted into key components for the watch. Over the next three years, the project evolved, with ideas exchanged across Geneva, Zurich, and New York, culminating in the release of the EMC SR-71.

“This journey was a bit wild, but those born from passion are often the most rewarding,” said Sarkoyan. “I fully committed to this project, especially with the support and expertise of Dr. Roman Sperl, one of the foremost aeronautics specialists.”

The EMC SR-71 is now available as a limited edition of 10 pieces, each incorporating titanium from the legendary aircraft. This titanium has been reworked into the EMC’s charging crank for its dynamo. The watch’s dial layout resembles the SR-71’s cockpit instruments, a deliberate choice by Urwerk’s artistic director and co-founder, Martin Frei. He explained that a watch, like an aircraft, is a machine that provides performance data, and that the watch face acts as a personal cockpit, offering insights into timekeeping and the watch’s operation. His interests in science fiction, aviation, and watchmaking made this project particularly compelling.

The EMC SR-71 features four distinct dials, with a special focus on the seconds indicator at 2 o’clock, designed to evoke a stealth aircraft. The performance indicator is displayed at 10 o’clock, while the power reserve is at 7 o’clock. Classic hours and minutes are shown at 5 o’clock. The movement, crafted in-house by Urwerk, is visible through a sapphire case back. Urwerk’s movement, designed and built in-house, is tested across four positions over 30 days to meet stringent precision standards.

The EMC’s original balance is made from ARCAP, an alloy chosen for its non-magnetic and anti-corrosive properties. Its design minimises air friction, ensuring optimal amplitude. The watch is powered by a drive unit consisting of a double barrel mounted on a single shaft, which provides an 80-hour power reserve for consistent timing performance. The timing adjustment screw is accessible from the exterior, allowing for precise adjustments via the balance rate index regulator.

The monitoring function consists of an optical sensor linked to the balance wheel that records its oscillations over a three-second period, manually triggered by a button. The 16,000,000 Hz electronic oscillator serves as the EMC’s benchmark timing rate, allowing the watch’s performance to be compared with unparalleled accuracy. An integrated circuit calculates the differential between the movement’s timing rate and that of the reference oscillator, expressing any variance in microseconds as a gain or loss of seconds per day.

The EMC’s monitoring unit, including the optical sensor and computer, is powered by a manual-winding micro-generator created by Swiss company Maxon, known for providing electromotors for NASA’s Mars rovers.

The concept behind the EMC centres on showing how external factors like activity, temperature, and pressure affect the balance-spring mechanism. The wearer can then correct these timing variations, aiming for the best possible chronometric performance. The design also fosters a more interactive relationship between the watch and its owner, allowing the wearer to act as the watch’s precision timer.