If truth be told, we kind of love everything that Urwerk does. Their pieces are wild, original, complicated, but not intimidating, extremely comfortable, and downright cool! Finding five reasons why we love the UR-100V LightSpeed, or any other Urwerk model for that matter, is not necessarily difficult, but it is a fun way to get to revisit this piece and delve into what seduces us the most.
A New Kind of Planetarium
When we think of horological planetariums, little coloured planets tend to spring to mind, but the Urwerk UR-100V LightSpeed offers a whole new take on this centuries-old complication. Starting from the sun, the planets on the UR-100V LightSpeed are displayed on the dial, along with how long it takes a ray of light to reach them.
The sun’s light reaches Mercury in 3.2 minutes, Venus in 6 minutes, Mars in 12.6 minutes, Jupiter in 43.2 minutes, Saturn in 79.3 minutes, Uranus in 159.6 minutes and Neptune in 4.1 hours. As a reminder, the speed of light travels at 299,792,458 km per second, just to give you an idea of the vastness of it all. These fascinating galactic facts are displayed on the dial in a never-seen-before kind of planetarium that provokes thought and wonder.
Look, No Hands
Like with all Urwerk’s pieces, hands are not really the thing. The hours are indicated by satellites that move along a graduated circle. The first carries the hours and the second the minutes. When an hour satellite has covered 60 minutes, the next hour appears. This system is inspired by a 17th-century clock, which is mind-blowing when you think about it!
Space-Age Design
In addition to all the cool space-age indications on the dial, the design of the case is in perfect harmony with the concept of the watch with its black carbon fibre case and titanium caseback that has been sandblasted, shot-blasted, and DLC-treated for a particularly striking effect. Turning the watch over doesn’t disappoint either as it offers a view of the rotor that has been inspired by the rays of the sun.
Comfy in the Cosmos
Comfort is one of the features of a watch that rarely makes it into press releases, but it is an essential element of any watch. How many times have I liked the look of a watch and then put it on my wrist to be disappointed. For me, comfort truly makes or breaks a watch. All this to say that Urwerk has got the comfort thing down to a fine art. I don’t think I have ever put an Urwerk on my wrist and not wanted to walk away with it! So, try them at your own peril!
A Reminder to Stay in the Present
One of the reasons behind the making of this watch is to remind us of our place in the immensity of the universe and to appreciate our blip of a time here. Martin Frei, Urwerk’s co-founder explains: “Light serves as our connection to the Universe, representing the smallest unit of energy capable of being transmitted. Its electromagnetic radiations are precisely in the range that our eyes are attuned to detect. This ability to visualise and interpret this information reconstructs our perception of the world. Whether gazing at distant stars or peering through a microscope, light conveys essential details shaping our understanding of reality, continually expanding our knowledge and comprehension of the vast and intricate universe around us.”
Another wise owl, Albert Einstein, once said that: “Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and the other extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” I would tend to agree, but only for those with a UR100V LightSpeed on the wrist!
