Urwerk - UR-150 Blue Scorpion
URWERK has never followed the rules and always played by its own. This time, it sharpens its edge with the launch of the UR-150 Blue Scorpion: a machine that stings as much as it dazzles.
At the heart of the UR-150, a mechanical drama unfolds on a hundredth-of-a-second scale as a flying carousel places the three pivoting hour satellites into orbit, while a tautly poised retrograde hand sweeps across a 240° arc on the dial at each change of hour. All this in a mechanical effort on the brink of chaos, yet perfectly controlled...
This perfectly synchronized double sequence serves to accurately reposition the next active hour to the nearest hundredth of a second. Too fast for the eye, yet impossible to ignore: “All the cards in the hours game are shuffled and redealt in a hundredth of a second”, as URWERK’s artistic director and co-founder Martin Frei explains. "The dial transforms before our eyes – so fast that it is barely perceptible to the naked eye. Just beneath the domed glass, the mechanism seems almost within reach – and the Scorpion's sting lurks silently…”
Also, the retrograde hand does not simply indicate the time — it literally frames the active hour satellite, from the 0 to 60-minute mark. Once it reaches 60, the retrograde system kicks in, allowing the hand to pounce on the new hour satellite and “disarm” in a flash. This articulated arm, a high-precision metal skeleton, is powered by a rack and cam performing three functions: defining its trajectory, synchronizing the jumps and multiplying the energy available to power the satellites’ rotation.
Despite its striking name, the UR-150 Blue Scorpion is an object of elegance and contrast. Its lines are smooth, organic and continuous. The sapphire crystal follows the shape of the case, which extends seamlessly into a supple rubber strap. The result is an ergonomic timepiece, sculpted for the wrist yet featuring a heart beating with restrained power.
Technical Specifications
Case: Steel middle (sand-blasted, micro-beaded, vertical satin) with Grade-5-titanium case-back (sand-blasted, micro-beaded, diamond satin); 42.5 mm × 51 mm × 14.8 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM
Crystal: Domed sapphire, anti-reflective; sapphire exhibition back
Movement: Self-winding UR-50.01, double-turbine regulation; satellite hours on aluminium carousel, 240° retrograde aluminium minute hand, 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power Reserve: 43 h
Dial: Open-worked satellite hour display, blue ALD aluminium hours on brass flying carousel
Hands: Retrograde aluminium minute hand (blue ALD, satin-brushed)
Strap: High-performance hybrid rubber, adjustable, with folding clasp
Warranty: 2-year international warranty
Price: HKD $900,000