URWERK

URWERK was founded in 1997 with one goal: to design and craft haute horlogerie timepieces blending tradition with futuristic vision. URWERK has its origins far from Switzerland, in the ancient town of UR in Mesopotamia - the very first place where our perception of time was molded. And WERK means to work, create, evolve, shape, forge, and arouse emotions, in German.

Martin Frei, URWERK chief designer and co-founder was born in Winterthur. His father was an engineer in basic research, making machines while his mother was his first art teacher. Felix Baumgartner, URWERK master watchmaker and co-founder, was born in Schaffhausen, into a watchmaking family. His very first word was “tick-tock.”

1995 was the year of a meeting between Felix, his brother Thomas, and Martin Frei that marked a real milestone. These young men were united by their common passion for measuring and portraying time. It was a long discussion and sharing of philosophies and dreams, culminating in a decision to create their own vision of time.

“We were not businessmen. It was extremely risky because we had no idea how our watches would be accepted.”

- Felix Baumgartner, Co-founder of URWERK

The first URWERK models were launched at Baselworld 1997. With its minimalistic ‘wandering’ hour, reminiscent of a satellite or planet moving across the sky, the UR-101 and UR-102 were the first timepieces embodying Urwerk’s ambition to make art that tells time.

The many collections which have followed up til now continue to embody the futuristic and science-fiction world that URWERK presides in.

Urwerk is a Pioneer of the Ingenious Watchmaking

URWERK UR-112 Aggregat Odyssey

Event: Urwerk x The Lavish Attic