Breaking the mold, URWERK continues to define modern independent watchmaking, and its latest release is another example of thinking outside the box. The all-new UR-300 Time Quantum is a mechanical watch inspired by the world of quantum physics, where tiny particles and energy interact in ways that continue to challenge our understanding of the universe. While that might sound like a pretty deep concept for a wristwatch, it's right in line with URWERK's approach. For almost 30 years, the brand has explored everything from space-inspired designs to unconventional ways of displaying time. With the UR-300 Time Quantum, it takes things a step further by reworking its signature wandering hour display into a constantly moving setup that changes position in a split second every hour.
So, how does it actually work? Instead of traditional hands moving around a dial, the UR-300 Time Quantum uses two perpendicular, T-shaped hour modules and four rotating, three-sided prisms to display the hours. One of the prisms moves along a curved track marked from zero to 60 minutes, showing the minutes as the hour progresses. Once it reaches the end, the entire mechanism shifts in one quick movement. The T-shaped frame rotates, its two sections switch positions, and the prisms spin to showcase the next hour. The whole thing happens almost instantly.
Of course, pulling off something like that takes more than an interesting idea. URWERK had to carefully manage how much energy the movement uses to power the jump, making sure the components move quickly without throwing off the display or damaging the movement. The movement is housed inside a 45.2mm by 58.8mm titanium case and delivers a 44-hour power reserve. Created by URWERK founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, the new release continues the brand's habit of approaching traditional Swiss watchmaking from a completely different angle. The all-new URWERK UR-300 Time Quantum is limited to 25 pieces in Iron and 25 pieces in Dark, with a price tag of $226,000.
Source: URWERK Geneve
