Independents

Hands on review of the Urwerk UR-111C

 

The great strength of Urwerk is to have built an identity based on the wandering hours time display. Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei have created watches that are distinguished by the perfect coherence between design and display. But this strength can become a weakness. Despite the different evolutions of the concept that have marked the history of the brand, the risk is to give the feeling that Urwerk is struggling to get out of this way which raises questions about its ability to renew itself.

Two generations of Urwerk: the UR-111C on the left, the UR-103.08 on the right with its wandering hours display

That's why watches like the UR-CC1 "King Cobra" or the EMC are essential for Urwerk: they show that the brand is able to be as creative and innovative with other types of display ... or even with the traditional time display as it is the case with the EMC.

The UR-111C is part of this approach. It reaffirms the potential of Urwerk, reinterprets the linear display of the UR-CC1 "King Cobra" and especially shows one of the fundamental guidelines of Felix Baumgartner: the interactivity between the person who wears the watch and the object.



Of course, I could talk at length about the specifics of the time display of the UR-111C. But for me the crucial point of this watch is the feeling felt by its owner when he performs the gestures corresponding to the time setting or the movement winding. The UR-111C uses, but in a different way, two key elements already seen in the history of Urwerk and which ensure this interactivity.

The first element is the lever. It immediately make us think about the EMC. The role of this lever which is housed in the caseside of the watch is to engage the time setting system. Once it is done, it is time to move forward or backward  the long fluted cylinder in the middle of the top of the case. This second element obviously reminds us the big crowns  at noon of the brand. But this time the movement of the thumb is vertical while the owners of an Urwerk watch are used to use the thumb horizontally, from right to left, to wind the mechanism of the watch.



Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei are well aware: Urwerk pieces are tactile watches. Their shapes encourage us to stroke them. Their crowns make us want to handle them. The UR-111C is perhaps the watch that motivates us the most to perform these gestures. This long cylinder is indeed a permanent invitation to make your thumb slide on it! This is due to its size, its position and its fluted  shape that gives very pleasant feelings. But the real enjoyment is the time setting operation. Because the tactile experience combines with a visual one.

By making the cylinder roll, the digital hours jump, the minutes progress along a slanted linear scale and they also rotate vertically as on a roll. Setting the time allows to appreciate the three displays visible on the front of the watch.



The display on the left is based on the jumping hours system. It is an excellent choice that avoids reading confusion. The number between the two marks indicates the current hour: it is simple and effective.

The watch  offers two minutes displays. I find here an usual concept at Urwerk: the display of minutes is accompanied by a second display that allows a more accurate reading. If on a 103 the accurate display is on the dashboard on the backcase, it is this time next to the main display. It is an appreciable additional comfort.

The main display of minutes is not jumping. At first glance, it is thought to be a yellow carriage that jumps every 5 minutes. This is not the case. The yellow line moves continuously. I am talking about a line but it is actually a whole structure that moves. This display was the most complex to achieve. The indicator is positioned on a helix spring that rotates steadily over 300 degrees. At the sixtieth minute, the spring tilts forwards 60 degrees and goes back instantly to zero. Moreover, it is the same force that will control the jump of the hours roll in order to obtain a simultaneous movement of the two displays.



So you've understood it: Urwerk reinterprets here the famous display which combines jumping hours and retrograde minutes that we find on several Genta watches for example. And needless to say that Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei have once again found the magic formula so that the result is nothing like something that already exists.

The display on the right is the auxiliary dedicated to the precise indication of minutes. The roll rotates continuously. I think that Urwerk might have gone further in the concept of interactivity and use this display more directly. Let me explain. As the central cylinder is used to wind the movement of the watch, I would have rather used a handwind caliber and replaced the auxiliary display by a power reserve indicator. It was a way of creating a daily ritual to play with the big roll.



There is another display located at a different location, behind the cylinder. The digital seconds are indicated by two wheels that interlock. The solution is clever because it creates a nice animation since two consecutive numbers turn in opposite directions. It also makes it possible to use numbers large enough to make reading enjoyable. In addition, an image conduit constituted by a cluster of optical fibers makes it possible to make the displayed numbers closer to the glass without modifying their rendering as a magnifying glass would have done it. The readability is optimal and the animation displayed without alteration.

The UR-111C is therefore a legible watch despite the originality of its displays and its style that seems very daring. The practical dimension is also found in the case design. It was created to make the casing operation as simple as possible given the particular nature of the movement. The casing is done gently by the case side, the movement being on its flank and in vertical position.



I really like the work done on the case. First, it is intelligently designed: the lever fits perfectly in the side and becomes invisible, the bottom is slightly curved to improve the holding on the wrist. Then the strap attachment system ensures optimal comfort thanks to its  extreme flexibility. Finally, the finishes, with varied styles, are irreproachable and bring many decorative elements that break the massive aspect. The general feeling, accentuated by the  position of the displays on the foreground is very dynamic even fluid ... while the dimensions are generous: 42mm x 46mm for a thickness of 15mm. But Martin Frei has a real know-how that transforms imposing cases into attractive lines.

The caliber that powers the display mechanisms is a Zenith Elite movement. Its frequency is 4hz and its power reserve is 48 hours which indicates that Urwerk has worked well on the optimization of energy consumption (the usual power reserve of the caliber is about fifty hours) . This movement of a relatively wide diffusion is reliable and perennial. I therefore consider it reassuring to have such a basic caliber that has the virtue of being thin.

Once put on the wrist, the UR-111C surprises with its comfort and good holding. It remains obviously impressive but very pleasant visually. I quickly got into the habit of making two wrist movements with it by turning it up to position my eyes in front of the displays and turn it down to enjoy the ballet of the digital seconds. As you can see, interactivity is here again!

Urwerk has renewed itself and that's good!



The UR-111C is for me a very nice success from Urwerk. It prolongs the approach of the King Cobra while being more comfortable and in a way more reasonable than the latter. But above all it gives a nice dynamic to Urwerk which brings here the demonstration that the brand is able to work other displays than the wandering hours one. But beware! The fans of the brand are becoming more and more demanding and Urwerk will be able to continue on this path of diversification that looks very promising.

The UR-111C is available in two versions (polished steel and gunmetal finish) of 25 pieces each at a price of CHF 130,000 excluding taxes.

Pros:
+ the successful reinterpretation of the jumping hours and retrograde minutes system
+ the seconds display, readable and fun
+ the pleasure caused by the use of the central fluted cylinder
+ the comfort on the wrist despite the size

Cons:
- a short power reserve according to current standards
- I might have gone to the end of the concept by offering a manual winding watch and with a power reserve display so that the cylinder becomes even more essential

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