Star Trek Timekeeper: The Urwerk UR-120 “Spock”

The last 30 years has changed the face of watchmaking and collecting. Once considered taboo and rebellious, some of the most adventurous takes on timekeeping have become the most beloved and celebrated. Not only does this mean introducing new styles and tastes, it means welcoming new collectors attracted to these styles and tastes. Today, we are taking a closer look at one such example— a brand that has embraced unconventional timekeeping—Urwerk. Specifically, the Urwerk UR-120 Spock. Let’s dive in!

History

Urwerk was the outgrowth of two unique minds— Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei. The two began to draft plans for a nonconformist, radically different take on fine Swiss watchmaking in 1995, founding Urwerk in 1997. From the very first year, when the brand released the UR-101 and Ur-102, Urwerk was dedicated to standing out with something new.

Felix and Martin felt that the industry was changing. They noticed that collectors were no longer simply dress watch enthusiasts interested in collecting every dial of a particular Patek vertical (not that that isn’t still awesome), and felt that the time had come for a new approach to fine watchmaking. 

In 2003, Urwerk truly solidified its aesthetic and intended market positioning with the release of the UR-103, a reference that truly captures what the brand is all about. A  sci-fi case with wandering hours complication, innovative materials, and an all around striking aesthetic. The UR-103 was completely new, and was the ultimate capstone to the Baumgarner-Frei vision. 

Design Details

The UR-120 Spock was designed as a slimmer, sleeker take on the UR-110. A horizontal application of the wandering hours complication, the UR-110 and 120 are classic Urwerk designs through and through. In the case of the UR-120, in order to accommodate the slimmer profile, the wandering hour discs are split in half, such that each hour cube consists of two (instead of one as was the case in the UR110). This effectively means that the rotating cubes are smaller, and therefore the case can be thinner. It’s a brilliant solution that works wonderfully. The joining of these two rotating cubes forms the spock sign for which the watch is named. 

The UR-120 is made from sandblasted titanium and stainless steel with a DLC coating that complements the extra-terrestrial, jurassic park-esque look of this watch. The crown is situated at 12 o’clock, and the lug system is reciprocating, meaning that the watch wears WAY smaller than the case dimension, and can be worn even on small wrists. The watch itself measures 44 x 47mm. The sapphire crystal is curved and custom cut to follow the unique profile of the UR-120.

The case construction itself was inspired by the Patek Nautilus, with two halves intermeshing like a shell. A screw then passes through the side to lock the case components together. It’s a brilliant design, pioneered by Gerald Genta originally, and reapplied in a completely different context here. 

This is certainly an atypical piece from a design standpoint, but this goes back to the intention discussed earlier– create something new and wearable for a different audience. In that regard, this piece is spot on. 

Inner Workings

The UR-120 is not a traditional movement. With an unconventional wandering hours mechanism, as alluded to above, the intention with the UR-120 was to improve the wandering hours complication of the UR-110. On a wandering hours timepiece, cubes display the numeric hour, and the same cubes rotate to display new hours throughout the day. This means that the thickness of the watch must be as thick as the rotating cube which must be accommodated by the case. To thin the watch out, on the UR-120, the wandering hours cubes are instead comprised of two smaller cubes that work in tandem. Thus, the movement can be much thinner than the one large cube of the UR-110. Pretty clever.

This piece is automatic winding, and packs a 48 power reserve in spite of the very mobile complication that places a strong drain on the reserve. The rotating disc satellites revolve around the central fixed axis to show the changing time. It’s a brilliant, and super cool complication, and if you don’t have one in your collection, it’s a great way to add some variety and art to your spread. 

Versus the Competition

The first piece to consider as an alternative to the Spock would be Audemars Piguet’s Star Wheel pieces, both on the dressy side, and more recently with the Code collection. These pieces are a bit of a more traditional take on the wandering hours complication, and both models helped to popularize the complication in a modern context. Brands like Urwerk have built upon the AP foundation to a large extent. 

Next up, within Urwerk’s own collection, if you want a slightly different take on the same complication, the UR-100 is a perfect option. The UR100 is probably the most recognizable Urwerk reference. The crown placement at 12 is particularly distinctive, and works really well with the look of the watch. 

Finally, for another alternative time display, consider the MB&F Aquapod. Inspired by jellyfish, the Aquapod tells time with rotating discs at the center of the suspended ‘pod’ of the watch. This piece is also equipped with a rotating bezel, encircling the Aquapod like a planetary ring. All three of these pieces provide unique alternatives to traditional timekeepers. This is the very spirit that inspired the UR120’s construction. 

Personality 

The Urwerk UR-120 is the perfect watch for the MB&F, Jacob & Co, or Greubel Forsey collector– the type of watch enthusiast that appreciates out of the box design at the high end of the market. While there are certainly a host of makers in that market segment, Urwerk was one of the pioneers that paved the way for others to push avant-garde designs. This yields the Urwerk a certain cache that many of the newer brands decidedly lack. The wandering hours complication is becoming synonymous with Urwerk, and that makes this piece all the more compelling. 

Final Thoughts

Watch collecting can sometimes be taken a bit too seriously. Collectors think they know what should be bought and what quality looks like. Every now and then, brands release something truly unique and innovative, serving as a reminder that watch collecting is a hobby that is intended to be fun and enjoyable— watches like the UR-120. A mechanically interesting watch, but one that provides a completely different look at the world of timekeeping, the UR-120 challenges convention, and deserves a place on your wrist. Discover this watch and hundreds of others at europeanwatch.com.

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