Urwerk's "UR-100V Time and Culture" is full of romance and playfulness

Urwerk's new "UR-100V Time and Culture" is a watch from the UR-100V series, featuring the brand's unique satellite time display and astronomical displays, with a case featuring a stone carving motif left behind by the ancient Aztecs. It chronicles time, records the intangible, and materializes the flow of time. This watch evokes the romance of ancient times and the eternal flow of time. This model was also inspired by Singaporean watch journalist SJX, who inspired the two Urwerk team. Only 20 units were produced worldwide, and this timepiece quickly sold out. We take a closer look at the appeal of this model.

The UR-100V series features the "Sun Stone" motif engraved on it.

　Urwerk's UR-100V series, which uses a satellite system to display hours and minutes, has added a new model, the UR-100V Time and Culture, which offers a sense of time that transcends time and culture.

"This new work speaks to research and observations made all over the world, informed by our place beneath the stars, our history and culture, and the same sky above us. I have always been fascinated by the unique observations made thousands of kilometers apart that have given rise to the universal language of time," says Martin Frey, co-founder of Urwerk.

　The UR-100V, with its astronomical indicators, was the ideal vehicle for embodying this journey, the first stop of which was Central America circa 1479.

The case of the UR-100V Time and Culture is engraved with a motif from the "Sun Stone," an ancient Aztec monolith currently housed at Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology.

　This large, circular stone sculpture is over 3.6 meters in diameter and weighs over 24 tons. The motif is based on the Aztec calendar, with the third circle representing the 20th day of the month and the fourth circle representing the 260th day of the year. This motif is engraved on the bronze-plated stainless steel case of this model.

Realized based on SJX's idea

　The tip of the engraving tool is just 0.05 mm thin, and a magnifying glass is required to appreciate the intricate finish. The raised areas of the motif are satin-finished, while the recessed areas are micro-beaded, creating a three-dimensional effect and a velvety finish.
　
　In fact, it was Singapore-based watch journalist SJX (Su Jiaxiang) who provided Urwerk's Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frey with the inspiration for the UR-100V Time and Culture in the late summer of 2019.

"What if we added a twist to the UR-100V series? This watch is meant to travel the world, so we want it to travel! By covering part of the dial, like the first model of the UR-103, it would become even more special." And so the UR-100V Time and Culture was set alight in Central America.

　Felix Baumgartner adds, "This watch has several keywords and an impact that transcends borders. It was inspired by the Aztecs, made in Switzerland based on an idea from Singapore, and will end up in a retailer's showcase somewhere, where it will be enjoyed by a watch enthusiast who has never seen it before. There are other secrets to this watch, too: we've hidden features that connect it to our work. Connoisseurs will pick it up and discover elements to decipher: signatures, initials, Mayan numerals, and more. It's a real treasure hunt." (For example, the initials SJX are engraved as a "secret signature" that is almost invisible to the naked eye.)

　The minute display is also unique. For example, the minute hand disappears after displaying 60 minutes, then reappears like a speedometer. Two openings on the edge of the front cover feature two astronomical displays, a feature of the UR-100. One displays a distance of 524.89 km, the distance the Earth travels every 20 minutes as it rotates on its axis. The other displays 35,742 km, the distance the Earth travels in 20 minutes around the Sun. Holding the UR-100V Time and Culture allows you to contemplate the grandeur of time.