Urwerk’s “standard” collection of watches is far from normal: ever since the brand was dreamt up by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei in 1997, it has pushed the boundaries of both the mechanics of timekeeping and how it’s presented. So, when it comes to its “Special Projects”, you can expect the avant-garde on a whole new level. 

The brand describes its creations as “space opera” watches, and certainly the new UR-112 Aggregat “Odyssey” – with its unconventional silhouette and sleek new fuselage made from titanium and steel – could be straight out of a science fiction film. Here, the traditional dial is replaced by a horizontal display shifted to the front of the watch, featuring prisms that show the jumping hours and the minutes, the latter of which advance in five-minute increments. Meanwhile a further indicator shows the exact minutes. 

Pop open the hood by pressing the two pushers on the side of the watch and two further displays are unveiled. To the left lies the power reserve, which lasts up to 48 hours. Here you’ll also discover the small seconds, denoted on a small, skeletonised silicon disc attached to a red anodised aluminium bridge. This innovative approach requires a state-of-the-art movement in the form of the UR-13.01 calibre. Among its unique features is the long, thin rod that runs down the middle – one of the longest components found in contemporary watchmaking – made from titanium that is both lightweight and hardwearing. 

urwerk.com