06 February 2014 | Urwerk , Avantgarde , Haute Horlogerie

30' (off) the wrist: URWERK UR-210Y Black Hawk

URWERK's story is somehow incredible and quite similar to that of an american dream: two personalities meet, share their passion for high-end watchmaking and create a maison. In a land where fine micro-mechanics was born, such stories are not that unusual, for in Switzerland people are fed with high-end watchmaking since their early childhood and this culture, which is close to a form of art, dominates over any other sort of industrial discipline.

Martin Frei e Felix Baumgartner are the people behind a brand which, founded in 1995, has in a few years touched watch enthusiasts' hearts very much, by creating something truly unique, whose values are all condensed in their “mission statement”: the future of watchmaking. They did not rework anything that exists already, but created from scratch an astounding new vision of high end watchmaking; machines which tell the time in a different way. Other luxury watch brands have tried to follow up, but their outcome has been sometimes weird or an hardcopy of the original:

Their latest creation, the URWERK UR-210Y Black Hawk is part of the UR-210Y range, a line-up which is URWERK's design flagship. A wristmachine showcasing retrograde minutes indication and a unique satellite based hour visualization, with a power reserve indicator at one o'clock and efficiency indicator at 11. A device which tests your winding efficiency. Is the indicator pointing to the red? Turn your URWERK UR-210Y Black Hawk on the back and move the selector to “FULL” position: even your smallest wrist movement will be converted to power reserve. If you, viceversa, are practicing an intense sport activity, turn the selector to “REDUCED”:

If you want to get rid of any efficiency selection, select “STOP” and use your URWERK UR-210Y Black Hawk until it runs off all the power reserve and then wind it manually. The URWERK UR-210Y Black Hawk's body isn't less exclusive than its brain as it is made of titanium and AlTiN (Aluminum and Titanium Nitride), a coating which enhances acids, scratch and high temperature resistance. The URWERK UR-210Y Black Hawk is definitely “the future of fine watchmaking”...now!

(Photo credit: courtesy of URWERK)

Gaetano C. @Horbiter - Watches & Luxury

TWITTER @Gaetano Cimmino

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