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Lot Essay
This unique Urwerk Black Bird draws its super sleek inspiration from the world's fastest jet powered aircraft - the Lockheed SR-71.
UR-103 was launched at Baseworld 2003, impressing with its innovative and visually compelling approach to representing time. The iconic futuristic form of its streamlined case houses an orbital satellite complication with time indicated by the orbiting hour satellites as they pass the arc of the minutes. The slanting sides of the hour satellites ensure an unencumbered view of the time without turning the wrist. Bold SuperLumiNova provides excellent visibility by both day and night. High-tech grade 2 titanium is used extensively throughout the satellite complication. The grade 5 titanium Control Board on the back of the 103 was inspired by vintage marine chronometers which placed their more rarely used functional indications on the back of the timepiece. The Control Board is URWERK's contemporary interpretation of classical horology and houses: the Chrono Meter with its dual 15 minute and seconds dial for maximum precision when setting of time; the 43 hour Power Reserve indicator; and the Fine Tuning screw which allows the user the possibility of adjusting the watch's timing +/- 30 seconds per day.
Urwerk was born from a meeting in 1995 between two brothers, both gifted watchmakers, Felix and Thomas Baumgartner, and their friend, a talented artist, Martin Frei. Martin Frei sketched and honed the design of the timepieces while the Baumgartners spent the next two years developing the technical aspects. Inspired by the 17th century Campanus Night clock created for Alexandre XII, the team aimed to distill timekeeping to its very essence.
UR-103 was launched at Baseworld 2003, impressing with its innovative and visually compelling approach to representing time. The iconic futuristic form of its streamlined case houses an orbital satellite complication with time indicated by the orbiting hour satellites as they pass the arc of the minutes. The slanting sides of the hour satellites ensure an unencumbered view of the time without turning the wrist. Bold SuperLumiNova provides excellent visibility by both day and night. High-tech grade 2 titanium is used extensively throughout the satellite complication. The grade 5 titanium Control Board on the back of the 103 was inspired by vintage marine chronometers which placed their more rarely used functional indications on the back of the timepiece. The Control Board is URWERK's contemporary interpretation of classical horology and houses: the Chrono Meter with its dual 15 minute and seconds dial for maximum precision when setting of time; the 43 hour Power Reserve indicator; and the Fine Tuning screw which allows the user the possibility of adjusting the watch's timing +/- 30 seconds per day.
Urwerk was born from a meeting in 1995 between two brothers, both gifted watchmakers, Felix and Thomas Baumgartner, and their friend, a talented artist, Martin Frei. Martin Frei sketched and honed the design of the timepieces while the Baumgartners spent the next two years developing the technical aspects. Inspired by the 17th century Campanus Night clock created for Alexandre XII, the team aimed to distill timekeeping to its very essence.