Taking you back to 2011, and the original launch of the UR-202S AlTiN “Hammerhead” Full Metal Jacket.
Now you have the opportunity to acquire this crazy classic URWERK timepiece, The UR-202, aka "The Hammerhead", is reborn in this radical full metal body and bracelet. A rebirth only made possible through close collaboration between URWERK and the high-end bracelet manufacture, Maspoli.
Maspoli has been an integral part of the haute Horlogerie scene since 1951; their speciality, the metal bracelet. Mr Maspoli and Mr Moscatello run their business with the souls of artisans and when URWERK approached them to create just 50 high-quality bespoke bracelets, they jumped at the chance to do something very special.
"We were attracted by the philosophy of URWERK which is similar in many respects to our own. We had a common ambition to create the Rolls Royce of bracelets and we made no concessions to reach that goal. We manufactured every component ourselves, including the tools to make the components. The bracelet requires 11 separate steps to attain the required level of refinement. Of the 22 links comprising each bracelet, only 6 are identical, "says Mr Maspoli proudly, having used all of his 43 years of experience in the project.
Why the S? S is for "Stripe" - with three-dimensional vertical lines running along the dial, to differentiate from other members of the 200 collection. This AlTiN version is a steel and titanium case and matching titanium bracelet, treated with Titanium Aluminium Nitride to produce a hard scratch-resistant anti-corrosive coating in an über cool matte black finish.
Time on the UR-202 is displayed using telescopic minute hands operating through the middle of three orbiting and revolving hour satellites. These hands precisely adjust their length to follow the three vectors marking the minutes: 0 -14, 15 - 44, 45 - 60. Extended, they enable the UR-202S to display the time across a large easy-to-read, dial. Retracted, they allow for a very wearable and comfortably sized case.
The patented carousel is the critical component of the revolving satellite complication. It is responsible for both the rotation of the hour satellites and the integral telescopic minute hands. This rotating central hub is an extremely complex part to manufacture due to the extreme precision and tight tolerances required. Many of the carousel's intricacies have to be machined to tolerances of just 3 microns. After machining, the carousel - including the hour guide - is adjusted manually. A surface treatment of PE-CVD "blacktop" is applied, which provides the final colour and hardens the surfaces, thereby reducing the friction coefficient.
High precision 'transporters' are used to control the variable length of the minute hands as they traverse the dial. One end of each transporter follows a cam - calculated from 380 reference points - plotting the path of the minute indication, while the other controls the precise length of the minute hand.
Each transporter has an exact thickness of 0.895 mm, which is coated in a 0.005mm MOVIC lubricating treatment, giving a total height of 0.900 mm. As the height of the carousel is 0.905mm, the margin of error in the mechanism is less than 0.005mm.
The three telescopic minute hands measure 4.8 mm when fully extended and permit comfortable reading of the time. Retracted they measure just 1.8 mm.
A Moon Phase and Day/Night indicator complete the complications displayed on the dial.
Turing the UR-202S AlTiN over and you will see our twin turbines assisting the winding if the automatic movement. These miniature air compressors are seen spinning through the sapphire windows and are coupled with the winding rotor. They act as shock absorbers and are controlled by a 3-position selector, which can reduce the winding rate or fully stop it, to protect from additional wear and tear when not needed.
Available now the UR-202S AlTIN is a real piece if URWERK history, at the time our most advanced satellite display with telescopic indicators. A real piece of haute horology engineering matched with a touch of the URWERK crazy! Limited to just 50 pieces.
Creators Thoughts:
Felix Baumgartner - “The 202 model was a real watch of firsts for URWERK. It followed the after Opus 5 we create for Harry Winston, The 202 was the first URWRK to have our in-house created automatic turbine, the first to have telescopic hands, and the 202S was the first URWERK to come on a full metal bracelet. Nothing about the creation of this watch was easy and it tested our engineering like never before, but the result was worth it. The UR-202S was a terrific achievement for the team, and the AlTIN version with the matte black finish just symbolises the URWERK DNA perfectly."
Martin Frei - "Since the beginning of URWERK, our creations have always been presented on a leather strap, I love the timeless noble character of leather and the juxtaposition of the hyper-modernism of our watches and the classicism of their straps, but I am also a lover of the solid substantial objects. I felt therefore that this all-metal UR-202S with matching metal bracelet was an option we just had to offer."
Condition Rating UR-2: Good condition, minor marks, wear and tear, movement in serviced and working condition.
*Please note strap in photographs may differ due to export restrictions*