Urwerk - The Geneva Watch Auction: XV Geneva Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Urwerk
    Year: 2021
    Reference No: UR-CC1
    Case No: Caseback engraved Pièce Unique
    Model Name: King Cobra
    Material: AlTiN coated white gold
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. UR-8.02
    Bracelet/Strap: Canvas
    Clasp/Buckle: Titanium Urwerk pin buckle
    Dimensions: 42mm width x 52mm length
    Signed: Case, dial and movement signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Urwerk fitted box, Certificate of Origin and International Guarantee dated 01 April, 2021, user manual and outer packaging
    Literature: Urwerk is featured in Twelve faces of Time, Horological Virtuosos by Elisabeth Doerr and Ralf Baumgarten pp.186-201

  • Catalogue Essay

    For the past 25 years the Urwerk team of Felix Baumgartner (master watchmaker) and Martin Frei (designer) have been mesmerizing collectors with their timepieces defying conventional nomenclature. Rotating discs or cubes to indicate time have become their signature, however the present UR-CC1 was a radical change from what we were used to seeing from them yet perfectly in line and recognizable as an Urwerk creation.

    The King Cobra was introduced in 2010 as a homage to a Patek Philippe prototype created by Louis Cottier - now in the Patek Philippe Museum – (thus the name CC , Cottier and Cobra) and features a novel linear time display.

    Over three years in the making it took immense effort and dexterity for Baumgartner to make such a complicated mechanism easy to use! The hours are indicated via a straight line at the bottom of the case and the minutes are indicated via a line with hash marks right above, upon reaching the white 60 notch the minute marker jumps back to zero where the hour “line” jumps to the next hour. The seconds are indicated via rotating numerals on the top half of the watch.

    Each side of the case has openings enabling a view into the intricate workings.

    The present watch is exciting in so many ways: its incredibly novel time display, the powerful design, the ingenious movement and the cherry on the cake: its unique piece status.

    The present watch was made in 2012 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the opening of Marcus Watches in London.

    Please note that Urwerk generously offers a complementary servicing of the watch to the winning bidder within a period of 6 months after the sale.

  • Artist Biography

    Urwerk

    Swiss • 1997

    The Swiss firm's name "Urwerk" is a play on the German word meaning clockwork. "Ur" is an ancient Sumerian city in which the populace used sundials for timekeeping, while "werk" is German for creation. The company started by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei is known for their innovative avant-garde designs inspired by space travel. With their own take on time indication, like many of their contemporaries, their futuristic timepieces are rooted in high-end traditional watchmaking. Their signature floating method of time indication using rotating satellites traces back to a watch made in 1656. Producing only 150 watches per year, they have impressed connoisseurs with their innovativeness and cutting-edge technical prowess.

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Σ165

Ref. UR-CC1
A unique and cutting edge AlTiN coated white gold wristwatch with linear time display, power reserve, guarantee and box

2021
42mm width x 52mm length
Case, dial and movement signed

Estimate
CHF30,000 - 60,000 
€29,500-58,900
$31,900-63,700

Sold for CHF327,600

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

+41 22 317 81 81
AGhotbi@phillips.com

Tiffany To
Head of Sale, Geneva

+41 22 317 96 63
TiffanyTo@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XV

Geneva Auction 7 - 8 May 2022