Urwerk - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII Hong Kong Friday, November 24, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Urwerk
    Year: Circa 2021
    Reference No: UR-100 Fireleg
    Case No: G190’138
    Model Name: UR-100 "Fireleg"
    Material: Titanium and stainless steel
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. UR 12.01, 39 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Kevlar
    Clasp/Buckle: Titanium Urwerk pin buckle
    Dimensions: 41mm width x 49.7mm length
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Urwerk warranty stamped The Lavish Attic, Hong Kong dated 11 June 2021, instruction manual, product literature, leather wallet, slipcase and fitted presentation box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Founded by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei in 1997, Urwerk is a brand famous for its avant-garde and fantastical designs. The UR-100 series is one of the most iconic and sought-after models released by Urwerk. The present “Fireleg” is a marvelous example, one of a limited edition of 25 pieces made, imbued with a distinctive Urwerk aesthetics, which takes us through an adventure through space and time.

    A spectacular design inspired by the Mexican Fireleg tarantula, the “Fireleg” has paired the signature satellite hours and minutes, and indication of Earth’s rotational and orbital distance, with fiery orange numerals and retrograde minute pointers, all set against the black PVD coated titanium and stainless steel case. The UR-100 has taken a new futuristic approach with the wandering hours display, an invention made originally for a clock in the Vatican City that dates back to the 17th century. The centre of the dial features three satellite discs rotated by a carousel sweep which shows the hour beneath an open-worked disc, while the minutes are indicated by the orange pointer.

    Drawn from a clock by 19th century French clockmaker Gustave Sandoz and gifted to Felix Baumgartner by his father, the “Fireleg” also features intriguing astronomical indications, manifesting a set of playful timeless time displays. A scale at 10 o’clock shows the rotation of the Earth in 20 minutes, and on the opposite side, a scale at 2 o’clock shows the revolution of the Earth around the Sun in 20 minutes. The “Fireleg” would without a doubt re-ignite your fond childhood memories of space exploration.

    Encapsulating cutting-edge technical prowess, the present timepiece boasts an automatic Swiss lever movement with 48 hours of power reserve and 28,800 vibrations per hour. The automatic movement is regulated by the “Planetary Turbine Automatic System”, consisting of a turbine rotor and a windfänger, which regulates the spinning of the rotor. All of which are fully exposed on the transparent caseback to the wearer’s delight.

    Fresh-to-the-market, preserved in excellent condition, and accompanied by warranty and presentation box, this exceptionally rare and highly wearable UR-100 Fireleg is an awe-striking timepiece which would continue to captivate connoisseurs and laymen alike.

  • 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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1003

Ref. UR-100 Fireleg
A rare and cutting edge limited edition titanium and stainless steel wristwatch with orbiting satellite hours, retrograde minutes, distance travelled on earth and distance travelled by earth indication, warranty and presentation box, one of a limited edition of 25 pieces

Circa 2021
41mm width x 49.7mm length
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed

Estimate
HK$240,000 - 400,000 
€29,100-48,400
$30,800-51,300

Sold for HK$406,400

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Deputy Chairman, Watches, Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2001
WatchesHK@phillips.com

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII

Hong Kong Auction 24-25 November 2023