For some, a watch is just a watch and a needless thing to boot as our mobile devices tell the time. For others, it is an accessory, a piece of serious bling, a reflection of status. And for the owners of an Urwek, their timepiece is an example of “traditional haute horologie for the 21st century.” Urwerk partners, Swiss watchmaker Felix Baumgartner and designer Martin Frei, draw inspiration from far and near — from NASA spaceships and the father of English watchmaking, Thomas Tompion (1639–1713) — and many things in between. The result is an astonishing collection of timepieces starring Urwerk 201 with its Revolving Satellite Complication (what’s that? you ask) and its Control Board inspired by the gauges of a sport car. The Board alerts the wearer to Oil Change (service), 100 Year Plus (the world’s first horological odometer) and Fine Tuning that lets you adjust the timepiece “for your specific lifestyle.” Does it tell the time? Yes. That’s what the Revolving Satellite Complication does, but you need to read the instructions to figure out how
