In the rarefied world of independent watchmaking, where tradition often dictates form, URWERK has consistently been the iconoclast. The Swiss atelier, founded by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, has once again defied convention with the launch of the UR-150 Blue Scorpion, a timepiece that is less an instrument for telling time and more a kinetic art installation for the wrist. This latest creation is a breathtaking mechanical drama, a machine that stings with its complexity and dazzles with its clarity.
The heart of the UR-150 Blue Scorpion is a spectacle of micro-engineering. Beneath a dramatically domed sapphire crystal, a flying carousel orchestrates a ballet of three pivoting hour satellites. The active satellite, indicating the current hour, is framed by a retrograde hand that sweeps a 240° arc to track the minutes. The true magic, however, happens at the change of each hour. In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, the retrograde hand performs a lightning-fast return while the three satellites pivot and rotate in a perfectly synchronized sequence. This entire “shuffling of the cards,” as URWERK’s artistic director Martin Frei describes it, occurs on a hundredth-of-a-second scale, a feat of mechanical precision that borders on the impossible.
This perilous ballet is made possible by a sophisticated cam and rack mechanism inspired by the world of automatons, coupled with a speed governor. “We have pushed mechanical complexity to its limits in pursuit of a single goal: clarity,” explains master watchmaker Felix Baumgartner. This pursuit is evident in the 10-degree tilt of each satellite, a complication that ensures optimal legibility for the wearer. The retrograde hand does not simply indicate the time; it literally frames the active hour satellite from the 0 to 60-minute mark before pouncing on the new one in a flash.
Despite its formidable mechanics and striking name, the UR-150 is an object of elegant contrast. Its case features smooth, organic, and continuous lines, with the sapphire crystal flowing seamlessly into a supple high-performance hybrid rubber strap. This ergonomic design houses a heart beating with restrained power. The blue ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) color treatment gives the components a deep, otherworldly hue, while the finishes—a combination of sandblasted, micro-beaded, and satin-brushed surfaces on materials like aluminum, brass, and Grade 5 titanium—showcase URWERK’s dedication to high-precision craftsmanship.
Limited to just 50 pieces and priced at CHF 90,000 (approx. €91,800 / $99,000), the UR-150 Blue Scorpion is more than a watch; it is a bold aesthetic statement. It embodies URWERK’s founding philosophy: to invent new mechanisms from scratch rather than reinterpreting existing ones. It is a testament to the brand’s position as a pioneering independent watchmaker, a laboratory where traditional expertise coexists with avant-garde styling. This is not just a timekeeper; it is a wearable piece of mechanical alchemy designed to redefine how time is experienced.