New Heights: The URWERK UR-230 “Eagle” has landed

The URWERK UR-200 family welcomes a new generation in the UR-230 “Eagle”, featuring an engine upgrade and a high-tech makeover.

With a dual variable-geometry turbine, double shock absorber and hybrid winding system at the heart of the UR-7.30 calibre within the URWERK UR-230 “Eagle”, URWERK’s new UR-200 family member is a highly sophisticated, highly desirable animal. 

Produced in a limited series of 35, the new UR-230 “Eagle” retains the display concept of the UR-220 with a more sophisticated version of the URWERK essential signature: the revolving satellite complication. 

“It’s already been ten years since the success of the UR-220, we wanted to follow up with a creation featuring a strong personality. The UR-230 “Eagle” focuses on performance. The turbines, which are one of our URWERK signatures, have been further improved. Today we are unveiling a model whose robustness has been boosted by technology,” says Felix Baumgartner, URWERK co-founder and master watchmaker.

THE COMPLICATION

Accompanying the satellite display are the wandering hours and retrograde minutes hand where rotating blocks – on a three-armed carousel – each carry four hours’ numerals, scrolling along a 120-degree sector. Here is where the face of the current hour would be pointing towards the observer. Those very hour cubes are also trapped in an aluminium 3D retrograde hand to reveal the minutes where the end of its 60-minute journey would return the skeletonised hand to index 0. 

AIR FLOW

The new UR-7.30 calibre works wonders and so, URWERK has ensured its protection in a variety of ways. One of them comes in the form of a world-first set of shock absorbers through the way of turbines. 

Developed specially by URWERK for that purpose, there are two sets of turbines; the first is dedicated to attenuating any external shock’s impact – guaranteeing the watch’s robustness and durability – while the second controls the air flow that feeds the winding system. 

The strength of this “air brake”, designed to modulate the winding power according to the wearer’s activity levels, can be set by a rotating knob on the back of the watch. However, the UR-230 “Eagle” can easily be switched to manual winding mode via the second switch opposite the first. This entirely disengages the rotor and the adjustment levels of both functions is indicated by two symmetrical indicators at 11 and 1 o’clock on the UR-230 dial.

HEART AND BODY

As its name suggests, the UR-230 “Eagle” takes on the measurements of a bird of prey, with aerodynamic lines and a slimmer profile – but with the same case design as the UR-200 collection. Similarly, the case too is made from CTP carbon once more. After all, it has the best weight/stiffness/graphic effect ratio. For its back, grooved and perfectly dermo-compatible black DLC titanium is used while inside the case is a hermetically-sealed container resembling a strongbox holding the UR-7.30 calibre.

The fundamental URWERK nature can be seen through its trapeze shape with a pronounced elongation towards the 6 o’clock position, the staggered layout around the sapphire apertures, a crown at 12 o’clock and the clever management of acute and softened angles.

Above all sits a cover made from CTP carbon mixed with titanium, which lifts 90 degrees to reveal the entire satellite system. More importantly, it protects the sapphire crystal. 

“This cover created a whole host of technical difficulties for adjusting and connecting the cover and case designs. The brake system was also tested and adjusted until we were completely satisfied,” explains Baumgartner. 

“We are proud to present the UR-230, the latest addition to our iconic series 200 launched in 2006 – 2007 with the introduction of the UR-201 ‘Hammerhead’. Since then, our unceasing quest for innovation has led us to rethink this collection while preserving its energy, its strength. We have evolved the concept, the elegance of the predator, but in a different context. We have created ‘the Maltese Falcon’ and ‘the Pilgrim’, watches akin to a bird of prey with their powerful retrograde system. Today, we reveal our UR-230 “Eagle”,” says Martin Frei, URWERK co-founder and artistic director.

Discover this watch and more from URWERK at The Hour Glass.