The UR-Satellite collection epitomizes Urwerk's unique style. Its name comes from the watches' distinctive satellite time displays – a feature that earned the manufacturer plenty of attention when it debuted in 2003. At first glance, this display can seem quite confusing. However, upon closer inspection, it's actually quite simple to tell the time.
The minutes sit on a semicircular scale on the bottom of the dial. Most models have three satellite arms, though some come with four. The arms are positioned so that only one arm is pointing to the minute scale at any given time, with the next arm taking over after 60 minutes. The hours appear on rotating disc or cube "satellites" positioned at the end of each arm. The number of numerals per satellite depends on the number of arms. For example, watches with three arms have four digits per dial: 1, 4, 7, and 10 on the first; 2, 5, 8, and 11 on the second; and 3, 6, 9, and 12 on the third. Once one satellite has finished its turn, it moves to the next position so the next satellite can take over.
UR-105: Inspired by Suits of Armor
One of the collection's most iconic models is the UR-105 CT. Its 53 x 39.5-mm case is a combination of titanium and stainless steel and takes its inspiration from the breastplate on a suit of armor. A small slider enables the wearer to flip up the center section, revealing the in-house caliber UR 5.03 with four satellite arms beneath the sapphire crystal. When closed, you can only see the minute scale and the current satellite hour hand.
Other defining features include a large crown at 12 o'clock and twin turbines on the back that regulate the winding rotor's speed. A small lever lets you choose whether the rotor winds quickly and efficiently, at normal speed, or not at all.
Urwerk offers several iterations of the UR-105 CT, including a bronze edition and the black-coated UR-105 CT Kryptonite. Prices vary by model and fall between 58,000 and 66,000 USD. The limited-edition UR-105 Clockwork Orange pairs a black case and movement with bright orange numerals. You can purchase this timepiece for roughly 52,500 USD.