The new timepiece from Urwerk: UR-220 in 18k red gold

Basketball legend Michael Jordan is wearing the new timepiece from Urwerk: the 48 mm wide UR-220 in 18k red gold with a black dial on a white rubber strap. The watch has a double power-reserve indicator, wandering hours on a satellite complication, and an oil-change indicator on two rollers on the back that shows the accumulated running time of the movement in months.

The model will be the last representative of the 220 collections, and about 10 pieces per year have been produced.

Overall Review

URWERK has introduced UR-220 Red Gold, the final member of its 220 lines. This watch is dazzling and extravagant, with a 4N gold casing fastened to a white patterned strap. The Oil Change indication and the recognizable satellite complexity are the two distinctive elements of the watch.

The Oil Change Indicator is located on the case back edge and displays how long the timepiece has been running. This specific info has undergone substantial alterations since it was first used to enhance versions like the UR-110.

The Oil Change function on the UR-220 is a computerized gauge with the month as its unit and is shown on two adjoining rollers. The watch’s owner activates this gadget by taking out a safety pin and depressing a button on the rear to turn on the displays that show the system’s total run time for months. The URWERK crews restore the counter and substitute the pin every 39 months, or after three years and three months, at which point maintenance is advised.

The UR-220 has URWERK’s rotating satellite complexity, which is trademarked. Three spinning satellite cubes show the roaming hours. Each one fits into a minute’s hand that has been removed in turn. Combined, they turn the clock 120 degrees before, when the time is up, the hand abruptly jumps back to a “0” mark to make room for the next cube.

Undoubtedly, the most prominent watch display is still this retrograde minutes indicator. All the minute display surfaces have been open-worked to increase power and speed. The power-reserve hand, visible on two subdials, is yet another bit of info on the dial. The two 24-hour displays indicate the power reserve.

The right-hand gauge is the first to show the mainspring state of wind in the mechanical winding. When it reaches its highest point, the left-hand marker takes over. This power reserve, split among two “reservoirs,” is made up of 83 mechanical components, illustrating how intricately it was developed. Martin Frei reworked the font of the hour-markings on the UR-220, and the hours and minutes numbers have an even sharp shape. 

The crown, as well as crown protectors at 12 o’clock, have a striking black DLC treatment, along with a cool matte coating from sandblasting and shot-peening. The URWERK UR-220 RG features a white Vulcarboné rubber strap with a Velcro closure, just like earlier iterations of this piece.

The manual-winding movement is driven by caliber UR-7.20, which has a top display component created by URWERK. It strikes at a 4Hz rate and has a single mainspring barrel that provides a power reserve of up to 48 hours.

Price market: $155,000.00 USD

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