We already knew that Urwerk was a high-flyer. The brand’s latest creation, unveiled at Dubai Watch Week, confirms this. It takes a bold personality to wear the UR-230 Eagle and mechanical savvy to (properly) understand it. Because the Eagle has plenty under its hood - figuratively and literally.
Go with the flow
The watch has four turbines built into its movement: two are visible on the front side, two at the back. The first set are what interest us as (unlike the other two), the wearer can interact with them.
These cone-shaped turbines, which are aligned with the 20 and 40 minute markers, are opened or closed by turning the “Valve” knob on the case back. What happens then?
When the watch is worn and therefore in motion, the rotor and the turbines spin, causing air to circulate. With the turbines open, this air circulates freely around the case, with no resistance. The turbines are in what could be called “bypass mode”.
When, on the other hand, the turbines are closed, air no longer circulates through the entire case but is contained within a chamber. This reduced volume of air generates increased friction, hence resistance, on the rotor and turbines. In this configuration, the system absorbs torque and prevents the rotor from spinning more than it needs to, which could damage its pivot. Urwerk calls this system the “Air Brake”.
15 years and counting
Introduced 15 years ago and present on certain UR-100 and UR-200, Urwerk continues to fine-tune this turbine system, which prevents excess winding by the rotor and subsequent wear on the movement. The UR-230 Eagle is the latest and most advanced version.
A second knob next to the Valve knob disengages and engages the rotor. This simple “on/off” system enables the wearer to switch between automatic and manual winding.
Take cover
The Eagle takes its design cue from the UR-200 series. Time is displayed by Urwerk’s carousel complication, with three cubes, each showing four hours, that scroll along a minutes sector, moving right to left – which as Urwerk points out, is the path taken by the sun.
This cross-shaped movement on a Vaucher base sits under a cover. Primarily aesthetic, this cover does protect the sapphire crystal and the movement underneath – which explains the choice of titanium and carbon. We like the idea of a cover that can be lifted to see the mechanism at work. Some will compare it to the hood on a car. Others will see a similarity with the hinged hunter cases on pocket watches – still a feature of certain vintage-style pieces with an “officer-type” back, à la Patek Philippe.
