ReviewFifty Shades Of Grey: Urwerk Release Their Minimalistic And Monochromatic UR-100V Magic T
Unconventional Swiss watchmaker Urwerk unveil their new titanium timepiece, the UR-100V Magic T, with new a new finish that lends the watch a stylish-but-subdued monochromatic brilliance
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For their latest update to their UR100 collection, Urwerk released the UR-100V Magic T—a gorgeous, minimal, titanium, grey timepiece, with a matching integrated titanium bracelet. An unconventional brand, Urwerk are regarded more for their futuristic style of telling time, not so much for their restraint. However, one look at the monochromatic aesthetic of the UR-100V Magic T, and ‘minimal’ is the word that comes to mind. After the brand’s carbon fibre, raw titanium and black titanium cases, and the stunning deep purple UR-100V Ultraviolet, their experiments with material and colour have led to the creation of a monochromatic version of the UR-100 in this new 2023 UR-100V Magic T—this time ‘gleaming in full brilliance’.
UR-100V Magic T—A Brilliant New Look
The UFO-inspired timepiece in a case measuring 41mm by 49.7mm, with a thickness of 14mm, is the same size as the brand’s previous monochromatic grey release in 2021, the UR-100V Full Titanium Jacket. The difference between the two, though, is primarily in their finishing. While the full titanium timepiece had a deeper hue and sandblasted finishes, the update features a sanded and shot-blasted finish for the case and bracelet, giving the UR-100V Magic T a chic yet shiny look. For the uninitiated, shot-blasting is the process of strengthening and polishing, resulting in a smooth sheen on the metal.
“This material lends itself beautifully to the finest finishes,” says Felix Baumgartner, master watchmaker and Urwerk co-founder. “We have loved and admired raw titanium, and now we have it gleaming in full brilliance, thanks to light, refined shot-blasting. All the beauty of the metal is there.”
Reading the time on the Magic T model is also easier than on its predecessor, which had light grey numerals against the titanium grey of the timepiece. The brand have enhanced legibility on the Magic T with crisp numerals in white, painted with Super-LumiNova. They’ve also added “complexity to the dial that is now broken down into several elements to give it more structure,” according to Baumgartner.
Monochromatic Minimalism Of The UR-100V Magic T
A red-tipped neon arrow under the hours satellite, and a red 60-minute mark on the retrograde minute track are the only suggestion of colour, while the rest of the dial is in shades of grey, with different finishes for effect. Domed sapphire crystal glass protects the satellites on the dial. An integrated 32-link titanium bracelet in the same shade of grey and features the same finish as the case, giving the entire unit a cohesive appearance.
The dial features the UR-100 line’s signature space-time concept, displaying the distance travelled by the Earth in 20 minutes while rotating on its axis (between nine and 11 o’clock), and while revolving around the sun (between one and three o’clock).
Urwerk watches can’t exactly be classified as ‘classic’, but given the extreme models within the brand’s repertoire, overall, the Ur-100V Magic T is a somewhat subdued timepiece, and quite traditional, at least as far as Urwerk timepieces go. “We have created a watch that assumes the role of our ‘classic’,” states Martin Frei, artistic director and co-founder of Urwerk. “It’s a versatile timepiece that changes mood and appearance over time.”
This limited-edition UR-100V Magic T is powered by the automatic self-winding UR 12.02 movement, with the Windfänger regulating system (which minimises excessive winding and wear, while maximising the life of the timepiece), and sapphire crystal on the exhibition caseback offering a view of the movement.
