Despite adhering to a definitively futuristic and almost sci-fi-feeling aesthetic, Urwerk draws its inspiration from a variety of different sources, and the brand’s latest release of 2024 is inspired by the scorpion. Technically considered arachnids (rather than insects) due to their fourth pair of legs that function as claws, scorpions are famous for their long and menacing tails, which deliver a venomous injection through a razor-sharp stinger located at the tip. Presented as a duo of 50-piece limited editions, the Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion represents an evolution of the Swiss brand’s signature design ethos, and it features a smooth dome-shaped case with a new satellite display system that is inspired by the dramatic arc and lightning-fast motion of a scorpion’s tail.

While Urwerk produces watches in a vast range of different case profiles, the new UR-150 Scorpion could best be described as a more rounded version of the brand’s classic UR-100 series, and the entire upper profile of its case follows the same curved line that is established by its domed sapphire crystal. Additionally, four screws appear at the corners, and they extend through the entirety of the case to secure the display-style caseback, and the signed crown recessed into the 12 o’clock side of the case screws down to help ensure 50 meters of water resistance. The sides of the UR-150’s case receive vertical grooves (similar to what can be observed on the brand’s UR-100 models), while recessed sections appear adjacent to them along the lugs, and attached within the recessed section on the upper left side of the case is a small badge that denotes each version as a limited edition of 50 examples.

At the time of launch, the new Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion is being offered in two colorways known as Titan and Dark. While both models are constructed from titanium and stainless steel components that have been finished with sandblasted or shot-blasted surfaces, the case of the Titan model showcases its natural blasted-titanium finish, while the Dark version features an anthracite (almost black) PVD coating. Similarly, while the Titan colorway showcases matte gray hues throughout the components of its satellite display, the dark version features these same elements in black to further lean into the “dark” concept of the model. In terms of its dimensions, the Urwerk UR-150 measures 42.49mm wide by 52.31mm lug-to-lug, with an overall thickness of 14.79mm, and since the entire upper profile of its case follows the same fluid curve as its crystal, the UR-150 promises to more closely hug the wrist compared to the more angular cases of its UR-100 siblings.

Similar to its case, the carousel-mounted display system inside the Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion represents an evolution of what exists within the brand’s UR-100 models, and it features a trio of orbiting satellites that track the hours, while the minutes are represented by an arc-shaped scale along the periphery of the display. However, the minutes display on the new UR-150 is twice the size of what can be found on the brand’s UR-100 models, and its large skeletonized retrograde minute hand moves a full 240 degrees along the lower portion of its display, with an arrow-shaped tip framing the current hour. On the Titan version of the UR-150 Scorpion, the tip of the minute hand is green, while it is finished red on the Dark model, and at the top of each hour, the minute hand snaps back to zero and the hour satellites spin 270 degrees on their axes to display the next value, all in just 1/100th of a second.

To achieve the lightning-fast reset of its minute hand, the retrograde mechanism inside the Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion features a design that is somewhat reminiscent of what is used for mechanical automatons, and its three satellites are mounted on a flying carousel that follows an hour-long motion governed by a cam. Additionally, due to the larger path of its motion, creating a smooth return of the retrograde minutes display requires the precise control of significantly greater forces, and the UR-150’s retrograde mechanism includes a speed regulator fitted to its flywheel, which is similar to how minute repeaters control their chiming sequences. Due to the larger size of its minutes display and the way that its skeletonized hour hand partially covers the satellites that are not actively displaying the current hour, the UR-150 benefits from a noticeably more legible display compared to other Urwerk models, yet it puts on an even more dramatic mechanical performance at the top of each hour.

Powering the Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion is the brand’s Caliber UR-50.01 automatic movement, which runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 43 hours. In addition to featuring a retrograde minutes display and the brand’s signature carousel-mounted satellite hours system, the 38-jewel Urwerk Cal. UR-50.01 includes an advanced version of the brand’s self-winding system, and it incorporates a pair of turbines that regulate the rotor’s speed and absorb impacts. The overall appearance of the turbines appears to be a double version of the Propeller-shaped “Windfänger Airscrew” that can be found on other Urwerk calibers, and in addition to regulating the movement’s winding speed, the dual-turbine design also aims to absorb shocks to the rotor and prevent them affecting the arbor.

Aside from describing it as a “KISKA rubber strap” on both the press release and its website, Urwerk does not provide any info about the strap that is fitted to the UR-150 Scorpion, and the product photos of the watch offer little additional insight about its design, as none of them depict the entirety of the strap or its clasp. That said, just like the Urwerk’s UR-100 models, the strap for the new UR-150 asymmetrically attaches to its case, and while the 6 o’clock side features somewhat of a conventional style of lug system, the 12 o’clock side is notched in the center to accommodate the winding crown that is located on the top of its case. Additionally, while the exterior of the strap features a fabric texture and a segmented design that is vaguely reminiscent of the scales on a scorpion, the interior surface appears to be hollowed out to maximize airflow and increase comfort on the wrist.

Both the Titan and Dark versions of the Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion will be produced as limited editions of 50 pieces each, and while the Titan model has an official retail price of $103,000 USD, the Dark version is priced at $105,000 USD, with the additional premium being due to the anthracite PVD coating that is applied to its case components. Although the UR-150 Scorpion costs noticeably more than most of Urwerk’s standard UR-100 models, it is hardly the brand’s most expensive timepiece, and in addition to offering a more fluid and elaborate case architecture, the UR-150 Scorpion also features a more advanced internal movement that represents the next generation of the brand’s signature carousel-mounted satellite display system. For more information on the Urwerk UR-150 Scorpion, please visit the brand’s website.