Urwerk is a company known for striking designs, and the Urwerk UR-105TA “Clockwork Orange” watch is no exception. Industrious and highly engineered, this piece demands your attention with the unique styling and memorable face. From the novelty of the turbines to the amazing satellite hours, this watch is truly extraordinary, so let’s take a look at what Urwerk has accomplished with this sleek beauty inspired by the classic and sinister film.
Taking a seat in their “affordable” UR-105 collection, the Urwerk UR-105TA “Clockwork Orange” is an evolution in the knight’s armor-inspired line, using a splash of bright orange on numerals and indices. It shares a movement with the later-introduced Urwerk UR-105TA watches which use an automatic UR 5.02 automatic movement. Back to looks, the amount of effort that went into this stunner is instantly apparent, and you may find yourself just staring at it, especially if you’re fond of other Urwerk pieces. Something about the vibrancy of the orange just grabs the eye and stubbornly holds the gaze. The watch embodies the mesmerizing wandering hour satellites, and here they are put to use wonderfully.
The case is 39.5mm wide and a substantial 53mm long. At 16.8mm thick, it has some depth to it but not so much that it becomes cumbersome. Crafted from black PVD-treated titanium, a solid steel bezel also treated with PVD surrounds the sapphire crystal, and the case features a 30-meter water resistance. The large crown is nestled atop the watch at 12 and allows a uniform experience for the wearer. Having the crown at the top makes sense for this watch, and although I usually prefer the standard meat-and-potatoes placing of the crown at 3 o’clock, here it simply works.
The numerals and indices are done in orange with Super-LumiNova that is a nice complement and contrast to the black case. Although Urwerk has definitely worked with orange in the past (see the colorful UR-105TA collection linked to above), this piece is actually more conservative with its color scheme when you consider just how much black there is on the case. The orange highlights really seem to pop here, and certainly mesh well with the dark backdrop.
The Urwerk UR-105TA “Clockwork Orange” watch features the aforementioned UR 5.02 UR caliber which offers a 48-hour power reserve. Urwerk has included their popular “turbine” system to power this example, and the turbines themselves are visible through a sapphire crystal on the case back. Beating at 28,800v/h (4Hz), the real star of the show here is the hidden carousel. After being ruthenium-treated and bead-blasted to perfection, the carousel is outfitted with the four aluminum satellites that serve as hour markers. You’ve probably already noticed the numbering along the bottom of the face, and this is where the satellite hours travel to and arrange along the lower minute-rail of the dial. The satellites are placed on a Geneva cross constructed from bronze/beryllium, and they each make four 120-degree turns on their journey around the face. The turbines are coupled with a rotor, and there is a unique switch on the back of the watch that allows the wearer to adjust the automatic winding mode.
The Urwerk UR-105TA “Clockwork Orange” watch is a bold and handsome piece with the usual thought and focus behind it that you expect from Urwerk. I am a huge fan of the black PVD coating and the titanium case seems like the perfect choice for a lightweight and durable option that will hold up well over time. The “Clockwork Orange” aspect of it seems to only come in play when you think about the orange color, and maybe the loose association of clockworks and watchmaking. It’s a fun piece even if it’s not totally cohesive with the movie association. The Urwerk UR-105TA “Clockwork Orange” comes on a bold black strap and pricing is $64,000. urwerk.com
