Most people would object to a scorpion on their wrist. URWERK’s customers will pay handsomely for the privilege, especially now that the creature comes dressed in yellow gold. Meet the UR-150 Golden Scorpion, a watch that looks ready to authorize a missile launch but is actually telling you it’s nearly lunchtime.
The latest UR-150 interpretation pairs a 2N yellow gold case middle and crown with a black-PVD Grade 5 titanium caseback. Sandblasted, microbead-blasted, and satin-finished surfaces give the gold plenty to do besides announcing that its owner has money.
The mechanical performance remains the main attraction. Three-hour satellites rotate on a flying carousel, while a retrograde minute hand travels across a sweeping 240-degree arc. At the end of each hour, it snaps back to the start in one hundredth of a second. Blink, and you’ll miss it. Which is mildly upsetting when you’ve paid this much to watch it happen.
Running the show is the automatic UR-50.01 calibre, featuring 38 jewels, a 4 Hz frequency, and a 43-hour power reserve. A cam-and-rack system and speed regulator coordinate the hourly action. No software update required. Just an unreasonable amount of mechanical ingenuity.
The case measures 42.5 x 51 x 14.8 mm, topped by a domed sapphire crystal and paired with an adjustable hybrid rubber strap. Water resistance is rated at 5 ATM.
URWERK is making just 25 Golden Scorpions, priced at CHF105,000 before taxes, or approximately US$129,000. The sting, it turns out, comes before you even put it on.
Images: URWERK.