Introducing A Tougher Shade Of White: The Urwerk UR-230 Ceramique

If you compare horology and science, Urwerk must be fundamental science. The house does not ask what people need. Instead, it asks what is possible on the fringes. The Urwerk UR-230 is a prime example. Its dual-turbine system allows the user to regulate the watch’s winding. Does anyone need that? No. But who cares? It is different and new. Let others worry about applied science. Today, we got a new version of that very UR-230 with a new case material.

Frankly, this time, it is not just fancy and Haute Technique, but it also has serious practical appeal to boot. Fear no more shattered ceramic watches. Urwerk found a way.

The Urwerk UR-230

First, let’s go back to basics. Urwerk launched the original UR-230 last year. The watch featured a TPT Carbon case with a hinged carbon hood covering part of the sapphire crystal. However, the UR-7.30 movement inside was its party piece. It features the archetypal central carousel with rotating numerals and a 120° retrograde minute display.

Now, that would be special enough for most brands. Urwerk, however, wanted to show off some more advanced tricks. Turn the watch over, and you are greeted by some unfamiliar turbines behind glass and some unusual knobs. The turbines serve different purposes. One provides shock absorption for the entire movement. The other serves as an air brake for the automatic winding system. One of the knobs enables you to set it to greater resistance as you engage in more rigorous movement, evening out the mainspring’s winding.

The other knob disengages the automatic winding altogether. This switches the movement into manual-winding mode. Again, few people will require this feature over a regular automatic with a clutch, but if it is possible, Urwerk must try it.

A new suit of armor for the Urwerk UR-230

Technically, all of that is old news — or last year’s news, at least. What sets the new UR-230 apart is its case. While last year’s model was made of carbon, this year’s version gets the ceramic treatment. Now, ceramic is often lauded for its superior color stability and scratch resistance. The latter is due to the material’s hardness, which, in turn, also makes it brittle. Put bluntly, it won’t scratch, but it will shatter.

Urwerk being Urwerk, the brand decided to attack this problem directly. The house found a solution in the aerospace and medical uses of ceramic. This material consists of sheets of woven ceramic intertwined with fiberglass layers in a polymer base. The result supposedly combines the hardness of ceramic with greatly reduced brittleness.

The material isn’t entirely uniform in color and texture. The white ceramic and very light silver fiberglass shimmer in the light, switching from pure matte to ever-so-slightly glossy. In addition, the machining of the raw material into its final shape exposes its composition, resulting in a dynamic look. I have yet to see it in real life, but it sounds good to me. From the images, I expect something between snow, white marble, and styrofoam.

A very different appearance

In a sense, this new guise sets this UR-230 apart within the brand’s catalog. Most Urwerk watches appear ominous and dark. This bright little number looks crisp like a fresh layer of snow. This seems more like a stormtrooper than Darth Vader. In any case, the space materials make for a space aesthetic too. Urwerk itself describes it as reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey or a NASA Apollo rocket.

I must say, I like this new look. The strong contrast with the “dial” makes it come alive. The little red accents also stand out against the black-and-white theme very nicely. Paired with the white vulcanized rubber strap with a Velcro closure, this is one cool watch!

You need to be ready to make a statement, though. At 44.8mm wide, 53.5mm long, and 18.3mm thick, this is one chunky stormtrooper. Then again, this watch is aimed squarely at those with a similar bravado as the brand showcases in its watchmaking. Urwerk will make only 35 of these, so it is safe to say you will be in exclusive company if you own one. To enter that company, you will have to part ways with CHF 150,000 of your hard-earned cash, plus tax. But hey, you cannot put a price on fundamental science. You just have to do it to see where it might lead you!

What do you think of the new Urwerk UR-230 Ceramique? Let us know in the comments below!