It’s no exaggeration to say that here at Quill & Pad we are big fans of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. And now Urwerk introduces its own, very robust version of a reversible watch: the UR-T8 “Transformer.”
As you might know, this year is the 20th anniversary of a rather unique and disruptive brand named URWERK. As we already showed to you in a dedicated movie, this independent watchmakers started with their first watch at Baselworld 1997, as they were still almost kids. However, even if they just turned 20, don’t believe that Frei & Baumgartner are now old men who are sleeping behind their desks… And as proof of the strong vitality and creativity of URWERK, here is their latest creation, the impressive URWERK UR-T8, which renew the concept of satellite complication and of traditional case.
The Time Aeon Foundation, driver of the Le Garde Temps, Naissance d’une Montre project, will present its second project at the 2017 edition of SIHH, which involves a collaboration with the recently announced boutique brand Oscillon.
After showing you our selection for the best sports and dive watches, after the 5 best chronographs, the best dress watches or the best of the ultra-complicated watches, it is now time to end these guides with what certainly is our most preferred category, the one that properly creates sparkles in the eyes of our team: the best of “indie watchmaking” of 2016. Just before Christmas, we bring you the ultra-bold, the ultra-complex, the ultra-everything. No compromises, no justification of price, no industrial matters. Here, it’s all about dream, passion, creativity and innovation. Here are our 5 best watches from independent watchmakers introduced in 2016.
I know of only three watchmakers making watches by hand today: one is Michel Boulanger for Naissance d’une Montre. The other two are Dominique Buser and Cyrano Devanthey, who are hand-making watches they call l’Instant de Vérité under the umbrella of their own micro brand Oscillon. And what a watch this is!
1997: Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner launch Urwerk and their first model, the UR 101, freely inspired by the 17th century Campanus brothers’ night clock (one of the things you might not know about URWERK). 2016: the brand will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary. 20 year of unchained creations, of unusual display of the time, of bold and creative watchmaking, with however a great respect to traditions and haute-horlogerie (and again something that you might not know about the brand). Today is thus the perfect moment for us to sit down with Felix Baumgartner, co-founder of URWERK, and to see how this bold and unchained independent watchmaker started, how they found inspiration for their first creations and how the brand evolved over the years to become the great brand we know today.
Starting today is the “Monochrome Video Week“, meaning that for the coming five days we will be showing recent, unpublished videos that we shot at location in Villeret, Neuchâtel and Geneva. On Friday we’ll show you some of our best-viewed videos, also filmed on location in Glashütte (Germany), and in Switzerland in Biel, Geneva and Villeret. Let’s make clear that we’re not showing you corporate videos of some of our favourite watches brands, nope, these are movies filmed in our own style, by our own crew, and of subject of our own choice. So, instead of showing you photos of watches or a visual description of a manufacture visit, we’re showing you everything in the best possible way; there’s no better ‘tool’ than movies to explore the fascinating world of fine watchmaking. Please sit down, get a big bag of popcorn… here’s what we have lined up for you for the “Monochrome Video Week“
I recently embarked upon an adventure to Iceland, a land offering the most incredible, contrasting landscapes rich in volcanic matter and geothermal properties. One big motivational aspect for this holiday was my desire to photograph the country, which involved traveling more than 2,000 kilometers across it. I fell in love with Iceland instantly, so much so that I would move there tomorrow. And it’s even better with an Urwerk EMC Time Hunter on my wrist.
The UR-106 is the first Urwerk that is perfectly sized for a feminine wrist. And much of the reason for its extreme comfort is the crown: the tactile business of winding and setting the time on a watch is tantamount to the comfort it will exude. Fumbling with small crowns can be quite tricky, particularly – and please excuse this aspect of feminine hands – if you want to keep your fingernails intact. Find out why this one is different.
Urwerk‘s entry-level wristwatch, the UR-105 gets a bit fancier with the limited edition Raging Gold. This sports a red gold front plate finished with a Clous de Paris, or hobnail, surface. While the motif is reminiscent of the recent UR-105 T-Rex, the look is distinctly more luxe. Gold fascia aside, the UR-105 Raging Gold is identical […]