The UR-105 CT Kryptonite features URWERK’s trademark satellite wandering-hours indication and takes inspiration from the 17th century night clocks made by the Campani brothers
Felix Baumgartner the brand’s co-founder said it’s one of the stories his horologist father told him has a child. He was fascinated by the stories associated with the historical timepieces he restored.
According to the legend, the Pope ordered a special clock from the Campani brothers. It had to tell the time in the dark when he celebrated the divine offices at night. But the clock had to be silent so as not to disturb the Pope when he slept, while the time had to be immediately visible.
Luminosity is at the heart of URWERK’s latest creation. Its name “Kryptonite” derives from the intense green light emitted from the hour markers. “The contrast between the matt, AlTiN-coated case and the vivid phosphorescence of the numerals is astonishing,” Martin continues. “Try it yourself. Charge up the SuperLuminova, then go into a dark room. Your UR-105 CT will show you the way.”
The UR-105 CT “Kryptonite” presents unique shape - an octagon with deep grooves along its length, influenced by art deco in its geometric angularity and symmetry. As Martin Frei explains, “the Kryptonite has a minimalist look with clean lines and without decorative frills. It is structured vertically because on paper I imagined the Empire State Building, the Chrysler or the Comcast skyscrapers stretching forever upwards, but with a sombre look, more like Gotham City.”
According to Felix Baumgartner, “the UR-105 CT is a watch of an evolved design. When it is closed, it looks austere, with only the time indication visible. Open the cover and you delve into a metallic environment that is quite cold, yet you perceive a notion of speed and an effort at efficiency. The carousel has been completely redesigned with efficiency in mind, becoming ultra-light and ultra-rigid.”
The digital seconds are remarkable in that they indicate tens of seconds. The mechanism was made using a photolithographic process, making it incredibly light, weighing less than a tenth of a gram.
