Celebrating Urwerk through captivating animated films that explore their masterpieces beyond the realm of traditional horology.
Once upon a time, there were three friends—two watchmakers and one industrial designer—who dreamt of creating a watch like no one had ever seen before. They envisioned a timepiece with futuristic aesthetics, mechanically outlandish features, and an innovative way of telling time.
Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei joined forces and established Urwerk, releasing their first watch in 1997, the UR-101. It was a mechanical watch with a digital display, unlike anything else on the market at a time when mechanical watches were beginning to regain popularity.
From there, they continued to amaze the world with increasingly futuristic mechanical watches that charted their trajectory through the universe of horology. Their timepieces took on the forms of objects that seemed out of this world, even resembling spacecraft from another dimension. Baumgartner and Frei were inspired by tales of ancient astronauts, time-traveling machines, and the sci-fi TV series they grew up watching.
These extraordinary watches were so inspirational that they caught the attention of I-Reel Design Studio, based in France. The studio approached Baumgartner and Frei to produce animated movies for a watch from each of their collections. The short films not only showcase how the watches work but also embody the spirit and design philosophy behind each piece. They transport viewers to another realm, offering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Urwerk’s masterpieces. To boldly go where no one has gone before.
