URWERK Introduces a Star Wars Inspired UR-100 Gold for May the 4th

To all the Star Wars fans who are also watch collectors and enthusiasts out there, first off, May the 4th be with you. And since the bulk of the world is under lockdown, most of us are streaming the movies on loop on the telly all day.

However, 2020’s May 4th promises to be an even more exciting day, thanks to news from URWERK, of the launch of the UR-100 in a new Gold edition. The model was released in September 2019, making it the youngest of the satellite display watches that the brand has been introducing since 2003, and has already seen 3 editions come and go: in steel, titanium and gunmetal cases.

The references the brand uses around the watch relate to astronomy, both a science that closely relates to watchmaking history as well as the satellite display that has become an URWERK signature. (Of course, the concept of the satellite display itself has a distinguished watchmaking lineage all of its own.)

On the watch, the two passive satellites on the upper arc of the dial, as the time runs, indicate two astronomical values — the distance the Earth has moved through space based on a fixed point (555 kilometers every 20 minutes), and the distance the planet has covered in its solar orbit (35,740 kilometers). It’s not critical information, but it continues to evolve the display of information on the dial, something that URWERK will surely continue to explore in future models.

This is the Droid You Are Looking For

The latest edition is a 2N gold model, and co-founder Martin Frei explains the source of inspiration for the yellow gold material — Star Wars droid C-3PO. The satin finish of the case, as well as the gold mixture used references the iconic droid, which most recently appeared in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Thus, the brand decided to release this model today, the holy day for Star Wars fans.

It’s important to note that the watch isn’t officially affiliated with the movie franchise or Disney, though this isn’t the first time URWERK has been associated with a Disney production. You’ll recall the URWERK UR-110RG that was worn by Tony Stark in Spiderman: Homecoming and personally selected by Robert Downey Jr himself.

Says Frei, “”Science fiction has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration since the creation of URWERK. I have been a sci-fi geek since childhood. My father was an engineer and worked on incredible projects, including the Apollo Lunar Rover. He was my hero and left me his love of the cosmos and his dreams.”

The watch is limited to 25 pieces and priced at CHF 58,000. In addition, URWERK is going further to support organisations that are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by auctioning off the first watch from UR-100 Gold online. The auction can be viewed here and will start from this Friday and 4pm CET, running for 48 hours to conclusion.