URWERK has always been known for innovative displays, in particular their signature satellite displays that have been winning fans the world over with the boldness and innovation that they exemplify.

Visually arresting and always exciting, URWERK for us, has always been the best expression of haute horlogerie’s future, where innovative design, high tech materials and break-through concepts originate.

It was not really a surprise for us then when the EMC movement was announced in June this year, the first mechanical “smart” watch movement that we wrote about here and analysed in depth here.

Today, we see the launch of the URWERK EMC, the watch that this movement was designated for and it is surely a stunning implementation of this radical concept.  Co-founder of URWERK, Martin Frei faced a different design challenge for this watch, being that the movement was created first, and it was up to him to design the case of the watch around it.

What is unique about this watch? Well, think of it as your typical precision mechanical watch with an “electronic brain”, that uses light to measure the accuracy of the mechanical movement. Visible through the sapphire case-back of the watch, the “electronic brain” is powered by a capacitor that is itself charged up through a fold out hand winding crank.

Felix Baumgartner presented the URWERK EMC to our team today in Singapore where he expounded on the little details that make up this very unique piece.

As you can see, this is a stunning design with a retro-industrial feel, with it’s four sub-dials, brushed finished and the faceted edges of the case. Here are more pictures of the watch itself, and look out for a more detailed analysis of it coming up.