URWERK Takes Wandering Hours Into the Quantum Realm
The UR-300 Time Quantum translates particle-inspired motion into one of the brand’s most complex displays yet.
Summary
URWERK’s UR-300 Time Quantum introduces a new T-shaped wandering-hours display.
Its hour modules jump, rotate and reconfigure simultaneously at each hourly transition.
Two 25-piece titanium editions use the UR-30.01V automatic calibre and 44-hour reserve.
Breaking from its traditional themes of outer space and celestial bodies, independent Swiss watchmaker URWERK has introduced the UR-300 Time Quantum, a highly complex release that explores the invisible interactions of subatomic particles and quantum mechanics.
Moving away from the brand’s familiar orbital satellite carousel, the new model replaces sweeping motions with a sudden, instantaneous forward jump to indicate the transition from one hour to the next. The system relies on two perpendicularly fixed hour modules that form a “T-frame,” holding tri-sided hour prisms at each end. As the hour prism at the base of the T travels along a 108-degree arc marked from 0 to 60 minutes, it prepares for a synchronized, system-wide reconfiguration at the top of the hour.
At the end of each hour, the entire assembly undergoes a rapid transformation: the T-frame jumps forward, rotates 72 degrees, both arms exchange roles and all four hour prisms spin simultaneously to present the next hour. The effect replaces the retrograde snap seen in earlier pieces such as the Opus V and UR-150 Scorpion with what URWERK describes as a forward “quantum” jump.
That sudden reconfiguration is the technical centerpiece of the watch. Because several relatively high-inertia components must move at once, URWERK had to precisely balance the amount of stored energy released at the top of each hour, ensuring there is enough force to complete the jump without introducing recoil or unnecessary stress into the movement. The automatic UR-30.01V caliber uses a double mainspring barrel and URWERK’s patented Dual Flow Turbines, operates at 4 Hz and provides 44 hours of power reserve. Its open design exposes much of the mechanism beneath the sapphire crystal, reinforcing the concept of time as a system in constant transition rather than a static readout.
The UR-300 Time Quantum launches in two 25-piece editions. The first uses natural Grade 5 titanium, while the second applies an AlTiN PE-CVD treatment to the same material for a darker, more technical finish. Both versions are priced at 168,000 CHF (approx. $202,500 USD). For more information, head over to URWERK’s official website.
