mong them is a singular, luminous watch that – long before contemporary horology took the liberty of writing mechanical poetry – slid time from left to right, from sunrise to sunset, on a 180-degree arc beneath a diamond-studded celestial vault. Today, Urwerk is reviving this little-known icon through a series of 25 gemset timepieces bearing a self-explanatory name: Diamond Sky.

The UR-101 Diamond Sky is not a nostalgic reinterpretation but rather a resurgence. A timepiece designed for those who see time as a trajectory and light as a language. “The UR-101 is our starting point”, explains Urwerk co-founder and master-watchmaker Felix Baumgartner. “It contains everything that has become emblematic of URWERK: the satellite display, time’s motion expressed as a path, along with the desire to offer a dial representing a break with traditional norms. We are not looking back with this Diamond Sky edition, but instead extending an intuition. The steel of the case creates a striking contrast with the diamonds, resulting in a model combining technical excellence and aesthetic sophistication.”

Through this brand-new UR-101 interpretation, Urwerk is exploring territory where it has rarely ventured before, where watchmaking mechanics engage in a direct dialogue with the art of jewellery – free of any compromise or hierarchy. The steel case becomes a cosmic chart, mechanically engraved with a geometric network evoking an abstract constellation. Every intersection features a diamond, not merely placed, but instead integrated as a reference point, a fixed star within a perpetually moving universe.

The result is structural rather than decorative. The light fragments, reflects and scatters with every wrist movement. Time slips by and the stars twinkle. The mechanics remain legible, accurate and relentless, while the light is resolutely free.

“The stars are pinpricks in the veil of night, wrote Christian Morgenstern, the German poet. Our Diamond Sky draws from that same source,” says Martin Frei, co-founder of Urwerk and the brand’s artistic director. "The diamonds are points of light, guiding us as the stars do. Their hexagonal arrangement follows a clear principle: in space, stars bear witness to the laws of nature; on our dial, they create balance, connecting top and bottom, and translate a design vision into a simple, harmonious structure”.

The UR-101 Diamond Sky is a direct descendant of the very first Urwerk creations presented in 1997. It retains their uncompromising DNA: satellite display, crown at 12 o’clock, angular lugs and radical legibility. It adds a precious dimension, not designed to merely appeal but rather to amplify the message. The 41 mm steel case acts as a technical showcase, providing the necessary contrast with the depth of the engraving and the intensity of the gemsetting. Nothing is there by chance and the very choice serves a purpose: to create a dialogue between matter, light and time.

Issued in a 25-piece limited edition, the UR-101 Diamond Sky is intended for collectors who view a watch as an idea in motion rather than a static object. It reminds us that time is naturally staged, as is admirably illustrated in this watchmaking approach that does not follow existing constellations, but rather traces its own.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

UR-101 Diamond Sky 25-piece limited edition

• Movement Calibre UR-1.01V, self-winding Jewels 28 Frequency 28,800 vph – 4 Hz Power reserve 48 hours Materials Copper, brass, ARCAP P40 Finishes Snailing, sandblasting, satin-brushing Chamfered screw heads

• Indications Wandering hours on two satellites, minutes Hours and minutes markers painted with Super-LumiNova®

• Case Materials Steel set with 214 D-E-F VVS+ responsibly sourced diamonds totalling 1.63 carats Size 41 mm in diameter, 9.33 mm thick Glass Glareproofed, metallised sapphire crystal Water resistance Pressure-tested at 30m / 3ATM

• Strap Material Textured white rubber with black calfskin lining. Steel pin buckle.

• Price CHF 85,000 (Swiss francs // excl. tax)