This Sleek Sports Watch Is Equipped with Air Brakes. Here’s Why

All of Urwerk’s watches are impressive, thanks to the brand’s outside-the-box approach to mechanical watchmaking and the high levels of engineering and craftsmanship on display.

But if I had to pick one modern Urwerk that’s most representative of what the brand is capable of, it’s the UR-230.

The watch features the most visually satisfying of Urwerk’s various satellite hours complications, a complex turbine-based air-braking system for regulating the automatic winding and it’s all housed within some novel case constructions.

The original UR-230, dubbed the Eagle, featured a CTP carbon case fitted with a flippable cover for the dial. The second, Polaris, debuted a new, exclusive composite material that combined ceramic with fiberglass, creating a case that’s as scratch-resistant as ceramic but strengthened so it won’t crack or shatter like ceramic.

Now, Urwerk has unveiled the third and final version of the UR-230, Black Star, and it introduces yet another innovative new material from the brand.

Urwerk

Pump the brakes

Like the two prior versions of the UR-230, the Black Star is equipped with Urwerk’s in-house UR-7.30 automatic movement, which boasts several unique features.

Most obvious is the way the movement tells time. In the center of the dial is a rotating carousel with three equally spaced cubic satellites. Each cube has three sides displaying different numbers, adding up to 12 hours total.

The hour hand is a three-dimensional, skeletonized aluminum cage that holds the cube corresponding to the current hour. It moves from right to left across a retrograde minute track on the bottom of the dial. Once it hits 60, the hand instantly releases its old hour cube and snaps back to the start of the minute track, where it captures the next cube on the carousel, which has now rotated to show the current hour.

As wild as that is, it’s only half the story of the UR-7.30. At 10 and 2 on the dial, you’ll notice a pair of switches. At 2:00 is one that says On/Off, and at 10, there’s one that says Air-Brake.

Urwerk

To understand what we’re looking at, you need to flip the watch over, where you’ll find a pair of knobs on the back side of each of these switches. Both control a set of turbines that are designed to interact with the rotor. Turning the Air-Brake knob allows the turbines to act as an air brake on the rotor, controlling the flow of air to speed up or slow down the rate of automatic winding.

For example, if you’re being very stationary, then you’ll want your rotor spinning at max speed for more efficient winding. But if you’re being very active, you can slow down your rotor to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. The second knob allows you to lock the rotor from winding at all, switching the watch to manual mode, where it can only be wound via the crown.

Also visible through the caseback at 6:00 is another pair of turbines, which use air to act as a robust shock absorber for the movement. Think of it as an air suspension system for the watch to go along with its air brakes. Finally, the entire calibre is locked away in a hermetically sealed titanium “mechanical safe” for even greater protection.

Urwerk

Every mark on the dial of the Black Star is lumed with three different colors — green, blue and red — creating a decidedly technical and futuristic look in the dark. That’s fitting, as technical and futuristic is exactly how I’d describe the new case material used in the Black Star.

One-upping the ceramic composite used for the Polaris case, the Black Star’s case is made of a new composite that combines braided ceramic, fiberglass and carbon fiber in a polymer matrix. Like the Polaris’s case, it offers the scratch-resistance of ceramic without cracking, but the inclusion of carbon adds a unique visual effect where specs of carbon sparkle in the otherwise black material. That’s where the “Black Star” name comes from.

Pricing and availability

Fitted on a rubber strap in Urwerk’s signature shade of bright yellow, the Black Star is about as visually compelling as a black watch can get. It’s up there with the Polaris as my favorite Urwerk to date, as the mix of insane engineering innovations and its futuristic aesthetic is a potent mix.

Such a mix is very expensive, even for an Urwerk. The UR-230 Black Star is limited to just 35 examples, each priced at an eye-watering $198,000.

Urwerk

Urwerk UR-230 Black Star

Specs

Case Size	44.81 mm x 53.55mm
Movement	Urwerk Cal. UR-7.30 automatic satellite hours
Water Resistance	30m

• $198,000 at Urwerk

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