Hand up, palm forward, fingers parted in the middle, and then the greeting: “Live long and prosper!” This is a meme known to all Trekkies, almost a world heritage, a salutation that rings like a blessing.
The latest celestial object in URWERK's constellation relies on splitting satellites. Inside calibre
UR-20.01, the central carousel is fitted with three arms, each one bearing a satellite. All four sides of said satellite bears an hour marker. When it exits the minute track and reaches the left part of the case, it actuates a trigger that commands the changing of the satellite face. The latter then shows its true nature with an unprecedented kinematic sequence.
The satellite splits open, revealing two rectangular studs. They take on a V shape, thus recreating the Vulcan salute that ultimately gave the UR-120 its nickname. Once separated, both studs spin on their own axis and shut, all in order to display the new hour unit.
There is a triple revolution taking place under the hood of this spacecraft: the satellite-bearing carousel spins on a central axis, each satellite counter-spins in order to remain upright and therefore readable and each stud spins on its own axis.
The other aspects of the display remain typical of the original URWERK species: the satellite carousel moves along the minute track sector, located at the right-hand side of the case. The side shown by the satellite and its position on that scale tell the hour and the minute.
MOVEMENT
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Caliber:
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UR-20.01, self-winding
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Jewels:
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32
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Escapement:
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Swiss lever
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Frequency:
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4 Hz; 28,800 vph
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Power reserve:
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48 hours
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Materials:
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Beryllium-copper, grey PVD brass, gold-PVD and black-rhodium, anodized aluminum, ARCAP, titanium, LIGA-processed nickel
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Hand finishing:
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Circular- and straight-graining, sandblasting, côtes de Genève, polished screw heads
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DISPLAY
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Analog minutes and digital hours satellites mounted on triple planetary gears
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CASE
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Dimensions:
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Width 47 mm; length 44 mm; thickness 15,8mm
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Materials:
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Sandblasted titanium, sandblasted steel bezel
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Crystal:
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Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
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Water resistance:
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Pressure-tested to 3ATM / 30m / 100ft
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STRAP
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Black calf leather with embossed Cordura pattern
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