Urwerk

Who are Urwerk?

Urwerk is an independent Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva, founded in 1997 by watchmaker Felix Baumgartner and designer Martin Frei, with Felix’s brother Thomas (Urwerk; Phillips, 2020). It is known for one display above all: satellite wandering hours, in which numbered hour satellites travel along a minute scale. This page covers its history, models and ownership, then what to check when buying an Urwerk second-hand in the UK.

Urwerk is small. In 2020 it said it made about 150 watches a year and saw itself as “a craft studio”, with teams in Geneva and Zurich (Urwerk press release, 2020). That is a company figure, not an audited one.

The history of Urwerk

Urwerk’s history runs from a meeting at a party in 1995 to its first watches at Baselworld in 1997, the UR-103 in 2003, and a range of satellite-hours watches and one-off projects since.

The founders. Felix Baumgartner was born in Schaffhausen into a watchmaking family, trained in his father’s workshop and at the watchmaking school in Solothurn, and qualified in 1995. Martin Frei, born in Winterthur, studied graphic design in Zurich and art and design in Lucerne (Urwerk). Felix, Thomas and Martin met at a student party in December 1995, and Urwerk dates the idea for the brand to 1 January 1996 (Urwerk).

First watches. After school Felix worked in the Geneva workshop of the independent watchmaker Svend Andersen (aBlogtoWatch, 2022). In April 1997 Urwerk showed its first watches, the UR-101 and UR-102, at Baselworld on the stand of the AHCI, the academy of independent watchmakers (Urwerk). Both had wandering hours across the top of a round case (Phillips, 2020). In 1998 Felix left Andersen and moved into Urwerk’s first workshop, on rue de Cornavin in Geneva (aBlogtoWatch, 2022).

The UR-103. The UR-103 of 2003 introduced the satellite hour display that Urwerk has used since (aBlogtoWatch, 2022). Thomas Baumgartner left in 2004 to pursue his own projects (Phillips, 2020). In 2005 Urwerk made Opus 5 for Harry Winston (Urwerk). The 103 collection ended with a Final Edition in 2010 (Urwerk).

Later models. The UR-202 followed; Urwerk’s timeline dates it to 2008, while Phillips says it was first presented in 2007. Then came the UR-110 and the UR-1001 pocket watch (2011), the UR-210 (2012), the EMC (2013), the UR-105 (2014), the UR-111C (2018) and the UR-100 (2019) (Urwerk). In 2025 Urwerk and Ulysse Nardin showed the UR-Freak at Dubai Watch Week, combining Urwerk’s satellite hours with the Freak’s flying tourbillon (SJX Watches, 2025).

What is Urwerk known for?

Urwerk is known for satellite wandering hours, for unusual case shapes, and for experimental pieces such as the EMC and the AMC.

Satellite hours. A wandering-hours display has no hour hand. Instead, the current hour is a numeral that travels along a minute scale, so its position shows both the hour and the minutes. Urwerk took the idea from wandering-hour clocks made by the Campanus brothers in the 17th century (Urwerk press release, 2020). On Urwerk’s version, the hour numerals sit on rotating satellites carried on a carousel (Urwerk). On the UR-110, for example, the satellites follow a vertical scale from 0 to 60 minutes and the time is always read on the right (Urwerk).

Experimental watches. The EMC (2013) is a mechanical watch whose owner can measure its accuracy and adjust it. The AMC, its successor, docks a watch into a case of about 35 kg containing a rubidium atomic clock (aBlogtoWatch, 2022).

A brand position. Felix Baumgartner has said Urwerk vows “never to bring out yet another iteration of an existing mechanical complication” (Urwerk press release, 2020).

Movements. Urwerk combines its own display mechanisms with base movements. The UR-100V, for example, uses Urwerk’s display module on a Vaucher automatic calibre, with Urwerk’s “turbine” system regulating the winding (SJX Watches, 2025). Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why this matters.

Which Urwerk collections are there?

Urwerk groups its watches into UR-Satellite, UR-Chronometry, UR-Special projects and UR-Legends (Urwerk).

A few points help when you read listings:

• Model numbers. Urwerk names watches by number (UR-100, UR-110, UR-210), with letters or suffixes for variants, such as UR-100V Magic T (SJX Watches, 2025). SJX calls the UR-100 variants confusing, so read the full reference rather than the family number.
• Limited editions. Many Urwerk models are limited editions; the UR-100V Magic T “Hunter Green” was 35 pieces (SJX Watches, 2025). Match the edition number on the watch to the papers.
• Water resistance. The UR-100V is rated to 30 metres (SJX Watches, 2025). Our guide to water resistance explains what that rating allows.

Who owns Urwerk?

Urwerk describes itself as “the independent watch company” (Urwerk press release, 2020) and is run by its co-founders, Felix Baumgartner as master watchmaker and Martin Frei as chief designer (Urwerk). It does not publish who its shareholders are. The company’s registered name is URWERK SA, at Place du Bourg-de-Four 5, Geneva (Urwerk).

Buying an Urwerk watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

Check the exact model and any edition number against the papers, ask for the service history and who did it, find out whether the watch was registered with Urwerk, and run a stolen-watch check.

1. Papers and the full set. Ask which items come with the watch and whether they are originals. With small limited editions, the papers are an important part of identifying the watch. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Registration and warranty. Urwerk invites owners to register their watch on its website (Urwerk). Ask whether the watch was registered and when it was first sold. Urwerk’s warranty terms are not published on its site. See watch warranties explained.

3. Servicing. Urwerk’s displays are its own mechanisms (SJX Watches, 2025), so ask whether past services were done by Urwerk or by a watchmaker Urwerk approves, and for the paperwork. We found no service centre list on Urwerk’s site, so contact the company in Geneva to ask. Our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch covers what a service involves.

4. Authenticity. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

5. Stolen-watch check. Check the serial number against a stolen-watch register before you pay. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Urwerk?

Watchmaker Felix Baumgartner and designer Martin Frei, with Felix’s brother Thomas, in 1997 (Urwerk; Phillips, 2020). Thomas left in 2004 (Phillips, 2020).

What are satellite hours?

Urwerk’s version of wandering hours: the hour numerals sit on rotating satellites that travel along a minute scale, so one indicator shows hours and minutes (Urwerk).

Where is Urwerk based?

In Geneva, at Place du Bourg-de-Four 5 (Urwerk). In 2020 it said it had teams in Geneva and Zurich (Urwerk press release, 2020).

How many watches does Urwerk make?

About 150 a year, according to the company in 2020 (Urwerk press release, 2020).

Is Urwerk independent?

It describes itself as an independent watch company and is run by its co-founders (Urwerk press release, 2020; Urwerk).

What does the name Urwerk mean?

It combines “Ur”, the ancient city in Mesopotamia, with “werk”, German for work or mechanism (Urwerk).

Is Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk the skydiver?

No. The Urwerk co-founder is a watchmaker from Schaffhausen (Urwerk); the Austrian skydiver of the same name is a different person.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Urwerk.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.