Urwerk's air-powered watch

Juniper Foo | Apr 16, 2008

On a traipse through Chinatown Singapore recently, my attention was riveted by a man behind a plate glass, eye loupe pinched to one eye like a Cyclops. Peering myopically at watch components so tiny they were almost invisible, I held my breath as he cleaned each bitty part with supreme care. Those of his ilk may soon be a vanishing trade if Urwerk's air-powered watch becomes the next new standard.

For now, it's likely the world's first timepiece to use this method of regulating the winding system. Given that it employs a three-position selector switch that controls the level of air compression generated by miniature twin turbines, which in turn control the rate of automatic winding, this is a surprisingly compact watch. The German-made UR-202 is best seen, so check out the promotional video below. There seems to be no price listed, though given its airy stature, you can expect some pretty inflated figures.