URWERK EMC: First Mechanical Smart Watch Movement

Kong · 2013-05-30T08:50:31Z

URWERK unveils EMC, the first mechanical 'smart' watch movement. Monitor and adjust timing rate with integrated electronics. A horological innovation.

Kong

WPS member · Independents forum

15 replies5226 views1 photos

Kong introduces URWERK's groundbreaking EMC, hailed as the first mechanical 'smart' watch movement, developed by the brand's U-Research Division. This innovation aims to provide watch owners with the ability to accurately calculate and adjust their timepiece's timing rate, a function previously exclusive to watchmakers with specialized equipment.

Geneva, May 29th, 2013 : Since its inception in 1997, URWERK have made their mark in the world of haute horlogerie with innovative displays and indications, in particular their signature satellite complications. In parallel with this, the watchmaking team has always taken pleasure in exploring new avenues and meeting new challenges.
Some of the wildest projects have emerged from URWERK's U-Research Division – the brand’s ‘experimental laboratory’ – such as the UR-CC1 “King Cobra” with its linear indications, and the millennium-measuring UR- 1001 “Zeit Device”. This innovative, anti-establishment spirit has now been channelled into a watchmaking Holy Grail: the first mechanical timepiece with integrated intelligence.

“The interaction between a mechanical watch and its owner is a theme that has always inspired us,” says Felix Baumgartner, master watchmaker and co-founder of URWERK. “Designing a reliable and precise mechanical timepiece is the foundation of our work. We wanted to extend our ambition by creating a precision timepiece with a system whereby the owner can accurately calculate the timing rate of the movement so that it can be finely adjusted to the owner’s lifestyle and habits. That's the idea of EMC, which we are currently perfecting in our atelier.”

EMC has been conceived, designed, developed and manufactured by URWERK – giving rise to a timepiece never before seen in haute horlogerie. The challenge here is to provide watch connoisseurs not only a precision timepiece, but also the tools to assess and maintain precision. “Our goal with EMC is to give the owner of the timepiece information that, until now, has been decipherable only by a watchmaker equipped with complex apparatus,” says Felix Baumgartner. “To achieve this, we thought long and hard, and then created an easily useable and readable mechanism from scratch.”

From this premise, the EMC was developed. The manufacture movement features:

- A balance wheel made of ARCAP, an alloy long admired by URWERK for its non-magnetic and anti-corrosion properties. The highly original balance wheel was designed for optimal aerodynamics and minimal amplitude loss.

- Power comes from large double mainspring barrels mounted vertically on a single shaft. These provide an 80-hour power reserve, which ensures stable and linear timing performance.

- The timing adjustment screw is accessible on the back of the watch, and enables very fine adjustments to the balance rate regulator by changing the active length of the balance spring.

The electronics monitoring the movement timing consist of:

- An optical sensor on the balance wheel that can capture the precise rate of oscillation of the 4 hertz / 28,800 v/h regulator.

- A 16,000,000-hertz electronic oscillator that provides an extremely precise reference rate.

- An artificial intelligence module capable of calculating the difference between the timing rate of the movement and that of the reference oscillator.

“EMC is revolutionary in the world of watchmaking,” says Felix Baumgartner. “We added an intelligent eye to our balance wheel which will be able to measure how fast or slow it is running and translate that into seconds per day.”

The first chapter in the creation of the EMC begins here. The concept has now been revealed and its implementation is underway. “The challenge is now in the hands of URWERK’s designer, Martin Frei, and our engineers,” says Felix. “It is now a question of miniaturising all these elements to fit the size of a wristwatch. The EMC adventure is up and running – this is just the start of something big.”

EMC Concept box

Press Release

About the Urwerk Ref. UR-1001

The Urwerk UR-1001, known as the "Zeit Device," represents a significant departure from traditional horology, even within Urwerk's innovative catalog. It is not a wristwatch but rather a pocket watch or desk clock, designed as a grand complication that tracks time on multiple scales, from seconds to a millennium. This reference showcases Urwerk's commitment to unconventional time displays and mechanical complexity, serving as a flagship demonstration of their engineering philosophy.

The UR-1001 features a substantial case crafted from titanium and steel, housing a complex manual-winding movement. The time is displayed through a combination of satellite indications, retrograde minutes, and digital jumping hours. Beyond standard time, it incorporates a perpetual calendar, a day/night indicator, and a "running reserve" indicator for the power reserve. Its large dimensions and intricate architecture are protected by a sapphire crystal, allowing for a clear view of the multi-layered dial.

This reference appeals to collectors seeking a unique and highly technical horological object that transcends the conventional wristwatch format. It stands as a testament to Urwerk's ability to push boundaries in mechanical timekeeping, offering a long-term perspective on time with its 100-year and 1000-year indicators. The UR-1001 is a limited production piece, underscoring its exclusivity and appeal to those interested in avant-garde independent watchmaking.

Specifications

Caliber: UR-1001

Case: Titanium and steel

Diameter: 106mm x 62mm

Dial: Black

Crystal: Sapphire

Key Points from the Discussion

The EMC's mechanical movement is powered by double mainspring barrels, while the electronic monitoring of the balance wheel is powered by a hand-cranked generator, a key distinction from hybrid watches.
Unlike the Seiko Spring Drive, which uses a quartz oscillator for regulation, the URWERK EMC maintains a purely mechanical escapement, with electronics solely for monitoring and user-initiated adjustment.
The concept of an almost insanely accurate internal reference is valuable, but for true 'smart' functionality, the watch would still require manual setting to an external atomic time standard, as it lacks automatic satellite updates.
The idea of monitoring a mechanical escapement to allow for instant rate measurement and fine-tuning is highly praised as a logical extension of watchmaking, with interest in how URWERK will power the electronic components.
A key challenge for the EMC's electronic components is power consumption, with discussions around the need for a battery or capacitor to buffer voltage and store energy, similar to solutions found in Seiko's Spring Drive.
The preference between an external battery and an internally powered system for the electronic components is debated, with some purists favoring internal power despite the engineering challenges.

The Discussion

Ronald Held

May 30, 2013

Would have to actively power the rate detector versus have it get it's power in a similar fashion as the SEIKO spring drive?

press1

May 31, 2013

Hello I do not know much about the Seiko Spring Drive but for EMC, power for the mechanical movment comes from the double barrel. The monitoring of the balance wheel is powered by a hand-cranked generator (you can see it on diagram "concept box"). We are still working on miniaturising this element but are on the right track. For the Seiko Spring Drive no balance wheel but a quartz, right? it is kind of a hybrid watch.

press1

May 31, 2013

When launching the EMC, the very first congratulations message received at URWERK came from Mr Dufour himself. We felt honored to aknowledge his kind words. He was, is and remains the godfather of most independent watchmakers. Thank you Mr Dufour for your kind words, your encouragment and constructive comments. Durant le salon Baselworld 2013, j’ai eu le privilège de découvrir en privé le nouveau modèle EMC d’URWERK. Je suis resté sans voix devant tant d’idées ,de créativité et d’invention pour

Theodore Diehl

May 31, 2013

The Seiko Springdrive is similar to the Urwerk in only one aspect: the monitoring of the speed against a baseline frequency. However, it does not use a classical balance wheel, and the adjustments are made simultaneously and automatically by 4 magnets that surround a spinning regulator on the basis of the speed calculations delivered by a microchip. In the case of Urwerk, the watch is in all ways a mechanical timepiece, with the added sensor monitoring the balance wheel. As I understand it, the

patrick_y

May 31, 2013

I don't care to have the electronic part at all.

Ronald Held

May 31, 2013

Energy and using a generator to convert it to electrical in order to power the sensor.

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URWERK EMC: First Mechanical Smart Watch Movement

About the Urwerk Ref. UR-1001

Specifications

Key Points from the Discussion

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