Urwerk UR-220 SL “Asimov”

The UR-220 SL “Asimov” is a stealth spaceship by day and a luminescent installation by night. Its hour satellites glow as they gently emit the light stored up during the day. A fluorescence that accompanies the counting of the hours and renders it visible. Like phosphorescent photons, moulded Super-LumiNova satellites enliven the baseplate of the UR-220 SL Asimov, giving light to the night. Under the impetus of designer and URWERK co-founder Martin Frei, the 220 model has undergone subtle changes in materials, colors, finishes and aesthetic characteristics. Against a predominantly black carbon backdrop, the UR-220 revisits a fascinating play on contrasts and luminosity. The UR-220 SL Asimov indicates the time by means of luminous truncated pyramid-type hour transporters. The cube shape featured in previous versions of the UR-220 resulted from meticulous work on URWERK’s CNC machines. In this iteration, these elements free of any sharp edges are cast from a silicon mould and hand-adjusted to ensure their perfect finish. Their degree of hardness at the end of the process is close to that of ceramic. This technical expertise was developed by the Swiss company RC Tritec, which has 80 years of experience in the field.