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The URWERK UR-100V Time and Culture III: A Spiritual and Artistic Timepiece Rooted in Georgian Heritage

6/26/2025

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URWERK’s (urwerk.com) latest horological creation is not merely a timepiece—it is a spiritual artifact, a miniature museum of time, faith, and craftsmanship. The UR-100V Time and Culture III marks the newest chapter in the brand’s “Time and Culture” series, a collection dedicated to the foundational ways humans have understood and expressed time across civilizations. This singular edition, crafted in collaboration with the David Kakabadze studio in Tbilisi, Georgia, draws its visual soul from the Georgian Orthodox tradition and centuries-old Christian legend.
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​The watch’s dial is an extraordinary display of cloisonné enamel and miniature painting in 24-karat gold. It took 1,152 days to complete, employing 19 different enamels and 16 firings at 750°C—an epic process that reflects the age-old mastery of the Kakabadze atelier. Inspired by the zodiac frescoes of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the dial pays homage to the story of Sidonia and Christ’s robe, featuring a luminous depiction of Christ encircled by 12 celestial symbols that represent 12 cycles of time: 12 months, 12 hours, and 12 constellations.
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Beneath the artwork, the technical powerhouse that is URWERK’s Caliber UR 12.02 drives the brand’s signature wandering hour satellite display. As Felix Baumgartner, URWERK’s co-founder, puts it, “Our goal is not to offer yet another reinterpretation of an all-too-well-familiar mechanical complication.” Instead, URWERK focuses on originality and boundary-breaking design, balancing avant-garde vision with impeccable horological execution.
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That balance defines the brand itself. Since 1997, URWERK has stood at the intersection of fine watchmaking and radical creativity, with only 150 pieces produced annually. As Martin Frei, artistic director and co-founder, explains, “I come from a world where creative freedom knows no limits.” With the UR-100V Time and Culture III, that freedom finds form in a timepiece that is both technically audacious and reverently beautiful—a singular work of art that transcends time.
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Ressence and Daniel Engelberg Launch Limited-Edition Art Watches in Living Color

6/24/2025

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Ressence (ressencewatches.com), the Belgian horological innovator known for its kinetic dials and minimalist design language, has unveiled its latest artistic collaboration: two limited-edition TYPE 8 watches created with Munich-based painter and sculptor Daniel Engelberg. Limited to just 40 pieces each, the TYPE 8 DE1 (in soft, electric pink) and DE2 (in vivid turquoise) draw directly from Engelberg’s Inside Out series—works known for their hypnotic concentric forms and illusionistic depth.
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​These new pieces are more than just a splash of color on the wrist—they’re wearable artworks brought to life by Ressence’s patented ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System), which allows the dial’s discs to rotate fluidly in concert. Engelberg’s graphic geometry seems made for this medium: his bold circular forms create a sense of motion and dimensionality that plays beautifully with Ressence’s ever-orbiting display.
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​“For the first time, my work is animated,” Engelberg says. “It’s truly alive.”
Ressence’s founder, Benoît Mintiens, sees the partnership as an ideal marriage of form and function. 
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“This project is a true application of art to a watch,” he says. “Here, the dial and Daniel’s painting speak the exact same graphic language—an organic geometry that feels meant to be.” The watches are delivered with a matching rubber strap (pink or turquoise, respectively) and an additional leather strap for more formal wear.
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​These TYPE 8 models are not Ressence’s first foray into art-meets-watchmaking—the brand has previously partnered with Stefan Sagmeister, Shantell Martin, and Alain Silberstein—but this collaboration underscores 
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Ressence’s growing commitment to making watches that provoke feeling as well as fascination. With Engelberg, the TYPE 8 becomes more than a minimalist timekeeper—it’s a kinetic sculpture for the wrist, a pulse of color and concept that tells time with imagination.
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    ​Author

    This journey is a return to my roots and an expansion of the passion I've held across years spent with some of the most influential media houses in the luxury space. At Condé Nast and Hearst, I learned to appreciate storytelling that resonates as deeply as it informs—my time with Surface Magazine cultivated my fascination with the intersection of art, design, and culture, while Watch Journal and Watches International sharpened my focus on the storied elegance and precision of horology and jewelry craftsmanship. Each role has shaped my vision for this blog and my commitment to sharing these narratives with depth and authenticity.

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