Showing at WatchTime New York 2024: Urwerk SpaceTime Blade
Next week, the cutting-edge Swiss watchmaker Urwerk will highlight a new creation at WatchTime New York 2024 in the SpaceTime Blade. While many brands will showcase wristwatches, URWERK continues to transcend the traditional concept of timekeeping with the novelty— a striking and futuristic standing clock unlike anything seen before. Part clock, part sculpture, the SpaceTime Blade represents some of the best of the brand’s avant-garde philosophy, allowing them to showcase their craft in a brand new way.
Standing at an impressive 170 cm tall and weighing 20 kg, the SpaceTime Blade is an imposing piece that blurs the lines between timepiece and art object, being produced in collaboration with the lamp maker Dalibor Farny.
Anchored by a robust bronze base crafted using the ancient art of lost-wax casting, the clock merges traditional techniques with futuristic design. The base is finished with a black patina and supports a transparent glass dome, protecting the intricate display from the elements. This domed enclosure houses the clock’s eight vertically aligned Nixie bulbs, made from flame-shaped glass tubes that are individually hand-blown in the Czech Republic’s "Crystal Valley."
The SpaceTime Blade’s dial redefines time display. Instead of the typical hands or numerals, URWERK employs vintage-inspired Nixie bulbs to show the hours, minutes, seconds, and even tenths and hundredths of a second. Each bulb is composed of 88 delicate components, with the numerals formed from 0.1mm steel cathodes shaped in a font that echoes URWERK's previous designs. Beyond simple timekeeping, the clock offers a unique feature: it can calculate the Earth's rotation and revolution in kilometers, making it not just a clock but an instrument that highlights humanity's journey through space.
The SpaceTime Blade is powered by an electronic system encased in an "electronic spinal column" behind the display. The clock's interface includes a remote control that offers eight different modes, from traditional timekeeping to advanced calculations of Earth's rotation and revolution. These modes offer an unparalleled degree of interaction, turning the clock into both a timepiece and a scientific tool. When activated, the Nixie tubes emit a warm orange glow, creating a visually captivating spectacle as the digits flicker at up to 500 changes per second.
URWERK’s SpaceTime Blade is limited to 33 editions, with each priced at CHF 55,000, or about $64,000 USD at the time of writing.
To learn more, visit Urwerk, here. And to secure your tickets to WatchTime New York 2024, click here
