Urwerk Explores the “Star Wars” Universe with New UR-100 Gold Edition “C-3PO”

“May the Fourth be With You” Day might have passed, but this month holds a special significance for Star Wars fans beyond the catch-phrase now associated with May 4. Today, May 25, holds another significance to the Star Wars franchise, being the official anniversary of the release date of Episode IV – A New Hope which first hit theaters 43 years ago on May 25, 1977. In honor of this, we here at WatchTime thought it would be good to spotlight a very special Star Wars-inspired watch — this one an attention-grabbing release from Urwerk unveiled earlier this month, the UR-100 Gold Edition, also known by it’s brand-given nickname, “C-3PO.”

The new watch, similar to the gold-plated protocol droid it’s nicknamed for (pictured above), has a satin-finished case construction in solid gold using the brand’s now familiar UR-100 design — which itself has drawn comparisons to another Star Wars icon, the Millennium Falcon. The 41-mm case features many faceted edges, with toothed sides on its bottom, left, and ride sides, with asymmetrical lugs hooded and non-hooded on the opposite sides of the case, and a crown unconventionally placed at its top. The timepiece is secured to the wrist via a black leather strap specially produced to fit the unique construction of the top and bottom lugs of the case.

Moving beneath the domed sapphire crystal we find the watch’s futuristic 3-D dial, with the UR-100’s recognizable orbital hour-satellite display as its main timekeeping component. The central axis of the watch maintains a three-arm carousel system made of lightweight aluminum. While the carousel is partially openworked, the numerals not in use are blocked by aluminum bridges, while a single Arabic numeral is on display at a time to display the present hour. At the bottom of the dial, in a vivid green color that contrasts with both the satin-gold case and the primarily black features on the face, are the minutes markers, indicated by a red-arrow-tipped pointer. After 60 minutes have gone by, the hand displaying the time disappears (immediately replaced by the hand behind it), then passes beneath and between the two side subsidiary complications on the left and right edges.

Like the previous UR-100 models released — the SpaceTime model released last fall and the GunMetal Edition from last February — the “C-3PO” showcases two uncommon celestial complications on the aforementioned opposite sides of its dial. The first of the subsidiary complications, located between the traditional 9 and 11 o’clock positions, indicates the distance in kilometers traveled by the wearer on Earth at any given moment, highlighting the Earth’s rapid rotation through space at a rate of 555 km every 20 minutes. On the other side, the dial displays the distance the Earth has traveled in its orbit around the sun, which is some 35,740 km every 20 minutes. While the usefulness of these features is certainly limited, they do offer an intrigue that is unique to this haute horlogerie series and one that is likely attractive to a more experimental collector.

The UR-100 “C-3PO” is powered by the UR 12.01 mechanism, which is partially openworked under some sections of the dial and has its turbine-integrated rotor on display through a sapphire exhibition caseback. This automatic movement stores a 48-hour power reserve when fully wound.

The UR-100 Gold Edition “C-3PO” will be limited to 25 total editions, and is set to retail for $60,000.

In an effort to help organizations fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, URWERK auctioned the first of these models earlier this month as part of its “Fight C-19” campaign. At closing, the watch sold for 96,500 Swiss francs, or about $99,500, with the proceeds donated to Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, a research institution in the United Kingdom.

To learn more about the sci-fi inspired watch, you can visit URWERK’s website, here.