UR-230 BLACK STAR LIMITED EDITION OF 35

URWERK concludes the UR-230 trilogy with a watch that does not reflect light; it absorbs it. The UR-230 Black Star is a study in controlled darkness, a cosmic final chapter that transforms shadow into energy and motion. Where Eagle explored raw carbon, and Polaris embraced mineral white, Black Star descends into sidereal black, dense, vibrant, and alive.

Conceived as a gravitational field rather than a surface, the Black Star’s presence is immediate. Its case appears to swallow light, only to release it again in subtle flashes, like matter skimming the edge of a black hole. This is not black as concealment, but black as expression.

A protected mechanical core

At the heart of the UR-230 Black Star beats Calibre UR-7.30, secured within a hermetic titanium container designed as a true mechanical safe. This inner shell protects the movement from shocks and external forces, ensuring long-term stability and precision.

Encasing this core is a highly advanced composite ceramic structure developed exclusively for URWERK. Layers of braided ceramic, fibreglass, and carbon fibre are integrated into a polymer matrix, delivering both resilience and visual depth. Machining reveals a subtly glossy relief, punctuated by fine sparkling points that animate the surface and give the case its distinctive black-light texture. A black DLC-coated titanium caseback completes the structure, balancing strength, lightness, and comfort.

As Felix Baumgartner explains, the challenge was clear: to embrace the beauty of ceramic without compromising durability. The result is a case that feels architectural, technical, and unexpectedly alive.

Vibrant darkness

For Martin Frei, Black Star belongs to the interstellar void. Inspired by astrophysics, the concept of a black star refers to a collapsing stellar body that absorbs light almost entirely, yet not completely. It exists at the boundary between presence and disappearance. This paradox defines the UR-230 Black Star, a deep, breathing black that reveals light through shadow rather than denying it.

Wandering hours in motion

True to URWERK’s DNA, time is displayed through a satellite complication with wandering hours and a three-dimensional retrograde minute hand. Three cubic-hour satellites are mounted on a central carousel, each travelling across a 120-degree minute sector over the course of an hour.

The active hour is escorted by an openworked retrograde hand that follows its journey from 0 to 60. At the end of the hour, the hand snaps instantly back to zero, ready to engage the next satellite. The choreography is both mechanical and theatrical, turning the passage of time into continuous motion.

Dual turbine winding system

The UR-230 Black Star is self-winding and regulated by URWERK’s exclusive dual turbine system. One turbine absorbs shocks, protecting the movement during wear, while the second controls airflow within the winding system, acting as an aerodynamic brake.

A selector on the caseback allows the wearer to adjust the rotor load or completely disengage the automatic winding to switch to manual mode. Two symmetrical indicators at 11 and 1 o’clock display the selected settings, reinforcing the technical, instrument-like nature of the watch.

A final statement

Limited to just 35 pieces, the UR-230 Black Star marks the final evolution of the UR-230 collection. It is a watch that embraces darkness not as absence, but as substance, a closing chapter that distils URWERK’s vision of time, space, and mechanical experimentation into its most intense form.

A gravitational object on the wrist, engineered to exist on its own terms.