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| URWERK REPLICA UR-202S WATCH (24th Sep 22 at 6:17am UTC)
URWERK REPLICA UR-202S WATCH | | [img]https://www.reviewluxurystore.com/images/UR-110%20TTH%20TANTALUM%20BEZEL%20LIMITED%20EDITION.jpg[/img]
How One Made a Shockingly Good Urwerk UR-202 Watch
Meet Karel, a young engineering student from San Ramon, California. With a love for clocks and the more unusual timepieces of the 21st century, he quickly fell in love with the Urwerk replica watches and its unique way of showing time. In fact, he loved them so much that he started using his studies as an engineering student to design and make his own homage to his favorite high-end watch brand - and today, he shares his experience and achievements with us ...
It all started about 2 years ago when I first set my sights on a couple of Urwerk timepieces. Their watches are unlike any I've ever seen: for me, they are the pioneers of modern watchmaking. One of the things that really fascinates me about these pieces is that they make incredible advances in horology while seamlessly incorporating the mechanisms in a very aesthetically pleasing way. It's not uncommon for a watch to be filled with incredible feats of engineering, while the rest of the design seems like an afterthought. What makes watchmaking so unique is its ability to combine engineering and art, and in my opinion, Urwerk has done an excellent job of this.
With few design constraints - apart from size constraints, of course, watchmaking is the last form of engineering with a lot of freedom. In this sense, it is still an art. People are encouraged to come up with new functions, complications and escapements, not necessarily trying to surpass quartz and atomic clocks as scientific instruments, but to show that watchmaking is more than capable of keeping time.
I found the Urwerk UR-202 absolutely incredible. However, they paid a high price and still being a college student didn't necessarily fit my budget. Still, it didn't stop me from having this great timepiece one day, but inspired me to try and get as close to it as possible. As a mechanical engineer, I don't think there is a better way to learn from these great watchmakers than to rebuild a replica watches for men on my computer using 3D CAD software. Now, I know it's not going to be easy, but my passion for watchmaking and engineering overcame any second thought, and I immediately started researching what would soon become a newfound love for the world of watchmaking.
The look under the hood of a year old Urwerk UR-202
Finding the right size was one of the hardest parts of this project because, simply enough, nothing was available (for obvious reasons). I started by compiling hundreds of pictures of the Urwerk UR-202 from various angles and getting the overall dimensions of the watch (case height, width and length). With this information, I was able to develop a sketch of the enclosure with the appropriate dimensions by scaling with the overall dimensions and create a conversion ratio for the remaining angles/measurements. Once the dimensions of the case were determined, I started working on the case back, crown, rotor assembly, and any other components that could be seen from the outside.
Once all the external components were properly dimensioned, I set about converting these sketches into Solidworks CAD software. However, the internal structure and mechanical functions of the piece were much more difficult to reproduce in software. That being said, every struggle is an opportunity to learn something new. Since there are no pictures or references on how the movements work, it is my responsibility to learn and develop ways in which they can be implemented without compromising the aesthetics of the watch.
For me, the baseplate is one of the most complicated parts in this watch. There are so many features and very tight tolerances that even the smallest flaw can render the movement completely useless. After watching the Urwerk UR-202 promotional video dozens of times and analyzing it frame by frame, I was able to better understand exactly how this complex barrel assembly works. When a time barrel is rotated towards the crown, it is greeted with a peg. The nails grabbed a small opening in the barrel, allowing it to rotate 90 degrees.Replica Jacob & Co. Astronomia Solar
Once the barrel is level on the surface again, it will repeat the process two more times, for a total of 270 degrees, thus rotating to the new appropriate time. This doesn't seem overly complicated until you understand how small these components are and how precise each measurement must be to get a smooth and consistent function of the motion. Tolerances for such watches must be perfect; any slight deviation will significantly increase friction, affecting not only the power reserve but the overall life of the movement.
Another difficult aspect of the base plate is the cam path (highlighted in green), which allows the minute hand to extend or retract depending on where it is along the minute dial. Under each wing of the rotor dial is a small guide rod that fits in the cam path and connects to the telescopic minute hand. As the rotor turns, the cam path will adjust the length of the hand accordingly. This complex curvature needs to be calculated, which gives me even more reason to focus on my calculus courses. The path curvature took some time to perfect, but after some sizing, it worked fine in Solidworks' motion analysis.
However, just because something works well in CAD software doesn't necessarily mean it will work in real life. It's been a year since the sketches for this project, and I've finally designed and assembled all the components in Solidworks (as far as I can tell). As I fiddled with the movement on my computer, my admiration for this watch and the watchmaker behind it grew. I spent a lot of time and research designing it on a computer and I decided it would be a shame not to go further and machine all the components myself. I know it's not going to be easy, and more and more people are telling me it can't be done, or that it's too hard to work, and it only makes me more determined to build it.replica Chopard Alpine Eagle watch
Take the project to another level: materialize
I started looking around for places to machine these parts, but soon discovered the harsh reality of how expensive it is to manufacture such small and complex components. It was frustrating of course, but I didn't give up because I knew I would find my solution over time. This is when I stumbled into the world of 3D printing. I have used 3D printing in the past to make relatively simple components. However, making complex components is another task entirely. I started printing some larger components like housings, baseplates, rotor dials, etc. Still, the print resolution is nowhere near what I need. You can easily see the printed layers, and all the finer details are also lost in the process. This is common with most standard 3D printers, so I continued to look for alternatives.
I imagine multiple prototype iterations are required before everything works, so machining all the components with the specified materials in each case is out of the question due to my budget constraints. As I continued my research in the field of 3D printing, I stumbled across a relatively new technology called the Multijet Modeling Process or MJM. This method uses multiple print nozzles to create thin layers of material, then uses UV lamps to polymerize each layer. Not only is this UV-cured acrylic extremely durable, it can be printed at a resolution of 0.01mm, compared to the 0.1mm that most standard 3D printers print. This means that my current print resolution is about 1/10 the thickness of a sheet of paper. This has significantly improved the accuracy and precision of my components; so I'm finally back on track to recreate the Urwerk UR-202 as a tribute to the great watchmakers and designers behind it.
After fine-tuning nearly 7 prototypes for proper fit and function, I'm ready to start machining the final assembly. First, it's time for the case and crown. The components took a fair amount of time to get done properly, although they are certainly beautiful. Every detail from the screw points to the micro-engravings inside the case was considered because I wanted everything to be as close as possible.good replica watches
Next is the bottom plate. This component went through about 8 iterations, each of which represented small improvements and involved a lot of fine-tuning. This base plate is primarily responsible for the overall operation of the complex functions of the rotating satellite, so it is critical to make sure everything is working properly before machining the final part. Once I'm happy with the base plate, I machine it out of aluminum 6061. Perlage was then applied to designated areas and anodized on the center section of the baseplate, and finally mounted to the base Miyota movement, which was able to run and display the time like the original - although I do hope to upgrade to the ETA base.
After the baseplate was finished, I started making the crystals that covered the surface of the Urwerk UR-202. This is by far the most difficult single component to design. Urwerk's case design is so unique that a unique crystal must also be designed to fit the case properly. The piece is not just an ordinary circle, but a complex set of splines and cuts that are not easy to design - let alone manufacture. While creating this piece in Solidworks, I realized how tight the gap is between itself and the rotating barrel below it. There's about 0.3mm (0.0118") of clearance between the two, so it's absolutely critical to make sure they're perfectly aligned.
After nearly a month of redesigning and fine-tuning the piece, it was finally time to work on it. Urwerk, like most companies, uses sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating, so I contacted a few companies for quotes to machine this piece. Now keep in mind that if it was a simple circle cut from sapphire crystal, the price might be manageable. In this case, however, my jaw dropped to the floor when I got the offer. Due to the complex curvature of the piece, they needed to carve a single block of sapphire crystal, which is already a very difficult material to machine.
I continued to look for alternatives and found myself back in the wonderful world of 3D printing again. A company I used to work with has started 3D printing a new material called "Watershed XC". This is an engineering-grade ABS-like photopolymer that is optically clear and produces very strong and relatively scratch-resistant parts. Another feature of this material is its low refractive index; this means that the image perceived through the glass will not be magnified or skewed. The piece came out of the machine with a very rough surface, requiring nearly 10 hours of hand polishing to achieve the desired optical clarity.https://www.moon-watch.co
The work I've done on this project is just a fraction of what Urwerk has done to develop these incredible timepieces. It took me 2 years to get the rotor assembly working. Projects like the telescopic minute hand and caseback turbine are incredible feats of engineering in themselves, and while I was able to make them work in CAD software, I couldn't use the unique machines and tools needed to make them so small and precise Element.
Even with the right equipment, countless prototyping needs to be done before reaching the level of precision that Urwerk achieves on every timepiece. I've admired Urwerk watchmaking since I first saw them. They are truly extraordinary works of timepieces, art and engineering. This project has allowed me to learn from some of the greatest watchmakers and has given me a new appreciation for how much work they put into each timepiece.
It is a great honor for me to grow up in the age of 3D printing. Just a decade ago, this project might not have been possible. As 3D printing technology advances, we have access to new materials and new levels of precision at a cost, allowing everyone to bring their ideas to life. This new era of 3D printing offers limited-resource hobbyists like myself the opportunity to create and explore the world of timepieces.
This piece I created will serve as a placeholder and as a motivation to one day own a fantastic collection of Urwerk. It goes without saying that this project is not intended to be profitable; its sole purpose is to be able to pay homage to and learn from these amazing watchmakers. Although the project was very time consuming and expensive, the skills and knowledge I gained from it made it all worth it and set me on a path to further study watchmaking and one day create my own replica swiss watches.
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