This $2.7 million watch looks straight out of a James Bond movie
One of the most complicated and precise timekeeping devices ever built looks straight out of a James Bond film, and it’s going to auction for seven figures.
For almost a decade, Urwerk has been engaged in the uphill task of pushing the limits of mechanical possibilities to make progress in precision timekeeping. After the breakthrough of the Urwerk EMC Electro Mechanical Control watch, the first to display its rate at the touch of a button, Urwerk has continued investing, testing, failing, recovering in its relentless progress.
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The new Urwerk AMC relies on an Atomic Master Clock ‘Monolith’ console developed by Urwerk and made out of solid aluminum with a total weight of 25 kilograms —about 55 pounds. This console that looks more like a secret agent’s special weapon case measures 45 cm x 30 cm x 18 cm —approx. 17″ L x 12″ W x7″ D. This aluminum console —case—, features a dual oscillator-type atomic clock using ions of YIG —yttrium iron garnet— and rubidium, and has been engineered so as to allow it to be adaptable to any voltage, so that it can be used worldwide without any issues —special circuitry in the power supply ensures that fluctuations in voltage will not adversely affect the frequency stability of the clock.
A portable atomic clock must contend with factors ranging from temperature change to variations in power supply, and aging of the atomic timing package itself. Even with all of these potential disturbances, however, the Urwerk AMC atomic clock will keep nearly perfect time —guaranteed to within one second in 317 years.
The watch also has Urwerk’s Oil Change Indicator, which shows when the movement should be serviced. One full rotation of the oil change indicator will take more than four years, with a recommended service after three and a half years of operation. While the time is indicated by the central hour and minute hands, the seconds are shown on a small aperture at 1 o’clock. At 10 o’clock one can find the oil change indicator with a scale from 0 to 3 years and then between 7 and 8 o’clock, there is a power reserve indicator.
This hybrid device is one of the top lots in Phillips’ upcoming watch sale called “Game Changers.”The clock and wristwatch combo took nearly a decade to develop and only three Urwerk AMC sets will ever be made, each priced at $2.7 million at retail. The one at auction is being sold by an owner who wishes to remain anonymous, and it’s the first to make it’s way to the secondary market. The estimate will begin much lower than the original sale price, at $1 million to $2 million.
