The Urwerk UR-150 Blue Scorpion, Streamlined, Redefined, Still with the Same Bite

Urwerk has spent nearly three decades rewriting the rules of how a wristwatch tells time. Since Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner founded the brand in 1997, the core idea has stayed very consistent: wandering satellite hours sweeping past retrograde minutes, executed as a sort of kinetic sculpture. Models like the UR-103 put the satellite carousel on the map; the UR-202 and UR-210 added turbine-regulated winding; the UR-105 sharpened the sci-fi carapace; the UR-100 distilled the display with orbital “distance-travelled” readouts; and the UR-120 split its satellites in a dramatic mid-flight metamorphosis. Across all, time is always a performance.

Lately, Urwerk has been sanding down the hard edges to make the spectacle more tactile, wearable, and ergonomic. The UR-150 Scorpion (2024) was the pivot point: same satellite/retrograde architecture, but in a smoother, arched case that hugged the wrist and placed the show under a domed crystal. The new UR-150 Blue Scorpion is that same evolution, just more colourful: more sculpted, less spaceship-like yet unmistakably from another world (the world of Frei and Baumgartner…) Blue-treated satellites, a grooved blue minute track, and the 240-degree retrograde arc (double the span Urwerk traditionally used) that turns each jump into a bigger, brighter moment without abandoning the brand’s DNA. Familiar, yet new; radical, yet finer.

A New Shape

The design of the UR-150 marks a shift from the brand’s harder-edged years. Compared to the UR-100 or the UR-120, this one feels more fluid, with smoother case lines and a more continuous flow. It’s still large at 42.5mm wide, 51mm long and 14.8mm thick, but on the wrist, it’s surprisingly well-behaved. The midcase’s curvature and the way the strap integrates seamlessly with the lugs make it sit securely and comfortably, even on smaller wrists. On the 16.5cm wrist used for our photos, the Blue Scorpion felt balanced, assertive, and never heavy.

The case of the UR-150 Blue Scorpion combines a steel middle section with concentric grooves and a titanium caseback, both sandblasted for a subtle texture that absorbs light beautifully. Four screws secure the construction, and the blue caps topside add an extra decorative accent to the monochrome greys. Despite the complex geometry, surprisingly, the case itself doesn’t scream for attention; it’s more the kind that catches you at second glance.

The ultra-domed sapphire defines the watch’s presence, visually and physically. It gives the movement the sort of depth that pictures rarely (if ever) capture, amplifying the satellite carousel like a small, illuminated podium. But the dome is also reflective, especially against the dark blue grooved dial plate, which means legibility isn’t ideal in every light. It’s not unreadable, far from it, but depending on your angle, the glare can momentarily disguise the minutes scale. It’s part of the trade-off for that immersive, architectural view beneath the glass.

Still, what unfolds under the dome is quintessential Urwerk: mechanical art in motion. Three domed aluminium satellites, anodised in electric blue, orbit around a central carousel. Each carries four hour numerals and pivots into position as the retrograde minute hand sweeps across a 240-degree arc, double the scale found in previous Urwerk references like the UR-105, UR-230, or basically most of Urwerk’s production.

The 240-Degree Experiment

This expanded track is the defining change of the UR-150 collection. The idea was to make time reading more spacious and dramatic: longer hand, broader arc, larger numerals… And visually, it works. The hand, finished in blue aluminium with a neon yellow tip, floats over the track, aligning with large white numerals and a single green 60 marker. When it hits the end of the arch, it snaps back to zero in 1/100th of a second while the carousel rotates 270 degrees to bring the next hour into view.

The system replaces Urwerk’s traditional Maltese cross with a new rack-and-cam setup controlled by a speed governor, ensuring the retrograde jump happens with precision but without shock, and in a slightly slower manner that makes sure that the wearer can see the motion. You can sense the refinement; it’s silent, fluid, controlled, like a perfectly timed camera shutter. Or a scorpion sting, whichever you prefer.

In practice, the wider scale of the UR-150 Blue Scorpion takes some getting used to. On older 120-degree Urwerk models, you could read the full minute track in a single glance, as it fit neatly into your field of view. Now, with the 240-degree layout, your eyes have to move across the dial to find the precise minute. It’s not a flaw, but a different experience, one that becomes second nature after a few days. Once familiar, the enlarged numerals and bold hand make the display easier to interpret, especially at night, thanks to the Super-LumiNova on the markers and minute tip.

Power, Motion, and Mechanics

The watch employs the UR-50.01 calibre, an automatic movement based on a Vaucher Manufacture ébauche with a module conceived by Urwerk. It beats at 28,800 vibrations/hour and delivers a 43-hour power reserve, wound by a rotor regulated by twin turbines visible through the back. These miniature air turbines manage winding speed and absorb shocks, a hallmark of Urwerk’s pragmatic engineering beneath the spectacle. The finishing is classic Urwerk: sandblasted plates, circular graining, and micro-bead-blasted bridges, all visible through the rear sapphire.

There’s a sense of over-engineering here. Despite the avant-garde display, the underlying mechanics are grounded in proven architecture, tested across multiple models. It feels like a serious, functional time instrument, one that just happens to be futuristic.

On the Wrist

Ergonomics has clearly been prioritised. The caseback curves neatly into the strap, which is a high-performance blue rubber hybrid, supple, breathable, and more structured than it looks. The deployant clasp feels solid, locking the watch down securely. Even with its dimensions, the UR-150 Blue Scorpion never feels awkward. It has, of course, an undeniable presence, but it remains something that can be worn without thinking too much about it. Overall, the sloped dome, softened case edges, and compact lugs make it far more wearable than specs suggest.

Visually, it’s immensely captivating. The play between matte blue tones, polished accents, and sandblasted grey surfaces is pure Urwerk, industrial yet artful. In person, it feels calmer than the brand’s more aggressive designs: less a spaceship, more functional object shaped by air and motion.

Thoughts, availability & Price

The Urwerk UR-150 Blue Scorpion shows a brand maturing within its own design language, perhaps the same way MB&F Legacy Machines did. It’s still a horological UFO, a wild, highly mechanical show, but also more fluid and wearable than many Urwerk before. The new 240-degree retrograde system is both beautiful and polarising, less instantly legible, yet more dramatic and rewarding once your brain adapts, and its smoothened, slower motion adds to the experience in an almost tactile, audible way. The overall execution, from finishing to mechanical choreography, is nothing short of spectacular. Truth be told, there’s simply nothing else like it. Even in a market crowded with avant-garde independents, Urwerk remains the master of its game, where time is experienced.

The Urwerk UR-150 Blue Scorpion is released as a limited edition of 50 pieces, priced at CHF 90,000 before taxes. For more details, visit urwerk.com.