Urwerk UR-100V LightSpeed - Space Energy In White Ceramic

Urwerk just dropped a new version of the UR-100V, and it’s called the LightSpeed. The name sounds dramatic, and honestly, it earns it. This watch literally tracks how long sunlight takes to reach different planets. Not your steps. Not your heart rate. Actual cosmic travel time.

And now it comes in white ceramic.

If regular Urwerk already feels like wearing a sci-fi prop, this one cranks that vibe up even more. It’s bold, weird, ridiculously technical, and exactly why people love the brand.

The UR-100V Layout - Not Your Normal “Dial”

The UR-100V might look round at first glance, but it’s not your standard watch setup. Urwerk doesn’t really do normal.

Once the hour satellite finishes the minute track, it keeps moving and starts displaying something completely unnecessary but very cool - the time it takes sunlight to reach different planets in our solar system.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter… all of them (sorry Pluto, still cancelled). It’s peak watch stuff. Zero practical use. Maximum conversation starter.

Which is the whole point after all.

The “LightSpeed” Trick

Here’s the twist that makes this model special.

Around the dial, Urwerk added a 3D planetary scale. When the satellite leaves the minute track, it tracks the light travel time from the sun to a specific planet. So you’re basically watching physics happen in real time.

Do you need to know how long sunlight takes to reach Saturn while checking the time? No.

Will it make you smile every single time? Yes.

This is the kind of complication that exists purely because someone thought it would be cool. Respect.

 

White Ceramic Case - Clean But Still Aggressive

This new version swaps the usual darker or more industrial finishes for a white ceramic case. It gives the watch a sharper, more modern feel - almost like a stormtrooper designed a luxury watch.

The case is chunky at 43mm wide and just over 51mm lug-to-lug, with a thickness of 14.5mm. So yeah, it has presence. Urwerk watches don’t try to disappear under a cuff. 

The ceramic isn’t just plain white either. It’s reinforced with fibreglass and carbon elements, with a titanium inner case holding everything together. The back is treated titanium with a dark coating that keeps the technical look going.

Everything about it feels engineered rather than styled.

Also, the crown sits at the top of the case, which takes about five seconds to feel normal and then makes total sense.

The Dial - Dark, Minimal, Very Cool

The display is mostly blacked out, letting the satellite system and luminous markings do all the talking. Numbers and text glow, the layout is clean, and the whole thing feels like an instrument panel rather than a traditional watch face.

Under a domed sapphire crystal, the mechanics look layered and three-dimensional. 

If traditional watches feel like jewellery, this feels like equipment.

The Movement - Serious Mechanics Under The Hood

Inside is Urwerk’s automatic UR-12.02 movement with a 48-hour power reserve. It runs at 4 Hz and uses the brand’s Windfänger system, which basically regulates the winding system using an air-turbine-style mechanism. Very on-brand, very overengineered.

The satellite display system alone is insanely complex, with rotating components constantly moving across the dial. 

That’s why Urwerk only produces around 150 watches per year.

How It Wears - Statement First, Comfort Second

Let’s be honest. This isn’t a subtle watch.

It’s big, futuristic, and aggressively different. But the curved case design helps it sit better than the numbers suggest, and the rubber strap keeps it wearable. You can get it in black or white, depending on how loud you want to be.

Water resistance is 50 meters, which basically means don’t treat it like a dive watch and you’ll be fine.

The Price - High, But Not Shocking For Urwerk

The UR-100V LightSpeed costs about €70,000.

Yes, that’s a lot of money. But in the world of independent watchmaking - especially something this complex and low production - it’s actually within expectations.

Urwerk lives in that space where you’re paying for engineering, design identity, and the fact that almost nobody else will have one.

It’s luxury for people who think Rolex is too safe.

Who This Is Really For

This isn’t for someone buying their first luxury watch.

It’s for someone who already has the classics and wants something completely different. Someone who appreciates independent watchmaking, mechanical experimentation, and design that pushes boundaries.

Or someone who wants to casually explain planetary light physics at dinner.

Both valid.