Independent brand Urwerk launched the UR-T8 “Transformer” in 2017 to mark its 20th anniversary. The “Transformer” moniker was a reference to the fact that this timepiece’s case could be reversed – activating two pushers on caseband unlocks the case from its “dock” allowing it to be lifted and rotated. The case on the dial side and caseback features a dinosaur scale-like guilloche pattern.

The timepiece uses the characteristic satellite time display of the brand. A three-armed satellite carousel lets a new hour marker to transit the minute arc every hour. Once it finishes transiting the minute arc, each hour disk revolves so that it is ready to present the next of its four hour numerals.

The carousels within which the planetary gearing rotates are made from aluminium and titanium for maximum strength and rigidity for minimum mass. The automatic winding system is regulated by Urwerk’s innovative air micro turbine, which automatically increases resistance during vigorous activity to decrease wear in the winding mechanism. This turbine can be seen via a discreet aperture on the caseback.