Introducing: The Arpal One From Laurent Ferrier And Urwerk For Only Watch 2017

Last week, the collection of unique watches for the 2017 Only Watch charity auction were announced en masse. But, if you browsed through all 49 pieces, you probably noticed that one was still just a sketch. We learned that independents Laurent Ferrier and Urwerk were teaming up, but we only got a little tease of what they would be offering up this fall. Well, the wait is over, and what we're getting from these two distinctive brands is an equally distinctive watch in the Arpal One.

The sketch of the Arpal One released last week.

Anyone who's interested in contemporary horology knows both Urwerk and Laurent Ferrier. Urwerk is one of the original mavericks who started pushing the boundaries of what watches could be back in 1997 and Laurent Ferrier is a modern master who is bringing more traditional watchmaking into the modern era. They're both awesome in their own way, but they really couldn't be more different. I'll admit that then I first saw they were collaborating I was a bit confused – but I was also excited.

At first glance, the Arpal One is immediately recognizable as an Urwerk. There is the distinctive satellite display that uses a quartet of circular discs on a central rotating carriage to show the time. The discs bear the hours, which glide across a minutes track at the bottom of the watch. The discs not showing the time are only partially visible through the unusually-shaped sapphire crystal, as they're hidden under a cover made of a high-performance thermoplastic cover with a semi-traditional hobnail pattern.

A closer look at the satellite time-telling system.

The movement powering all of this is the UR5.03, which is an automatic movement with 52 jewels and a 48-hour power reserve. It has all the high-end finishes you'd expect for a watch at this level, with a circular-grained baseplate, chamfered screw sinks, and contrasting sandblasting and brushing on the satellites and carrousel. There is SuperLuminova on the indicators, making it easier to read.

But don't forget, this is a Laurent Ferrier watch as well. The maestro is well known for his love of vintage racing and automobiles, and you can see it strongly in the swooping lines of this case. You might be thinking that the case is platinum or white gold or maybe even steel. But no. The material is actually the namesake for the watch, and it's called Arpal+. It's typically used in high-tech applications and it's a color-fast, oxidization-resistant alloy of 75% precious metals and 25% other elements. This alloy, of course, comes from a Swiss company, and I'm excited to see what it looks and feels like in person soon. The case itself measures 60.8mm long, 40.9mm wide, and 20.7mm thick.

The swooping lines of the Arpal+ case are inspired by the classic automobiles that Laurent Ferrier loves.

No estimate has been released yet for this watch, but for certain collectors of modern haute horlogerie, this might be the most interesting watch of the entire auction. Even if it's not your style, it's a powerful statement about what watchmaking can be today, and the creativity that exists amongst a certain group of independent watchmakers.

For more on the 2017 edition of the auction, visit Only Watch online.

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