Satellite hour carousel

High confidence

The carousel carrying the hour satellites, which is simultaneously the movement's output, the watch's dial and its principal visible feature. There is no separate dial concealing it.

Part reference

Brand: Urwerk
Material: Aluminium, bronze or composite satellites on a rotating carrier

Documented variations

Classification

FactoryDocumented as shipped from the factory for this reference and period.PeriodNot original to this watch, but correct for its production period.ServiceFitted by the manufacturer's own service network. Not a defect.AftermarketThird-party part. Affects originality, not authenticity.ModifiedGenuine parts in a configuration the factory did not sell. Affects originality and value, not authenticity.CounterfeitDeceptive reproduction intended to pass as genuine.UnknownEvidence on file does not settle the question.

Accurate tracking and correct indexing
FactoryProbable
Whole production
The active satellite's numeral reads the correct minute against the scale throughout its arc, and the changeover to the next satellite occurs at the hour. Both have to hold; either alone is insufficient.
Drifting or mistimed indication
CounterfeitProbable
Whole production
The failure mode of a copy that reproduced the carousel's appearance without its gearing: the numeral drifts against the minute scale, the changeover comes at the wrong moment, or the carousel rotates at a constant rate unrelated to the time. Visible within an hour and often within minutes.
Worn or damaged satellite mounting on a used example
FactoryProbable
Whole production
A mechanism with many small moving parts wears, and a satellite that wobbles or indexes hesitantly on an otherwise correct watch is a service finding rather than an authenticity one. Distinguish it from mistiming: a worn mechanism still tells the right time, and an ungeared imitation does not.

Open questions

OpenComponent compatibilityMedium

Expected wear behaviour of the satellite carousel

How does a satellite carousel behave as it wears, and what distinguishes a worn but genuine mechanism from an ungeared imitation?

Scope Matters because the catalog recommends observation as the test and a worn genuine mechanism can look hesitant. The distinguishing principle recorded here — a worn mechanism still tells the right time — is sound but coarse, and a fuller account of the wear modes would let an examiner separate condition from authenticity with more confidence.

Documented on these references

Urwerk UR-105Factory
Whole production
Watch it track and index. An hour of observation is a complete test.
Urwerk UR-210Factory
Whole production

Provenance of this record

Sources & Evidence

Primary sourceManufacturer documentation

Urwerk — collection and satellite complication documentation

Urwerk

Accessed: 2026-08-19

Cited for

This referenceHigh confidence

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Last verified: Not yet reviewed