NBA legend and NASCAR team owner Michael Jordan was spotted wearing a space age-looking Urwerk UR-220 RG at the Ally 400 race at the Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee.
One of only 10 pieces in existence, this quirky and futuristic Urwerk watch is valued at around $155,000, which is a lot but not exactly a life-changing amount of money for Jordan, whose net worth is valued at $1.7 billion.
Founded in 1997 in Geneva, Switzerland, Urwerk is an independent watch manufacturer with a huge following in the watch community because fans love the brand, and collectors have huge respect for it.
Michael Jordan has been a brand ambassador for the Swiss watchmaker for a few years now and the six-time NBA champion is often seen wearing various Urwerk models whenever he’s photographed in public.
This particular watch is a bit of a swan song tribute to the UR-220 series – a line that will likely be discontinued in the near future – and it is made from satin-finished red gold.
Apart from the shape and the white rubber strap, the one thing that stands out is the unusual shape of the face, because it features a complication called ‘wandering hours’.
While most watches are equipped with an hour hand, a minute hand, and a second hand that either ticks or sweeps, the minute and hour hands in this particular timepiece ‘wander’ across an arc on the dial.
Let’s face it, this particular complication actually makes the watch less legible but that’s beside the point because it’s fascinating and striking to look at, and that’s sometimes just what collectors are after.
This model is near impossible to buy because it’s too rare but if you’re in the market for a watch from the Urwerk UR-220 line, you’ll be happy to know there are two more models that look very similar and are actually available.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is you’ve got to fork out at least $150,000 to buy one.
