Experiment ZR012
Horological history made with Nitro, a new collaboration project by MB&F and URWERK
United by one-track minds focused on horological innovation, MB&F and URWERK recently teamed up on a new experimental project to bend the boundaries of timepiece engineering. Project C3H5N3O9—the molecular formula for nitroglycerine, so Nitro for short—introduces the first fruit of its labor, Experiment ZR012, a limited-edition watch unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. With each working mechanism open and on show, the intricate ZR012 calls on two triangular-shaped rotors to indicate minutes and hours.
Technically speaking, the extremely precise movement is made of Wankel engine-inspired rotating Reuleaux polygons. In layman’s terms, that essentially means it’s made up of triangular, concentric rotors that rotate in a “eccentric” pattern similar to that of a child’s spirograph, all inside an asymmetrical lightweight zirconium case. True to form, projects by MB&F and URWERK at the very least serve to introduce a way of non-linear thinking in the age-old tradition of watch-making.
Limited to just 12 pieces, the extremely beautiful and intricate ZR012 can be ordered online directly from C3H5N3O9 for 110,000 Swiss Francs, or approximately$117,900 USD.
