Auctions Urwerk Raises Nearly $100,000 With Charitable Sale Of Unique UR-100 Gold Edition

Over the weekend, Urwerk auctioned off the first production piece of its newly introduced UR-100 Gold Edition. This special version of the new precious metal UR-100, which is hewn from a solid block of 2N yellow gold, was made with a plate engraved with the words "FIGHT C19" in place of "25 PCS." Announced and run on the Urwerk site, the auction allowed the winner of the watch to designate a COVID-19 charity of their choosing as the recipient of the funds generated by the sale.

The UR-100 is not the first instance of Urwerk dabbling with precious metals, though the company is indeed better known for working with robust materials like titanium or stainless steel. The UR-100 Gold Edition found somewhat unusual inspiration from the Star Wars franchise. The hue of the gold selected was inspired by the gold tone of the character C-3PO, and given Urwerk's use of a satellite display and celestial complications, the whole thing just works, IMHO.

Following a weekend of bidding, the watch sold for CHF 96,500 ($99,239 at the time of this writing), and the winner has designated the UK's Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) as the beneficiary. The school has partnered with multiple institutions in the UK to benefit public health in that country. It also operates the Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics which, according to the Urwerk site, "comprises an experienced multi-disciplinary group of experts working together researching, developing, and validating drugs and diagnostics in response to the COVID-19 pandemic." 

In a press release announcing the result, Urwerk said that it would also buy and donate PPE (personal protective equipment) to the most vulnerable people living in Switzerland via a donation to the Swiss Red Cross.