Harry Winston Opus V Platinum "Satellite Hour" Display OPUS 5 By Harry Winston and Felix Baumgartner 45 made. Start Price USD 299,999.00 Current Price USD 299,999.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, August 20, 2008 End Time Saturday, August 30, 2008 Location La Jolla, California See more about 'Harry Winston Opus V Platinum "Satellite Hour" Display' Description Harry Winston Opus V  with "satellite hour" display     Limited Edition   Only 45 Pieces Ever Made in 950 Pt Platinum   Gently used from a Private Watch Collection   Harry Winston's Opus V watch is the first watch with a "satellite hour" display, consisting of three small blocks with four numbers each that  are arranged like satellites on a three-dimensional rotating system, showing the time as they spin around. The watch is also the first to have a service indicator that tells the wearer when it needs maintenance (every 5 Years)  The watch also has an elegant power reserve indicator and day/night indicator and gull-wing styled crown protector.It is readily clear then that the Opus V did not come from spontaneous generation, but is the result of long hours of reflection on time, its functions, and its display. By replacing the satellites by cubes, Félix Baumgartner and Martin Frei succeeded in giving a true spatial dimension to their watch. From four satellites, they went to three cubes whose four faces carry the different hour numbers. But the basic principle, involving the Maltese cross and ball bearings, posed new challenges. For example, not only do the cubes revolve in an orbital fashion, but they also rotate on themselves, revealing thus a new hour number. In addition, when the cube arrives at zero on the minute scale, it drags the large minute hand along the scale (before, the satellite, itself, indicated the hours by its own trajectory). One of the most difficult problems was to make the minute hand return instantaneously once it reached 60 so that it could accompany the new cube, thus the new hour. The solution is a spring, a spring that is very delicate to make (a wire with a thickness of 0.05 mm), which provides minimal but constant force.One of the most remarkable aspects of this entire process is that Urwerk produces its watches completely in-house, in collaboration with a case manufacturer that provides its five-axis CNC machines for use by the brand, thus giving almost total autonomy. “We are of the new generation,” insists Baumgartner, “and we work with all of today’s existing possibilities. We are anchored in traditional timekeeping, of course, but also in modernity. This is also why we are a little different. Martin Frei, our designer, does not come from the world of watches, and so he doesn’t have the weight of timekeeping tradition on his shoulders. His approach is therefore more serene, freer. Moreover, I believe that watchmaking still makes sense on condition that it reinterprets the indication of time in a new manner. In five years, we are going to come out with new ideas in this domain. I have ideas notably on constant force, and I hope to be able one day to develop a movement whose principles will be entirely new.” Quite obviously, the Opus V project, conducted in concert with Harry Winston, has given new visibility to Urwerk. But even without this prestigious relationship, the progress of the young brand has been constant and it will continue to become even stronger. The name ‘Urwerk’ itself contains this promise. ‘Ur’ is the name of one of the first cities in the world, erected in what is today the nation of Irak. Wasn’t it in this region of the world where the notion of measuring time was actually inventediWhat remains is how to reinvent it. Case Diameter: 50 mm.       Official Web Site Info: http://www.harrywinston.com/go.php/e_Timepieces/Highhorology,Opus5   Placing a bid on this item constitutes your agreement and acceptance of these Terms of Sale.  Failure to read this material does not dismiss your responsibility. We reserve the right to cancel bids and/or limit the quantity of bids on our product if the buyer has excessive negative feedback, or if the buyer has zero feedback. Once you have placed a bid, you have entered a legally binding contract to purchase the item. Your feedback is appreciated and vital for us to provide excellent customer service. If you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact us as soon as possible so we may prove our commitment to 100% customer satisfaction.     I will do my best to answer all the questions Please review the auction thoroughly before sending questions   Bid with confidence, Please verify my feed back     PowerSellers rank among the most successful sellers on eBay in terms of sales and customer satisfaction. We are proud to recognize their contributions to the success of the eBay Community!                 Place a Bid!