MB&F
and URWERK have broken new horological ground by working together in an
exciting new project
called, C3H5N3O9, aka Nitro.
C3H5N3O9
(the molecular formula for nitroglycerine) is a platform created by
MB&F’s Maximilian Büsser
and Serge Kriknoff in collaboration with URWERK’s Felix Baumgartner and
Martin Frei, to conduct
experimental horology.
The
first fruit of this collaboration is Experiment ZR012, a limited edition of
12 pieces in zirconium
featuring a Wankel engine inspired display. The movement was designed and
developed by Felix
Baumgartner, Martin Frei and URWERK constructor Cyrano Devanthey, while the
case was designed
and developed by Maximilian Büsser with designer Eric Giroud.
Experiment
ZRO12 indicates hours and minutes with two triangular-shaped rotors or, to be
more
precise, Wankel engine type eccentric rotating Reuleaux polygons. Hours are
indicated by the lower
rotor along the front of the 'dial', while minutes are indicated by the
smaller upper rotor.
While
Experiment ZR012 is generously-sized, the zirconium case is relatively light
and the rear
articulated lugs ensure a comfortable fit on all wrist sizes.
The incredible silhouette of the new watch by Maximilian Busser of MBF and Felix Baumgartner
Experiment ZR012 information pack
Experiment ZR012 by C3H5N3O9 features
Wankel engine inspired hour and minute indications in an asymmetrical zirconium
case with articulated and compound lugs.
At first glance the time appears to be
indicated by centrally rotating triangular rotors; however, the triangles are
actually Reuleaux polygons; they rotate eccentrically rather than centrally and
track complex epitrochroid curves rather than circles. The system was inspired
by the Wankel engine, which features orbital Reuleaux polygon rotors rather
than the reciprocating pistons that power the majority of our cars and machines
today.
C3H5N3O9 is a platform created by Felix
Baumgartner, Maximilian Büsser, Martin Frei and Serge Kriknoff to experiment
with concepts, ideas and creations without the inherent limitations of a luxury
brand.
Experiment ZR012
Indications:
Experiment ZRO12 indicates hours and minutes with two Wankel engine inspired
eccentric rotating Reuleaux polygons (triangular-shaped rotors). Hours are
indicated by the lower rotor along the front of the 'dial', while minutes are
indicated by the smaller upper rotor.
Epitrochoid curves: Time is by the tips of the Reuleaux
polygon rotors tracing epitrochoid curves. To create the complex shape of the
hour and minute epitchroid curves with the high precision required, 180
separate points were plotted. There is tolerance of just o.2omm between the
triangular rotors - the special shape is actually called a Reuleaux polygon -
and the hour and minute marked epitrochroids surrounding them.
Complication:
The Reuleaux polygon (triangular-shaped) rotors are eccentric, i.e. not mounted
directly to the central 'crankshaft' and they demand considerable time, skill
and patience to set up correctly in assembly process. To ensure extremely high
precision adjustment the fixed wheels can be rotated slightly (then
re-fixed) to allow fine adjustment and synchronised precision between the hour
and minute indicators.
Case: The case and lugs of Experiment ZR012 are made from
zirconium, which is derived from the mineral zircon. Visually zirconium is
similar to titanium and is highly resistant to corrosion.
The case dimensions are 55mm x 44mm (excluding lugs). The articulated front lug
and compound rear lug wrap ergonomically around the wrist and ensure a high
level of comfort.
Power reserve indicator: Turning Experiment ZR012 over reveals
the power reserve indicator. The movement has autonomy of 39 hours and is wound
by a large screw down crown.
Wankel engine
The
indications of Experiment ZR012 are inspired by the Wankel engine
In 1919, a 17-year-old German boy
called Felix Wankel dreamt of a new type of engine. Despite no formal training,
Wankel believed that he could design an engine in which the four stages of
intake, compression, combustion and exhaust-took place in one rotation, rather
than four separate reciprocations of a piston as in a normal engine.
It was an ambitious goal, which others
had been unsuccessfully attempting since the 16th century. In 1924 Wankel
created a small laboratory to develop his rotary engine and eventually tested
the first prototype in 1957, over three decades later.
One of the main reasons development took so long is that Wankel’s orbital
engine was based on a convex-triangle rotor rotating inside a epitrochoid
combustion chamber. An epitrochoid is a very complex shape traced by a point on
a small circle rotating around the perimeter of a larger circle and plotting
that shape involves seriously complex mathematics.
x = cos(w1*t) + (R/L)*cos[(w1+w2)*t]
y = sin(w1*t) + (R/L)*sin[(w1+w2)*t]
In standard internal-combustion engines, pistons reciprocate four times for
every cycle of power; in the Wankel engine, power is smoothly generated each
rotation with fewer moving parts enabling the motor to be lighter, more compact
and more reliable than reciprocating engines.
The epicycloid curve has been of
special interest to astronomers over the centuries as the shapes are often
found in the coronas of stars.
Wankel was the first to use an
epicyloid in an internal combustion engine. Experiment ZR012 is the first to
use an epicyloid in a wristwatch.
About C3H5N3O9
C3H5N3O9
is both the molecular formula for nitroglycerine and a horological experiment.
Many of the most reactive (and most exciting) chemical reactions derive from
combining seemingly innocuous ingredients. When Felix Baumgartner and
Maximilian Büsser shared a pleasant lunch on a Geneva terrace in the summer of
2008, it started a horological chain reaction that four years later manifested as
C3H5N3O9.
Urwerk founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei had a concept featuring
Wankel engine inspired indications that they had not yet developed, and they
suggested their constructor Cyrano Devanthey could develop and produce a
movement based on that.
MB&F partners Maximilian Büsser and
Serge Kriknoff teamed up with independent watch designer Eric Giroud to design
and produce the case. Experiment ZR012 was born!
C3H5N3O9 is an experimental platform, not a luxury brand.
Experiment ZR012 Technical specifications
Experiment ZR012 is an edition of 12
pieces in zirconium
Hours and minutes are indicated by two Wankel engine inspired Reuleaux polygon
rotors tracing epitrochoid curves
Case
Dimensions without lugs: 55mm x 44mm
Case and lugs: Zirconium case with titanium
lugs
Number of case components: 60
Compound front lug, articulated rear lug
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment both side
Water resistance: 30m - 100’ - 3atm
Strap and buckle: Brown calf leather strap.
Titanium and white gold folding buckle.
Movement
Movement dimensions: 32.65mm x: 41.35mm: 11.55 mm
Number of components: 328
Number of jewels: 42
Manual winding
Power reserve: 39h
Balance frequency: 28'800
Finishing: satin finishing,
sandblasted, circular graining on
movement, black PVD treated components, black ruthenium treated components
Number of plots to create epitrochoids for hours and minutes: 180
Tolerance
between hour and minute indication rotors and inside of epitrochoids: 0.20mm
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