INTRODUCTION
RUDOLF UHLENHAUT GMT EDITION
Commemorating the Creator of the iconic 300SL
In collaboration with the family of legendary Mercedes engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Scalfaro created a unique edition of Swiss mechanical GMT timepieces celebrating Germany’s finest sports car: the 300SL Gullwing.
Edition limited to 300 pieces.
DESIGN
This extraordinary edition was inspired by iconic the 300SL Gullwing and features not only the signature of its creator – engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut – but also numerous design elements from the car itself (e.g. the characteristic side air outlets, the tubular spaceframe construction, the unique Gullwing silhouette…) as well as a reference to its many race victories (laurels).
ORIGINAL 300SL MATERIAL
Each of the edition timepiece contains original material of one of the rare lightweight 300SL sports cars, The parts were supplied by leading 300SL specialist Kienle Automobiltechnik and subsequently integrated into the watch cases of the edition, so that each of the numbered edition watches includes the DNA of the car and thus a direct link to its fascinating history.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Edition Name: Rudolf Uhlenhaut GMT Edition
Case: 42mm, Stainless Steel incl. Scalfaro Ceramic DNA Intarsia and original 300SL Lightweight Metal, 100m/330ft Water-Resistance
Movement: ADK Swiss Calibre 148, mechanical GMT Movement with automatic Winding Mechanism
Features: Hour, Minute, Seconds, Date, second Timezone Display via 24h Disc
Crystal: Sapphire Crystal (Front and Caseback)
Strap: Horween Shell Cordovan Leather Strap, Folding Buckle
Edition Limitation: 300 Pieces
Price: Euro 5.950,-
TESTIMONIALS
Richard P. Fleenor, past President Gullwing Group International, USA: “I am very pleased with my Rudolf Uhlenhaut Edition timepiece. It is a true collectable watch and I am very happy to add it to my collection of items representing the art of the 300 SL Gullwing. I will be wearing the watch to every Gullwing event.”
Thomas Rosier, President 300 SL Club, Germany: “Die Rudolf Uhlenhaut gewidmete Uhr ist sportlich und elegant zugleich. Diese Uhr ist für alle Liebhaber des 300 SL ein Muss! Seit fast einem Jahr trage ich diese wunderbare Uhr fast täglich und habe viel Freude daran.” / “The Rudolf Uhlenhaut Edition timepiece is sporty and elegant at the same time. This watch is a must for all 300 SL enthusiasts. I am wearing it almost daily and enjoy it a lot.”
CONTACT - YES, I WANT ONE...
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SCALFARO INTERNATIONAL
Schoenblickstrasse 22, 75242 Neuhausen / Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 72 34 94 99 620, Fax: +49 (0) 72 34 54 73
Web: www.scalfaro.com, Email: info@scalfaro.com
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
SCALFARO RUDOLF UHLENHAUT WATCH EDITION
Created in Collaboration with the Family of Engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut – featuring original 300SL Material in the Watch Case
Watch manufacture SCALFARO and the Uhlenhaut Family – descendants of legendary Mercedes engineer and father of the 300SL sports car Rudolf Uhlenhaut – launch a limited edition of mechanical wristwatches featuring original material from the iconic 300SL Gullwing integrated into the ceramic elements of the watch case. Apart from the original signature of Rudolf Uhlenhaut on the side of the case and other personal elements representing his work and life, each of the 300 edition watches contains authentic DNA of one of the rare lightweight 300SL sports cars and thus a direct link to its fascinating history. Other features include: second time zone display, 42mm case diameter, finely decorated Swiss mechanical movement, sapphire crystal, see-through case back, water-resistance to 100m (330ft), Scalfaro Ceramic Intarsia, shell cordovan rallye-strap with folding buckle.
Each SCALFARO RUDOLF UHLENHAUT EDITION watch is individually numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity as well as an exclusive wooden box.
A WORK OF ART
Conceived with great attention to detail, radiating with quality in every aspect from the sophisticated construction of its watch case with its refined surface finishing and the elaborate mechanism of its Swiss automatic manufacture movement, each timepiece of this edition is made to last and reflects the passion that lead to the creation of the legendary 300SL sports car.
Manufactured in a rare artisanal process combining traditional crafts as well as modern technology, each timepiece is a unique work of art preserving the DNA of the iconic Gullwing.
“IN NATURE, NOTHING IS CREATED, NOTHING IS DESTROYED, EVERYTHING IS TRANSFORMED”
Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, 18th Century
At Scalfaro we transform genuine material of iconic objects into technical masterpieces that carry emotions, bring pleasure to people and tell intriguing stories. By skillfully blending history with technological modernity we preserve the legends and achievements of the past and proudly carry their fascination into our modern age.
BACKGROUND INFO & EDITION PARTNERS
BELOW YOU FIND EXTENSIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE ELEMENTS & PARTNERS OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY EDITION:
INTRODUCTION
Watch manufacturer SCALFARO – Contemporary Luxury and the Uhlenhaut Family jointly developed a limited edition of mechanical wristwatches paying tribute to legendary Mercedes engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut – creator of the legendary 300SL Gullwing sports car.
Rudolf Uhlenhaut was the “father” of the 300SL sports car and was in charge of numerous technical innovations and model lines representing milestones in the rich history of the world’s oldest car manufacturer. But, not only was Uhlenhaut an inspiring personality and engineer, he was also an exceptionally gifted race driver virtually matching the lap times of Mercedes works drivers such as Juan Manuel Fangio.
This extraordinary edition – limited to 300 pieces worldwide – shines with the spirit of the 1950s sports car scene with its sporty elegance and technical sophistication. It strikes not only with its sophisticated design, but also with its fine mechanical movement, flawless quality and a number of details inspired by the life and work of Rudolf Uhlenhaut. As a special feature, the watch cases contain original material of one of the extremely rare “lightweight 3000SL” (full aluminum body, only 29 were produced). Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s signature on the side of the watch case underlines the originality of this limited edition.
THE UHLENHAUT COUPE
Fascinated by the Uhlenhaut Coupé – the world’s most valuable car – the owners of SCALFARO – Alexander and Dominik Kuhnle – became curious about the man behind this legendary car which featured a genuine F1 engine and which he used as a company car. In 2010, after having experienced the Uhlenhaut Coupé in action again at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the two brothers developed the idea of creating a watch to commemorate this brilliant engineer and inspiring character. They set out to find the descendants of Rudolf Uhlenhaut and after a few months were keenly brainstorming with his grandchildren browsing through pictures from the Uhlenhaut Family Archive. The result of this close collaboration is a truly personal edition of timepieces featuring elements from the life and work of Rudolf Uhlenhaut – a tribute to the mastermind that created the 300SL.
WATCH CASE FEATURING GENUINE 300SL PARTS
After having worked with high-tech ceramics for years, the SCALFARO team developed the innovative technology of “SCALFARO CERAMIC INTARSIA” integrating high-tech ceramics in its sophisticated stainless steel watch cases. The SCALFARO CERAMIC INTARSIA Technology perfectly unites traditional craftsmanship with the latest technological achievements.
This new technique was used to include elements such as the characteristic air outlets on the side of the 300SL and the original signature of Rudolf Uhlenhaut into the watch case ans well as the the black ceramic “bars” in the bezel representing the revolutionary tubular frame construction of the 300SL and the laurel leaves which stand for the many race victories of Uhlenhaut’s creations.
Furthermore, the watch case – reminiscent of the shape of a 300SL from a birdview perspective – features the silhouette of a Gullwing Mercedes with open doors. This little detail comprises another highlight of this edition: Thanks to the renowned 300SL specialists from Kienle Automobiltechnik, the owners of SCALFARO were able to obtain not only a piston of a 300SL Roadster, but also one of the rare aluminum body parts of one of the exclusive lightweight 300SL Gullwings (only 29 were built featuring a full aluminum body) as well as from a 300SL Roadster. The SCALFARO team of engineers went on to create a world premiere for this special edition of watches by integrating these metal parts into the SCALFARO Ceramic Intarsia elements of the watch case. As a result, each watch from this special edition contains genuine “DNA” from the 300SL Lightweight Coupé and Roadster and therefore represents a direct link to the fascinating history of the Gullwing cars.
The rallye-style Horween cordovan strap with its elegant folding buckle completes the pleasant feel of wearing a masterpiece of engineering passion.
SHORT BIO RUDOLF UHLENHAUT (born 1906 in London, † 1989 in Stuttgart):
Legendary engineer, developer and member of the managing board of Daimler Benz AG.
Rudolf Uhlenhaut is responsible for numerous important Mercedes Benz model lines such as the sports car icon 300SL “Gullwing”, 300SLR, W196, W125, W154, W113 “Pagoda”,…
Uhlenhaut started at Daimler-Benz in 1931 as a young engineer. From 1936 he headed the race car division and developed the “Silberpfeil” W25’s winning successors W125 and W154. In 1949 he was promoted to head of the R&D Department and developed the legendary 300SL with its characteristic “gull wing” doors, featuring the first-ever direct fuel injection in a gasoline-powered car and a revolutionary tubular frame construction which lead to the development of the model’s name-giving door construction.
Uhlenhaut was not only a brilliant engineer, but also an exceptionally gifted race driver. He virtually equalled the lap times of the likes of Fangio or Kling and thus was highly respected not only in the “factory“, but also on the racetracks around the world. During Mercedes test runs on the Nurburgring in 1955, works driver and reigning world champion Juan Manuel Fangio complained about the bad setup of his car. Uhlenhaut – dressed in suit and tie – jumped into the car and improved Fangio’s lap time by three seconds.
In 1955, Uhlenhaut developed a Coupé based on the 300SLR taking design-clues from the 300SL Gullwing (W198) and the engine from the F1 car W196 (300BHP, 290 km/h top speed, the W196 was also developed by Uhlenhaut). This new car was to be used for long distance races. But, in 1955 Mercedes withdrew from Grand Prix racing and thus the project was stopped after only two cars had been finished. Subsequently Uhlenhaut used the so-called “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” as his daily company-car riding it to and from work. It was the fastest street-legal car of its time. Today, both cars are owned by the Daimler AG and are regarded as the most expensive vehicles on the planet (est. value 30 Mio. Euro).
After Daimler Benz’s withdrawal from the international racing scene, Uhlenhaut became head of passenger car development and was in charge of all new model lines up to the S-class of 1972 (W116) incl. also the SL230 – called the “Pagoda” due to its characteristic shape.
Uhlenhaut retired in 1972 and was succeeded by Karlheinz Gröschel.
SCALFARO – MECHANICAL SWISS WATCHES FOR ENTHUSIASTS:
Brothers Alexander and Dominik Kuhnle founded the watch brand SCALFARO in 2001. Their uncompromising focus on quality, individuality and precision, combined with their creativity and dedication have shaped “SCALFARO” into a strong brand with a unique character. Its remarkable and authentic designs have assisted to establish “SCALFARO” as one of the rare family-owned manufacturers of fine mechanical timepieces. In its Swiss Ateliers the company manufactures mechanical masterpieces by combining traditional artisan techniques, innovative materials and the latest modern-day technology. SCALFARO’s extraordinary design language and powerful shapes are complemented by flawless workmanship, keen attention to detail and the use of the finest materials. A SCALFARO timepiece always forms a harmonious unit radiating with clear lines, sporty elegance, refined functionality and impressive solidity. Furthermore, SCALFARO is a specialist in the field of exclusive high-end editions due to proprietary innovations such as its SCALFARO Ceramic Intarsia Technology.
“IN NATURE, NOTHING IS CREATED, NOTHING IS DESTROYED, EVERYTHING IS TRANSFORMED”
Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, 18th Century
At Scalfaro we transform genuine material of iconic objects into technical masterpieces that carry emotions, bring pleasure to people and tell intriguing stories. By skillfully blending history with technological modernity we preserve the legends and achievements of the past and proudly carry their fascination into our modern age.
VIDEO & DISCLAIMER
KEYWORDS:
SCALFARO, Uhlenhaut, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Gullwing, 300SL, Uhlenhaut-Coupé, 300 SL, Alexander Kuhnle, Dominik Kuhnle, Watches, Wristwatches, Edition, Limited Edition, Ceramic Intarsia, Scalfaro Ceramic Intarsia, mechanical movements, Rennabteilung, ScalfaScrews, Legend, DNA, Motorsport, Engineer, Racedriver, Race Driver, sports car, sports car icon, Roadster, lighweight, tubular frame, spaceframe, moss.
DISCLAIMER:
Scalfaro Watches is not in any way affiliated with Daimler AG. The references to “Mercedes”, “Mercedes Benz”, “Daimler”, “300SL” and “Gullwing” are used for historic reference purposes only. Each Edition timepiece is manufactured in an artisanal process and represents a unique piece of art.