Urban Jürgensen returns with the 2025 Collection and three new models: UJ-1, UJ-2, UJ-3. Read our overview with pictures and pricing
Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield are opening, as Co-CEOs, a new chapter in the long and revered history of Urban Jürgensen, a brand founded in Copenhagen in 1773 that stands as a symbol of fine watchmaking in Denmark.
Established in 1773 in Copenhagen by Jürgen Jürgensen and brought to its first golden age by his son, Urban Jürgensen, the brand quickly earned acclaim for its scientific contributions and meticulous marine chronometers made for the Danish Navy.
Among the world’s greatest watchmakers of the 18th and 19th centuries, members of the Jürgensen family—particularly Urban and Jules—worked alongside horological geniuses such as Jacques-Frédéric Houriet, Abraham-Louis Breguet, and John Arnold, greatly contributing to the development of watchmaking. Read more about the history of Urban Jürgensen in this article.
A portrait of Urban Jürgensen
Kari Voutilainen is one of the world's most celebrated watchmakers, with eleven Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève awards to his name, the most of any independent watchmaker. He returns to the brand that helped shape his early career, when he collaborated with Urban Jürgensen during the Peter Baumberger and Derek Pratt era. He now leads design, technical development and production, with new calibres and three new models developed entirely in-house.
Alex Rosenfield, a former fashion and media executive, brings a collector’s sensitivity and a storyteller’s clarity to the brand’s global vision. Focused on creative direction, operations, strategy and sales, he is committed to reviving the brand as a family-led, independent house.
With the debut of the new 2025 collection, the relaunched Urban Jürgensen intends to carry forward the storied legacy of the brand with authenticity and respect. It does so not by clinging to the past, but by drawing inspiration from it as a guide to what comes next.
Signature design elements like the observatory hands and guilloché dials remain, reimagined with a fresh perspective that blends timeless elegance with contemporary sophistication.
From the dials to the movements, the new models are rooted in tradition while advancing the legacy that Urban began.
The redesigned brand identity and watch markings draw directly from Urban Jürgensen’s rich history. The new logo is inspired by the hand calligraphy on the King’s Watch, one of Urban’s masterpiece pocket watches. From this reference, a custom typeface of hand-drawn numerals and lettering was created for use across the timepieces.
The traditional “12” is replaced with a “0” as a way to shift perspective. Each model is powered by proprietary movements that are developed, assembled and finished to the highest standards of Swiss haute horlogerie.
The new collection introduces three timepieces—UJ-1, UJ-2 and UJ-3—each distinguished by a unique technical highlight, yet united by a consistent design language that reflects Urban Jürgensen’s refined aesthetic.
UJ-1: the anniversary watch
A reimagining of the iconic Urban Jürgensen Derek Pratt Oval Pocket Watch, the UJ-1 achieves a mechanical milestone long considered impossible: miniaturising and adapting the Oval’s tourbillon movement with remontoir d’égalité and deadbeat seconds into a wristwatch. It pays tribute both to the brand’s technical legacy and to Voutilainen’s personal history.
The Urban Jürgensen Pratt Oval Pocket Watch, created by Derek Pratt during his tenure as technical director. Presented in 2005, this unique piece features a one-minute flying tourbillon with integrated constant-force remontoire, an Earnshaw-style spring-detent escapement, and a moon phase display.
Housed in a 39.5 mm × 12.2 mm case, the UJ-1 is offered in three editions of 25 pieces each: in platinum with a light silver dial, in platinum with a grey dial, and in rose gold with a light silver dial. Price: CHF 368,000 excluding VAT.
UJ-2: the three-hand watch with double-wheel natural escapement
A study in restraint and refinement, the UJ-2 features a double-wheel natural escapement—an idea first proposed by Urban Jürgensen’s mentor Abraham-Louis Breguet in the 18th century, now perfected by Kari. This system offers smoother energy transfer and up to 30% greater power efficiency than a traditional Swiss lever escapement.
The 39 mm × 10.9 mm watch is available in four variations: in platinum with a blue dial, in platinum with a light silver dial, in rose gold with a light silver dial, and in rose gold with a blue dial. Price: CHF 105,000 excluding VAT.
UJ-3: the perpetual calendar with instantaneous moon phase
Developed in collaboration between Kari and master watchmaker and engineer Andreas Strehler, the UJ-3 integrates Strehler’s precise moon phase indication—accurate for 14,000 years—with Urban Jürgensen’s double-wheel natural escapement. It is the first time a serially produced perpetual calendar features this escapement system.
The finely finished black dial is paired with a platinum or rose gold 39 mm × 13.9 mm case. Price: CHF 168,000 excluding VAT.
We will be sharing a closer look at each of the three models in the coming days. Stay tuned. urbanjurgensen.com
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