Urban Jürgensen closes its newly launched model lineup with a surprising creation, the UJ-3 . An integrated perpetual calendar that elegantly builds on the base of time-only UJ-2, the UJ-3 is equipped with a calendar module developed in collaboration with independent watchmaker Andreas Strehler. The UJ-3 is the third and final watch in Urban Jürgensen’s relaunch lineup, which was among this year’s most unexpected (but welcome) surprises.

Initial thoughts

The introduction of a perpetual calendar along with the two other models is an impressive move by the team at Urban Jürgensen. Brands typically debut with a single model; Urban Jürgensen has managed three all-new watches.

The fact that in addition to a tourbillon (and a special one at that) of the UJ-1, Urban Jürgensen managed to develop a complex perpetual calendar is nothing short of remarkable. Moreover, the perpetual calendar of the UJ-3 integrated with the movement, and not merely added as a module. 

Urban Jürgensen is being transparent in revealing the UJ-3 is a collaboration between Voutilainen and watchmaker-engineer Andreas Strehler. This openness is important, especially for independent watchmakers. The acknowledgement also adds pedigree to the piece given Mr Strehler’s good reputation.

Personally, I find the UJ-3 more cohesive in design compared to the UJ-2. The calendar indications better fill the dial space, and the hands are no longer too small for the face.

Also, the dial appearance evokes the perpetual calendar wristwatches made under the direction of Peter Baumberger, the former owner of Urban Jürgensen, such as the lack of a dial-side leap year indicator, bridging the gap between the brand’s recent past and its perspectives.

The only downside of the UJ-3 is its thickness. It’s a consequence of the calendar module, and not merely design, but the case is almost 14 mm high and looks it on the wrist.

The UJ-3 is the most novel and possibly most interesting from Urban Jürgensen’s lineup, as it seems suggestive of Urban Jürgensen’s direction moving forward. In comparison, the UJ-1 looks back on the past, honouring and taking inspiration from Derek Pratt’s work for the brand. But as with the other two models, the piece is priced rather high – retail is CHF168,000 – all things considered. 

A balanced display 

It is clear that the UJ-3 is built on the base of the time-only UJ-2. Key elements of the UJ-2, namely the off-centred main dial, the eccentric small seconds, and the hand-applied engine turning, are all found in the UJ-3 as well. 

The design, however, does lead to a possible legibility issue on the register at five o’clock showing both the seconds and the date. Hands for both are in the same shade and nearly the same length, making it difficult for the wearer to tell the date from the seconds at a passing glance. Bluing either of the two would probably solve the problem.

The calendar indications are laid out around the dial, with the day of the week and month on opposite sides, cutting into the dial ring. The day of the month is co-axial with the small seconds, saving space.

There is also a small moon phase display, placed under the day of the week indication, which balances the oversized seconds and date sub dial. Interestingly, the moon phase display is accurate to a day in 14,000 years. This points to Andreas Strehler’s involvement, who until 2024 held the record for the most accurate mechanical moon phase, one day deviation in two million years.

The UJ-3 movement

Andreas Strehler’s involvement with the project is indeed exceptional, since he is one of the most talented movement constructors today. Having both Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler build a timepiece for a historically prestigious name like Urban Jürgensen is a rare occurrence. Notably, the two greats have only worked together once before, at least publicly, for the Maîtres du Temps Chapter Three.

One of Mr Strehler’s most famous works is the perpetual calendar movement that’s the trademark of H. Moser & Cie. Mr Strehler designed that complication from a whole different angle. There are some parallels to be drawn with the Moser perpetual calendar, also designed by Mr Strehler. Both are entirely different movements, but share some construction cues, which is unsurprising given their common creator.

The UJ-3 caliber has a pointer date display and reinterprets the classic perpetual calendar with the date, day of the week, month and moon phase all displayed. There are small pushers on the case, pointing to the fact that the calendar is not entirely set through the crown.

The UJ-3 caliber seems to have benefited from Mr Strehler’s past experience with perpetual calendars. The calendar display jumps instantly at midnight. The moon phase also jumps instantly, which is not usually the case with traditional calendars. As the mechanism slowly creeps to the next date, it drags the moon phase along. Here, since the calendar works jump instantly, the moon phase follows suit, presumably geared off the other display. 

Like the Moser calibre, the UJ-3 movement has its leap year cycle displayed on the backside and has an instantaneous date jump. But the similarities between the Moser and Urban Jürgensen calendars run deeper, to the core of the date-changing mechanism. 

Upper disk, with a functional cutout.

The months are displayed by two coaxial disks, each holding six months. The upper disk has a cutout; after March ends, the cutout locks in place, allowing the disk underneath to display the months from April on.

Also, the uneven edges of the two-month disks suggest the assembly might even serve as the month cam, from which the mechanism reads off the lengths of the months.  

Lower disk

From the back, the UJ-3 caliber is practically identical to the UJ-2, save for the leap year indicator next to the barrel. The 5N rose gold gilding is the same, with most of the surfaces heavily grained, edges rounded and generous perlage on the mainplate. 

The 2.5Hz free-sprung balance is powered by a double wheel direct impulse escapement — in fact virtually the same design as the Voutilainen uses in his Vingt-8 series. The system is the same used in the UJ-2. 

The UJ-3 features the same case as the other two models; it’s 39 mm in diameter and 13.9 in thickness — slightly more than the thinner UJ-2. It has a simple case band that’s brushed, with a stepped and polished bezel, along with refined engine-turning on the case back.

Each being a separate piece secured to the case middle, the lugs are described as “reinterpreted teardrop”.

Considering the styling of the watch, the lugs feel a little too modern and angular, but the need to establish a new design identity is understandable. Much like the other models, the UJ-3 is available in two metals, platinum or 5N rose gold.

Key facts and price

Urban Jürgensen UJ-3
Ref. UJ-3-PT-B-001 (platinum, black dial)
Ref. UJ-3-RG-B-001 (rose gold, black dial)

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 13.9 mm
Material: 950 platinum or 5N rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: UJ-3
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve indicator, perpetual calendar
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Winding: Manual winding
Power reserve: 52 hours

Strap: Leather with 950 platinum or 5N rose gold pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: Direct from Urban Jürgensen
Price: CHF168,000 excluding taxes

For more, visit Urbanjurgensen.com.

Urban Jürgensen’s entry-level model is now the time-only UJ-2. The brand’s new design language includes nods to the past without being repetitive. Compared to the limited-edition UJ-1 tourbillon, the UJ-2 is a simpler and (relatively) more accessible watch, with a calibre inside that can serve as a base for complications in the future.

Initial thoughts

The UJ-2 shows no obvious direct influence from past watches and marks the beginning of Urban Jürgensen’s new approach. The styling is reminiscent of Breguet’s work, but the fine details are traceable to Jürgensen’s own creations.

Inside, a new movement bears Voutilainen’s unmistakable touch. The gilded, grained caliber appears plain at first glance, but it is of high quality and strikingly original in many respects.

Among the four versions of the UJ-2, one in particular catches the eye. The rose-gold model in particular, with its bright silvered dial recalls George Daniels’s Millennium series, thanks to the off-center dial and gold dial rings.

The small seconds sub dial is rather large, with its diameter almost spanning the watch face diameter. Along with its lopsided placement, it makes for an interesting sight. The dial as a whole looks classical, but with a slight minimalist touch — same as in the UJ-1.

The movement inside looks to be the base for models to come. In a growing trend of using new materials, longer power reserves and high frequencies, the UJ-1 caliber remains quintessentially traditional, taking inspiration from classic pocket watches but with an interesting twist.

The UJ-2 is a very appealing proposition, although the price of over CHF100,000 seems steep for a time-only watch on its face. The UJ-2 is priced similarly to the Voutilainen Vingt-8, which is perhaps the most immediate alternative, making it arguably fairly priced.

Engine-turned dial

There are four versions of the UJ-2, with a choice of two case materials and two dial shades. Regardless of the colour scheme, the dials share the same construction. A thick grain d’orge engine-turned band encircles the offset dial, and a prominent seconds sub-dial is finished with a Clous de Paris pattern.

The main dial, however, is left flat with no engine-turned pattern, which works well for the design. The transition between the dial and sub-dial is marked by brushed rings, each punctuated with circular dots of varying sizes in the style of Breguet. The observatory hands are clean and polished, though they appear slightly too small for the overall proportions.

The UJ-2 Caliber

Inside the UJ-2 is a hand-wound movement of exceptional quality. Simple in concept—with a single barrel, a widely spaced going train, and a large balance—the caliber nevertheless incorporates very interesting details. It includes a power-reserve function to chart its 52-hour power reserve, but it does not use the elaborate screw-and-cone mechanism found in the UJ-1.

Architecturally, the rose gold-plated movement is reminiscent of early 1900s pocket watch calibers, particularly in its winding works and central bridge. The movement has a 32 mm diameter, and its components are widely spaced so that the entire going train is easily visible.

Thick graining covers the plates, while the edges are finished with anglage; the baseplate is decorated with perlage. The finishing is excellent and clearly reflects Mr Voutilainen’s personal style.

The most interesting part of the UJ-2 caliber has to be the regulating system and the escapement that drives it. The free-sprung balance has numerous timing and posing screws around its rim—far more than is typical for a modern balance.

The hairspring features a prominent Phillips curve, and its pinning point is immobile since the stud is rigidly fixed to the balance cock. This should improve stability over time, although it also adds complexity during assembly. Likely, this choice relates to the escapement, which requires the balance wheel to be perfectly centered at its neutral point.

Double direct impulse escapement

The 2.5 Hz regulator is driven by a direct double-wheel escapement—very close to Breguet’s original natural escapement concept. Although it is not explicitly stated, this escapement is the same as that used in Voutilainen’s Vingt-8 movements. Here, the finish differs slightly: the impulse wheels are not heat-blued, but the overall architecture, including the impulse jewels on the balance and the locking lever, remains the same.

The same escapement in a Vingt-8. Image – Voutilainen

The choice of this escapement is somewhat ironic, since in the early 2010s Urban Jürgensen launched a wristwatch with a detent escapement that never worked as intended. Although the project initially involved Derek Pratt, the movements were ultimately outsourced to Jean-François Mojon’s Chronode.

Voutilainen’s Vingt-8 movements—featuring his take on the natural escapement—have operated flawlessly, and incorporating this alternative escapement into an Urban Jürgensen timepiece finally fulfils Pratt’s original intention.

We have covered double-wheel escapements more extensively in the past, but in short, this design achieves more direct and efficient power transmission to the oscillator, reducing friction-related losses. Mr Voutilainen argues that this escapement is roughly 30% more efficient than a traditional Swiss lever, although that claim is bold and difficult to verify.

Enclosing all of this is what seems likely to be Jürgensen’s new signature case, here in a 39 mm diameter and 10.9 mm thickness. It is pleasingly simple, with a brushed case band and a polished stepped bezel. The most elaborate portion is actually the case back, which features a wide grain d’orge engine-cut pattern.

The lugs are stepped and polished, shaped like reinterpreted teardrops. Compared to the overall dimensions of the watch, the lugs seem slightly short—but that, at least, should improve wearability.

Key facts and price

Urban Jürgensen UJ-2
Ref. UJ-2-PT-S-001 (platinum, silver dial)
Ref. UJ-2-PT-B-001 (platinum, blue dial)
Ref. UJ-2-RG-S-001 (rose gold, silver dial)
Ref. UJ-2-RG-B-001 (rose gold, blue dial)

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10.9 mm
Material: 950 platinum or 5N rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: UJ-2
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve indicator
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Winding: Manual winding
Power reserve: 52 hours

Strap: Leather with 950 platinum or 5N rose gold pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: Direct from Urban Jürgensen
Price: CHF105,000 excluding taxes

For more, visit Urbanjurgensen.com.

Led by Kari Voutilainen and backed by an American collector, Urban Jürgensen has been revived in grand style. The brand’s inaugural watch is undoubtedly one of this year’s most surprising launches, the UJ-1 250th Anniversary Watch. The first of three new models, the UJ-1 is a limited edition that pays tribute to the Oval, a pocket watch created by Peter Baumberger and Derek Pratt that is perhaps brand’s greatest timepiece.

Having been dormant for a while and a little confused in terms of focus (including jumping on the fad of an integrated bracelet sports watch), the brand is now running full steam ahead and going back to its high horology roots with a trio of models, led by the UJ-1 that lives up to expectations, and then some.

Initial thoughts

The UJ-1 sets the tone for what is to come from Urban Jürgensen by Kari Voutilainen. Even before turning the watch over and admiring its movement, the execution of the dial hints at the quality within, reflecting the fact that Mr Voutilainen is an undisputed master of guillochage.

At first sight the piece shows an engine-turned face that is tastefully restrained. The collective style of Breguet, Jürgensen, Pratt and Voutilainen can be immediately discerned from the dial. While wearing all the marks of traditional engine-turned dials, the proportions, the typeface and the “zero” marker make it look a little updated and almost leaning on the minimalistic.

The subtle change suggests that the brand is truly going into a new and decisive direction and not merely recycling the old recipe. A sort of quite minimalistic undertone is felt all around the piece (except maybe for the movement), with the redesigned lugs and simple but beautiful case.

Perhaps the only controversial aspect of the new design are the stubby lugs described as “reinterpreted Jürgensen teardrop”. Personally, I find the classic teardrop shape more appealing and fitting for the classic format. All things considered, the simple and well-executed case fits the piece, since the internals remain the main point of interest.

The main showpiece of the UJ-1 is the movement inside, which is modelled after Derek Pratt’s Oval tourbillon. Voutilainen’s talent and intimate connection to the original piece are clearly apparent here, with the caliber being exquisite in both conception and finish.

This UJ-1 is surely one of the most surprising launches of the year so far. From dial to movement, the piece does not disappoint as it tastefully pays tribute to one of the most exquisite pocket watches of the modern era.

That said, the quality and sentimentality come at a hefty price, and any prospective buyer will need to depart with almost CHF400,000 for any of the 75 pieces in the limited edition run.

The Oval connection

Officially, Urban Jürgensen is making a comeback on its 250th Anniversary, though for the sake of accuracy, 2025 actually marks the brand’s 252nd anniversary, since the Jürgensen brand was established back in 1773 by Jurgen Jürgensen, the father of Urban.

The flagship anniversary edition, however, is far more recent than that. The Oval was started in the 1980s and took some decades to finish. We covered the Oval, just before it was sold at Phillips in 2024. The piece is among the masterpieces in contemporary horology and one of Pratt’s greatest works.

While the late Pratt died before completing the movement, Kari Voutilainen picked up the build, applying the exquisite finishing. Now the Finn pays a thoughtful tribute to the Oval, adapting the unique and celebrated movement to a wristwatch version.

The resemblance between the UJ-1 movement and the original Oval pocket watch is uncanny. Beyond the general appearance, the two movements are structurally very similar and share some key details. 

In simplistic terms, the two movements are almost identical; they share a flying mainspring barrel design, a prominent centre wheel and a flying tourbillon cage containing a constant force device.

Part of the magic of Pratt’s design is that the remontoire is located inside the tourbillon cage, meaning the entire cage advances in one-second increments, as does the seconds hand. This behavior differentiates the UJ-1 from other constant force tourbillons that locate the remontoire ‘upstream’ of the escapement.

The two movements are not entirely identical however. There is the obvious shift to a smaller, circular form factor, compared to Pratt’s original ellipse-shaped large pocket piece. Also, constrained by the smaller dimensions and different fabrication techniques, the tourbillon cage looks slightly denser, compared to Pratt’s slender metal work.

An interesting change comes in the remontoir d’egalité system itself. Pratt was well known for his love of the Reuleaux triangle cam remontoir, which he used consistently across his pieces.

While the original concept was actually conceived by Barbezat-Bôle, a long defunct Swiss company, Pratt improved the design and famously used a ruby three-lobed cam as the central piece of the system, for reducing friction.

The UJ-1 uses an easier-to-cut steel cam, but the square follower has ruby liners which engage with the triangular cam. A similar approach is taken by Bernhard Lederer in his Central Impulse Chronometer series. 

The tourbillon assembly.

Pratt’s original Oval pocket watch employed a classic detent escapement, whereas the UJ-1 uses a Swiss lever escapement. Under its previous direction, the Jürgensen brand experimented with wristwatch-mounted detent escapements, without much success. The choice of a Swiss lever is very reasonable here. 

The large screwed balance beats at a slow pace of 2.5 Hz and is paired to a hairspring with a prominent Phillips curve. Compared to most modern free-sprung balances, this particular implementation seems to emulate the heavily-screwed balances of the maritime chronometer era, with many pairs of weight and regulating screws. Here the design breaks off visibly from the Oval pocket watch, where only four screw were applied to the balance rim. 

The Urban Jurgensen brand name is hand-engraved on the mainplate.

Subtle details

Now, there are some more subtle details that shared between the UJ-1 movement and Pratt’s oval masterpiece. While the UJ-1’s main plate and bridges are mostly grained, the Oval (that was finished by Voutilainen) featured a deep solarisation pattern emanating from the tourbillon, and a more discreet circular turning under the centre wheel. 

While the solarisation was not kept in the UJ-1, the circular pattern under the centre wheel was retained, as a subtle tribute. There is also a visible polished steel pin breaking the pattern, present in both watches. 

The UJ-1 can run for a decent 47 hours, before the power supply is cut-out by a Geneva stop-work hidden underneath the barrel. The power reserve is displayed on the dial.

The power reserve mechanism was kept in concept but slightly tweaked for fitting the smaller format. The system is not the usual flat differential, but rather the screw and cone system, favoured by both Derek Pratt and George Daniels in their creations. 

Because of the vertical space required and the numerous parts, screw and cone systems are rarely found in wristwatches. Opposite from the cone, over the barrel, there is a raised finger bridge golding the shaft of a gear. In the original Oval pocket watch, a similar finger bridge supported a slot for key winding the barrel. 

The Geneva stop work on the unseen side of the barrel.

Another subtle similarity to Pratt’s pocket piece lies in the going train arrangement. Geared-off from the flying barrel is the prominent centre (or second) gear, but the third gear is hidden, much like in the Oval. This gives off the pleasant impression that the tourbillon runs all by itself.

One welcome and particular detail that is suggestive of Voutilainen’s own brand and work are the two gold settings, one for the central wheel bridge jewel and one for the tourbillon upper cap jewel. This is identical to what Voutilainen uses in his Vingt-8 movement series. 

Well-executed dial

The UJ-1 is available in three distinct versions, two in platinum and one in rose gold. Each version will be produced in 25 example, for a total of 75 pieces.

The difference between the two platinum models lies in the dial, with one version following a darker theme, with the engine-turned dial parts coloured in a dark grey shade. The 5N rose gold version works very well with the traditional silvered dial.

While the UJ-1 movement is undoubtedly meant to be the centerpiece of this anniversary watch, the dial is equally well-made. Compared to Voutilainen’s more lavish and colourful dials, this one is more subdued, featuring only two types of engine-turning and a thick chapter ring for the hours. 

The main dial portion is finished with a wavy grain d’orge pattern, while the small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock is finished with clous de Paris. Brushed silver sectors encircle both the main dial piece and the sub-dial.

Contrasting with the rest of Roman numerals, the 12 o’clock index was replaced with an Arabic zero numeral. The numeral can be interpreted as a symbol of the brand starting anew, after years under not a very cohesive direction. There is also a six o’clock label of “Copenhagen”, although the pieces are Swiss made.

One might argue that the observatory hand set is a little slender. Indeed, the hands could’ve profited from a more substantial profile, but the cohesion with the dial remains intact. A nice touch is the blued steel cap added to the hub of the hour hand.

The case of the UJ-1 comes at a well-proportioned 39.5 mm by 12.2 mm size. The main case is fairly simple, with a stepped and polished bezel and a signed crown engraved with the new Urban Jürgensen logo. The grain d’orge engine turned pattern is found on the case back as well.

Key facts and price

Urban Jürgensen UJ-1 250th Anniversary Watch
Ref. UJ-1-PT-S-001 (platinum, silver dial)
Ref. UJ-1-PT-G-001 (platinum, grey dial)
Ref. UJ-1-RG-S-001 (rose gold, silver dial)

Diameter: 39.5 mm
Height: 12.2 mm
Material: 950 platinum or 5N rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: UJ-1
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve indicator, tourbillon
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Winding: Manual winding
Power reserve: 47 hours

Strap: Leather with 950 platinum or 5N rose gold pin buckle

Limited edition: 75 pieces in total
Availability: Direct from Urban Jürgensen
Price: CHF368,000 excluding taxes

For more, visit Urbanjurgensen.com.