Urban Jürgensen’s Reboot: Four Burning Questions

The news of Finnish watchmaker Kari Voutilainen’s return to a leadership role at Urban Jürgensen, alongside marketing veteran and new owner Alex Rosenfield, quickly led to stories of a kind of reboot or rebirth for the legacy brand, heralding its next phase.

With its beginnings in 1773, Urban Jürgensen was originally a unique fusion of Danish design sensibilities and exacting marine chronometric time-telling, creating a spiritual dynasty that has thrived amid different bloodlines and generations of custodians over the years.
 

Fortunately, the latest custodians for the newly rebooted Urban Jürgensen have already produced a trio of exceptional new timepieces.

“This collection is a major step forward in a natural progression for Urban Jürgensen,” Co-CEO Kari Voutilainen, whose involvement with the brand spans decades, said at the time of the brand’s reboot announcement. “The synchronized action of the double wheel natural escapement, visible beneath the balance-wheel bridge of the UJ-2 and UJ-3, embodies our philosophy that true innovation in watchmaking isn’t about revolution – it's about thoughtful evolution in pursuit of excellence.”

A translation of Urban Jürgensen’s fabled 1982 Pratt Oval Pocketwatch to the wrist, the new UJ-1 delves into the brand’s heritage. With a tourbillon, a remontoir d’egalité constant force-equipped escapement (basically, an additional wound-component that creates a more consistent flow of the mainspring’s power), and dead-beat seconds, the UJ-1 represents a stunning example of refined, yet demanding-to-execute, complications.
 

Both the new UJ-2 and UJ-3 are based on the brand’s new double-wheel natural escapement movement; a technology first explored by Abraham-Louis Breguet, championed by Urban Jürgensen, and essentially perfected and modernized by Voutilainen himself.
 

The lubrication-free approach minimizes friction while increasing efficiency, shock resistance, and overall durability. Meanwhile, the UJ-3 incorporates a perpetual calendar function into this foundational movement. Going deeper, we asked Co-CEO Alex Rosenfield what he had to say about the brand’s re-birth.
 

Watchonista: Certainly, with Kari Voutilainen’s continued involvement, the future for Urban Jürgensen will be very interesting. But are there pillars or elements of core design DNA that someone will always see in an Urban Jürgensen watch?

Alex Rosenfield: There are design signatures that have been a part of Urban Jürgensen since the founding of the company in 1773: a focus on highly technical and excellent movement design, the use of the finest materials and processes in decoration and design, and, most importantly, a Danish creative aesthetic that blends minimalism with a freer use of space and layout of cases and dials while maintaining a classical aesthetic.

All of these signatures will be interpreted in the new generation of the company, just as they were also present under the founding lineage of Urban and Jules Jürgensen’s leadership, and during the 20th century, when Peter Baumberger and Derek Pratt led the company. We are excited to see how Kari has already carried them forward in a way that is informed by the past but still new.
 

W: As you’ve said, the brand’s original heritage is both Danish and maritime; will we continue to see aspects of those two inspirations as the brand evolves under its new ownership?

AR: A focus on precision and mechanical innovation was foundational to Urban’s experience as a scientist and watchmaker, and the work he did for the Danish navy. So, it will be a part of what we do in complex movement design. The brand’s Scandinavian roots and aesthetic are seen in the minimalist design, particularly in how our decorative dials and their layouts break from the structures found in other European design languages, keeping true to the brand’s history.
 

W: Of the three new models released, is there one in particular that gives a bigger clue as to the directions you are planning to take?

AR: All three have something to say. The UJ-1 is a statement of intent in that it is innovative and bold. We will always strive to do things that are challenging, new, and exciting to those who love watchmaking.

The UJ-2 is the most direct expression of the company’s ethos, bringing together Danish design with our signature UJ Calibre, which is a double-wheel natural escapement that will be seen in most UJ watches moving forward.

The UJ-3 brings this movement together with an integrated perpetual calendar. Another example of how our plan is to build complicated and beautiful watches that we think people will enjoy wearing.
 

W: Does the brand’s rebirth automatically mean a jump in production numbers?

AR: We want to speak to as large an audience as possible. There is a lot to love about our watches, whether you are a collector or new to the world of watches. There is joy in wearing something that is made by a human and has a soul. Our production will always be limited by our commitment to quality, but we do want to invite people to be part of what we are doing and to grow over time.
 

You can learn more about the timepieces via the Urban Jürgensen website.