Urban Jurgensen UJ-3

In the highest echelons of independent watchmaking, certain creations emerge that not only tell time but also narrate a story of human ingenuity and obsessive craftsmanship. The Urban Jürgensen UJ-3 is such a creation. It stands as a testament to what is achievable when mechanical complexity is pursued not for its own sake, but as a path to a refined and functional object of art. This timepiece is a profound statement from a historic Maison reborn, blending centuries of Danish design sensibility with the pinnacle of Swiss horological execution.

The name Urban Jürgensen carries a significant weight, echoing through the corridors of watchmaking history since its establishment in Copenhagen in 1773. Founded by Jürgen Jürgensen and propelled to international fame by his son, Urban, the brand became a byword for scientific precision, supplying marine chronometers to the Danish Navy and creating coveted pocket watches for the Royal Danish Court. After a period of quiet distinction, the brand is entering its third golden age, revitalized by new family ownership and a leadership duo poised to redefine its future.



At the Helm of this revival are Co-CEOs Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield, a partnership that provides a unique blend of technical mastery and strategic vision. Voutilainen, one of the most decorated independent watchmakers of his generation with a cabinet full of Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awards, leads the design and technical development. His return to a brand that was formative in his early career signals a deep, personal commitment. Rosenfield, with a background in fashion and media, brings a collector's passion and a modern storyteller's approach to the brand's global strategy, ensuring its rich heritage resonates with a new audience.

This new era for Urban Jürgensen is not merely about reviving a name, but about reinvigorating its core principles. The mission is clear: to create timepieces that honor the brand's legacy of innovation and uncompromising quality. The UJ-3, a perpetual calendar with an instantaneous moon phase and a double wheel natural escapement, serves as a powerful flagship for this renewed ambition, encapsulating the belief that how we measure time should be as meaningful as how we spend it.

The physical presence of the UJ-3 begins with its case, a carefully considered structure measuring 39mm in diameter and 13.9mm in thickness. These proportions are deliberately chosen to house a deeply complex movement while remaining eminently wearable for daily enjoyment. Offered in either the cool, substantial heft of 950 platinum or the warm, rich hue of 5N rose gold, the case is a sculpture of contrasting finishes. The stepped bezel features both polished and satin-polished surfaces, creating a dynamic interplay of light.

Further examination of the case reveals the reinterpreted Jürgensen teardrop lugs. This signature design element has been subtly updated with a stepped profile, adding a layer of architectural depth. The case middle is satin-polished, providing a soft counterpoint to the gleam of the bezel and lugs. Even the non-screwed, fluted crown is an object of detail, bearing a crisp UJ engraving. This devotion to craft extends to the case back, which is protected by a sapphire crystal, revealing not just the movement but also a surround of intricate hand-guilloché in a circular Grain d’orge pattern.



Visually, the dial of the UJ-3 is where the watch makes its most immediate and powerful statement. The version with a black dial presents a dramatic and deeply textured face. The layout is a masterful exercise in asymmetrical balance, a configuration that allows each indication to be read clearly without clutter. Offset from the true center are the main hour and minute hands, which sweep over a complex tapestry of information. A fractional power reserve indicator is discreetly positioned at 12 o’clock, providing a useful measure of the movement's 52-hour autonomy.

The dial's surface is a canvas for the rare art of hand-guilloché. The periphery of the main dial is decorated with a circular Grain d’orge (barleycorn) pattern, its tight, repetitive motif radiating outwards. A dedicated auxiliary dial at 5 o’clock houses both the calendar day and the small seconds, its surface engraved with a 45° Clous de Paris (hobnail) pattern that catches the light in a completely different manner. The minute track, meanwhile, features a Sauté-piqué finish, adding yet another layer of texture and refinement.

The calendar functions are thoughtfully distributed for legibility. The month is displayed in an aperture within a sub-dial at 3 o’clock, while the date is shown via a pointer on an offset sub-dial at 9 o’clock. Perhaps the most poetic of the complications, the moon phase, resides at 8 o’clock, its celestial display adding a touch of romance to the technical proceedings. Each of these indications is framed by applied surrounds, rendered in either silver or 5N rose gold with a fine satin-polished finish, lending the dial a remarkable sense of depth and structure.

Completing the dial's composition are the flame-blued Jürgensen hands. This traditional technique, requiring a master’s touch to achieve the perfect cornflower blue, is a hallmark of high-end watchmaking and a nod to the brand's historical methods. The distinct shapes of the hands ensure immediate recognition of the hours and minutes, their vivid color providing a brilliant contrast against the dark, textured dial, enhancing readability while serving as a key aesthetic signature.



Beneath this intricate face beats the heart of the UJ-3: the in-house Caliber UJ-3. This hand-wound movement is a completely integrated perpetual calendar, meaning it was designed from the ground up to incorporate its complications, rather than adding modules to a base caliber. Comprising 438 meticulously finished components, the movement is a micromechanical city, operating at a traditional frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz). Its 5N rose gold-plated bridges provide a warm, visually striking foundation for the steel components.

A central technical achievement of the Caliber UJ-3 is its regulator, which features a free-sprung balance with a direct double wheel natural escapement. This advanced escapement architecture, perfected by Kari Voutilainen, is inspired by a concept from Abraham-Louis Breguet. It utilizes two escape wheels to give direct impulses to the balance, significantly reducing friction. The result is a more stable and efficient system, offering up to 30% greater power efficiency compared to a conventional Swiss lever escapement. The UJ-3 marks the first instance of a double wheel natural escapement being used in a serially produced perpetual calendar.

The perpetual calendar itself is a marvel of both mechanics and user experience. It accurately accounts for the varying lengths of the months, including the 29th of February in leap years, requiring no manual correction until the year 2100. A key feature of its design is the instantaneous jump mechanism, which ensures that all calendar indications—date, day, and month—change simultaneously at the stroke of midnight. This crisp, unified switch is a sign of superior engineering and power management within the movement. The leap year indication is cleverly placed on the movement side, visible through the case back, preserving the aesthetic purity of the dial.

The moon phase complication is another area where the UJ-3 pushes the boundaries of mechanical possibility. Developed in collaboration with the brilliant master engineer Andreas Strehler, this is the first time his hyper-precise moon phase indication has been licensed for use in a serially produced timepiece. Like the calendar, it features an instantaneous jump at midnight. Its accuracy is simply staggering, deviating by only a single day every 14,000 years. It transforms a traditional astronomical display into a legacy of precision that will outlast countless generations.



The philosophy of Urban Jürgensen dictates that the beauty of a movement should not be confined to what is immediately visible. Every one of the 438 components of the Caliber UJ-3 is finished by hand to an extraordinary standard, irrespective of whether it is seen or hidden. Techniques like Grenage, a frosted finish, and perlage, a pattern of small overlapping circles, are applied to the main plates and bridges. All edges are treated with domed chamfering (anglage), a difficult and time-consuming process that creates curving, polished bevels that catch the light. Screws are mirror-polished to a black gleam, and the wheels are satin-polished, demonstrating a holistic commitment to craft.

This collaboration between Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler is a story in itself. It represents a meeting of two of the most respected minds in modern watchmaking. Voutilainen’s mastery of escapements and superlative finishing, combined with Strehler’s unparalleled genius in astronomical complications and gear-train engineering, has resulted in a movement that is more than the sum of its parts. It is a harmonious fusion of different, yet complementary, areas of horological expertise.

The UJ-3 does not exist in a vacuum; it is a cornerstone of the 2025 collection that signals the brand’s ambitious new direction. It sits alongside the UJ-1, a tribute to Derek Pratt’s oval pocket watch, and the UJ-2, a three-hand watch that also features the double wheel natural escapement. Together, these models form a cohesive statement about Urban Jürgensen's renewed focus on developing proprietary movements that are both technically innovative and aesthetically refined.

To wear the UJ-3 is to engage with a specific philosophy of time. In an era where a mechanical watch is a deliberate choice, this timepiece makes a compelling case for that choice. It is an affirmation that the pursuit of excellence, for no other reason than the joy of the pursuit itself, holds intrinsic value. It is about creating an object of lasting substance and meaning, where the unseen details are given as much reverence as the visible ones.



The connection to the wrist is completed by a hand-stitched strap crafted from ethically sourced alligator leather. Lined with soft calfskin for comfort, the strap is both luxurious and durable. It is secured by a classic pin buckle, made from the same 950 platinum or 5N rose gold as the case, ensuring a seamless and coherent design from every angle.

The Urban Jürgensen UJ-3 is a profound piece of horology that marries historical legacy with forward-looking mechanical art. It is a complex machine that presents itself with clarity and grace. With a price of CHF 168,000, it is positioned for serious collectors who appreciate the immense skill, time, and collaborative genius packed within its 39mm frame. Available in either platinum or rose gold, each with a striking black dial, the UJ-3 is more than a watch; it is a standard-bearer for a legendary name confidently stepping into a new golden age.

Case: 950 platinum or 5N rose gold; 39mm diameter, 13.9mm thickness; stepped bezel, reinterpreted Jürgensen teardrop lugs; domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment, sapphire crystal case back; 3 ATM (30 meters) water resistance.

Movement: Caliber UJ-3, in-house hand-wound integrated perpetual calendar; 438 components, 42 jewels; 52-hour power reserve; 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz) frequency; features a free spring balance with direct double wheel escapement, instantaneous jump calendar, and instantaneous jump moon phase.

Dial: Black dial with rhodium plated or 5N rose gold plated finishes; Hand guilloché in circular Grain d’orge, 45° Clous de Paris, and Sauté-piqué patterns; offset indications for hours, minutes, date, month, moon phase, small seconds, and power reserve; flame-blued Jürgensen hands.

Strap: Hand-stitched, ethically sourced alligator leather with soft calfskin lining; 950 platinum or 5N rose gold pin buckle.

Price: CHF 168,000

Reference Number: UJ-3-PT-S-001 (Platinum); UJ-3-RG-S-001 (Rose Gold)

Notes: A collaboration between Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler. It is the first serially produced perpetual calendar to feature a double wheel natural escapement. The Strehler-designed moon phase is accurate to one day every 14,000 years.