The quiet power of craftsmanship has long defined Urban Jürgensen, the legendary watchmaker founded in 1773. Now, under the stewardship of Co-CEOs Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield, the maison begins its third renaissance—unveiling a new era that unites technical ingenuity with emotional resonance. The 2025 relaunch reasserts the brand’s place in contemporary haute horlogerie, not only through its masterful collection of proprietary movements, but through a reimagined ethos of independence, storytelling, and cultural relevance.
Few maisons carry the historical depth of Urban Jürgensen. Originally established in Copenhagen by Jürgen Jürgensen and led into prominence by his son, Urban Jürgensen, the brand was synonymous with excellence in scientific instrumentation and luxury timekeeping. Revered for its marine chronometers and pocket watches, it served the Danish royal court and helped define the standards of precision and design in the 18th and 19th centuries.
A second golden age followed in the late 20th century under Peter Baumberger and the influential British watchmaker Derek Pratt, who together helped cultivate the brand’s reputation for hand-finishing and horological purity. Today’s revival draws on both legacies—and dares to evolve them.
The relaunch is shaped by two distinct yet harmonious voices. Kari Voutilainen, one of the most decorated independent watchmakers in the world, returns to a brand that helped form his early career. With eleven Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awards, Voutilainen now oversees design, movement development, and production, ensuring every new model is crafted in-house.
“Since the 18th century when Urban himself helmed the company, Urban Jürgensen has stood for the pursuit of horological excellence in its engineering and aesthetic fields. To return now, and to shape its next era with the same care that defined its past, is both a joy and a duty. We are creating watches that honor time and that through handmaking and finishing have a soul.”Kari Voutilainen
Partnering with Voutilainen is Alex Rosenfield, a former fashion and media executive whose collector’s insight and strategic vision guide the brand’s creative direction, sales, and storytelling.
“Reviving Urban Jürgensen as a family-led, independent house is a rare privilege,” Rosenfield said. “We believe that the way we keep time inspires how we spend it.”Alex Rosenfield
Each model in the 2025 collection embodies the maison’s founding principles—craft, precision, and discretion—while introducing proprietary movements and advanced complications that push the envelope.
A limited-edition marvel, the UJ-1 translates Derek Pratt’s Oval Pocket Watch into a wristwatch—complete with tourbillon, remontoir d’égalité, and dead-beat seconds. It marks a landmark technical achievement and a personal homage from Voutilainen. Only 75 pieces will be produced, split evenly among three references.
The UJ-2 introduces a double wheel natural escapement, inspired by Breguet’s original concept and realized with modern efficiency. With smoother energy transfer and increased power output, the UJ-2 is as mechanically compelling as it is visually restrained. Each piece requires 565 hours to complete.
Created in collaboration with Andreas Strehler, the UJ-3 is the first serially produced perpetual calendar to feature a double wheel natural escapement alongside Strehler’s precise moon phase, accurate to 14,000 years. The result is both technically rare and visually timeless.
Urban Jürgensen’s revival extends beyond technical prowess. With the launch of “Time Well Spent,” a portrait series created by celebrated fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth, the brand positions itself within a cultural dialogue. The series breaks traditional horological imagery, showing icons like James Turrell immersed in their life’s work—underscoring the maison’s belief that “time kept and spent beautifully” is a philosophy, not a tagline.
Urban Jürgensen’s return is not a reinvention—it is a refinement of purpose, steeped in history but responsive to modern collectors. With in-house design, hand-finishing, and a reverence for time as both material and metaphor, the brand offers something increasingly rare: watches with technical soul and creative clarity.