This ref. 1140 is quite notable as the first reference from the new era of Urban Jürgensen, made under direction of watchmaking royalty Kari Voutilainen before he became CEO of the brand in 2021. The 1140's teardrop lugs and Breguet numeral, guilloché dial have echoes of the Observatoire and Vingt-8, but in a more restrained and classic design. Its calibre, similarly, has evolved from some of the most capable talents in watchmaking, namely Derek Pratt. This is the 'RG Brown', 1 of just 20 examples made in pink gold with a rich brown, Breguet numeral dial. It has been influenced, by Danish, Swiss, and English watchmaking history in a uniquely hybrid evolution, but is perhaps most importantly the first step toward a new, optimistic era for the incredibly richly storied Urban Jürgensen.
Urban Jürgensen has a storied history which runs back further than most, to 1773. Jørgen Jürgensen, an early Danish watchmaker, received Royal support for his business to create higher quality watchmaking in-country. Shortly after the birth of Urban in 1776, Jørgen moved to Le Locle and set up the Danish-Swiss relationship that would define the brand for two and a half centuries to come. Urban moved to Le Locle at 21, there receiving training from Abraham-Louis Breguet and Ferdinand Berthoud. He returned to Copenhagen in 1801 as one of the most competent watchmakers of his time and set up a traditional that would well outlast him and his father.
Many years later, Peter Baumberger acquired the brand in 1979, and with the help of English watchmaker Derek Pratt, set about continuing the legacy of complicated and intrigue mechanical calibres with beautiful classic aesthetic. This era saw many great works that are increasingly admired by more studious collectors today. Sadly, Derek Pratt passed in 2009 and Baumberger in 2010, leaving the brand motionless. In 2021, Kari Voutilianen led a group of investors to acquire Urban Jürgensen as CEO. He had been helping Pratt & Baumberger in prior years, but took the reigns officially in 2021. Interestingly, this 1140 is one of few watches which Voutilainen had direct involvement in creating prior to the 2021 acquisition, one of his first works of full creative control within the brand. This modern era has a sense of optimism and possibility for the Urban Jürgensen brand which hasn't been felt so deeply for centuries.
This 1140 is the start of a new era, released just after the initial 'Alfred' in 2017 in 20 examples. The details of its appearance are sumptuous. The concave bezel case is 40mm, with individually forged, perfectly finished, and soldered teardrop lugs. The dial similarly leans on historic Urban Jürgensen design cues. It begins as solid silver, which is then given a hand guilloché wave pattern and contrasting basket weave within the petite seconds. Then, carefully polished pink gold Breguet numerals are applied. Each dial takes 2 full days. The hands are equally a crowning achievement, blued steel with a mirror-finished pink gold eyelet, in Observatoire style, which is an Urban Jürgensen hallmark that none rival. The brown dial paired agains a pink gold in this limited edition feels utterly lavish.
The calibre P4, though, is one of the more unique points of the 1140. In 2005, Urban Jürgensen worked with Jean-François Mojon on a detent escapement, influenced by Pratt. After Pratt's death, Mojon took responsibility for the engineering and development of calibres whilst Voutilainen took on the finishing, assembly, and regulation. This resulted in the P8, influenced by one prototype that Pratt had completed before his passing, the first wristwatch with a detent escapement. This P4 an the evolution of that calibre, made to be more reliable, approachable, and easy to service with a traditional Swiss lever escapement but precise same architecture as the P8. It is a dual mainspring, stop-seconds movement which is entirely vertically manufactured and owned by Urban Jürgensen. The P4 sports a unique radial Côtes de Genève, ample anglage with a celebration of laborious inner angles, and individually numbered plaque.
The recent, incredible strides made by Urban Jürgensen have culminated in a bastion of traditional watchmaking, Voutilainen-influenced but also quite apart in its core identity. The 1140 is a watch of hope, ability, and authoritative direction from experience. The P4 is the result of three countries' best and brightest minds handing off to eachother over centuries: Jürgensen, Pratt, and Voutilainen. In this and many other respects, it is one of the most interesting projects made today: classically inspired and traditionally made, but contemporary and independent in feeling.
