rban Jürgensen, the storied independent watchmaker founded in Copenhagen in 1773, proudly enters a new era reasserting its place at the vanguard of horological excellence. With fresh family ownership, an inspired leadership team, and an entirely new collection including in house movements, the brand unveils a bold relaunch that marries centuries of craft with a contemporary cultural point of view.

Few names in horology carry the historical weight of Urban Jürgensen. Established in 1773 in Copenhagen by Jürgen Jürgensen and brought to its first golden age by his son, Urban Jürgensen, the brand quickly earned acclaim for its scientific contributions and meticulous marine chronometers made for the Danish Navy. In addition to Urban Jürgensen’s precision engineered instrument, his taste, watchmaking skill and Scandinavian design sensibility made his pocket watches coveted luxury goods. Under his leadership, Urban Jürgensen was the official watchmaker to the Danish royal court.

Over centuries, the brand has remained synonymous with precision, elegance, and innovation, often shaping the world of watchmaking from behind the scenes. From the 1980s to the 2000s, during Urban Jürgensen’s second great generation, under the leadership of Peter Baumberger and the technical direction of legendary British watchmaker, Derek Pratt, it earned admiration among connoisseurs for its uncompromising craftmanship and understated beauty. The new generation brings more than a new collection; it is also the return of an independent watchmaking house that continues to exemplify elegance in design and excellence in the making of its watches.

Today’s revival is a return to form, a reaffirmation of Urban Jürgensen’s values, and the beginning of a new creative chapter. At the helm are Co-CEOs Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield, whose distinct yet complementary backgrounds give shape to the brand’s renewed identity.

Kari Voutiliainen is one of the world’s most celebrated watchmakers with eleven Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awards to his name, the most of any independent watchmaker. He returns to the brand that helped define his early career where he now leads design, technical development and production with new calibers and three new models designed entirely 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,” said Kari. “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.”

Andy and Alex Rosenfield

Alex Rosenfield, a former fashion and media executive, brings a collector’s sensitivity and a storyteller’s clarity to the brand’s global vision. Focused on creative direction, operations, strategy and sales he is committed to maintaining the company’s independence while expanding its presence among a new generation of collectors.

“Reviving Urban Jürgensen as a family-led, independent house is a rare privilege,” said Alex. “Founded by a pioneer and upheld by generations of mastery, Urban Jürgensen is one of the great names in watchmaking history, and we are honored to steward it. This means making sure every detail, every story, and every watch lives up to what this name deserves. We believe that the way we keep time inspires how we spend it.”

With the debut of its new collection, Urban Jürgensen begins its third golden age anchored in the belief that time, when kept and spent beautifully, becomes something far greater than seconds and minutes. It becomes meaningful.

THE 2025 COLLECTION

The 2025 collection celebrates Urban Jürgensen’s history of exceptional watchmaking while reimagining its values for today. Each model combines engineering precision with emotional resonance, powered by proprietary movements developed, assembled and finished to the highest standards of Swiss Haute Horlogerie. From the escapement architecture to the hand-guilloché dials, every detail reflects the belief that time should be kept with both precision and beauty.

UJ-1: THE ANNIVERSARY WATCH

A reimagining of the iconic Urban Jürgensen Derek Pratt Oval Pocket Watch, the UJ-1 achieves a mechanical milestone long considered impossible: miniaturizing and adapting the Oval’s tourbillon movement with remontoir d’égalité and dead-beat seconds into a wristwatch. The UJ-1 pays tribute to both the brand’s technical legacy and Voutilainen’s personal history. Limited to 75 pieces, the UJ-1 is offered in three references of 25 watches each.

UJ-2: THE THREE-HAND WATCH WITH DOUBLE-WHEEL NATURAL ESCAPEMENT

A study in restraint and refinement, the UJ-2 features a double wheel natural escapement, inspired by the design concept of Urban Jürgensen’s mentor Abraham Louis Breguet in the 18th century and perfected today by Kari. This system offers a smoother energy transfer and up to 30% greater power efficiency than a traditional Swiss lever escapement. With each watch requiring 565 hours to complete, the UJ-2 reflects Urban Jürgensen’s belief that the pursuit of perfection is a joy in itself.

UJ-3: THE PERPETUAL CALENDAR WITH INSTANTANEOUS MOON PHASE

Developed in collaboration between Kari and the master watchmaker and engineer, Andreas Strehler, the UJ-3 integrates the Strehler precise moon phase indication, accurate for 14,000 years, with Urban Jürgensen’s double wheel natural escapement, the first time a serially produced perpetual calendar has had a double wheel natural escapement. From the layout of the calendar to the hand-finishing of every component, the UJ-3 exemplifies the Maison’s commitment to technical purity and timeless elegance.

TIME WELL SPENT: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON MODERN WATCHMAKING

Alongside its new collection, Urban Jürgensen also introduces its first-ever portrait series, Time Well Spent, created in collaboration with celebrated fashion photographer and Urban Jürgensen’s Photography Director, Ellen von Unwerth. Known for her cinematic, emotionally charged portraits, Ellen and Urban Jürgensen break the traditional format of watch imagery, instead creating a monthly series of expressive portraits that shows a swath of creative and interesting individuals deeply immersed in their passions, underscoring the brand’s core belief in time kept and spent beautifully. In the first installment, James Turrell, the great light sculptor, is shown at his monumental instillation, Roden Crater.