For the uninitiated, Urban Jürgensen might not be the first name that springs to mind when you think of luxury watches – but that’s likely to change. 

Once a well-kept secret among horological diehards, Urban Jürgensen is the ultimate low-key flex. Founded in 1773 by Danish watchmaker Jürgen Jürgensen, the brand has more than two centuries (252 years, in fact) of heritage to its name. 

courtesy of URBAN JÜRGENSEN

But what most modern collectors associate it with is its more recent and undeniably iconic “Oval” pocket watch – an obsessive masterwork dreamed up by UJ’s former technical director Derek Pratt in the early aughts. It took over 20 years to complete and was the first timepiece ever to feature a remontoir inside the tourbillon cage, and sold last year at auction for an incredible $4.22 million.

That was the lure for many attendees at the brand’s relaunch event in Los Angeles earlier this month: to see (and try on) a piece of watchmaking legend reborn for the wrist. The UJ-1 is essentially a wristwatch version of the Oval, a feat of horological engineering that does not disappoint. Limited to just 75 pieces, this slice of horological history will set you back around $447,000.

courtesy of URBAN JÜRGENSEN

If that’s a little out of range, the UJ-2 may be your entry point. At $127,000, it’s the collection’s “simpler” time-only model, though nothing about it is modest. Four versions are available, including a standout rose gold case with a deep royal blue dial, featuring a small off-centre seconds at five o’clock, and a power reserve indicator at twelve. 

And because no serious watch brand relaunches without a perpetual calendar, enter the UJ-3. This $204,000 beauty lays out the four classic complications – date, day, month, and moon phase – in a clean, elegant quadrant. It’s a technical marvel with undeniable wrist presence, sliding effortlessly into the same league as offerings from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin.

courtesy of URBAN JÜRGENSEN

All of this comes as Urban Jürgensen begins a new chapter under a freshly formed leadership duo: Alex Rosenfield, a next-gen entrepreneur and son of financier (and UJ owner) Andrew Rosenfield, and Kari Voutilainen, the legendary Finnish watchmaker. It’s an intriguing pairing, and one that promises to appeal to both hardcore collectors and newcomers craving pieces with more story than just pure status. 

Urban Jürgensen isn’t trying to be the flashiest name in the room. It’s playing the long game, and doing so with some seriously beautiful watches.

courtesy of URBAN JÜRGENSEN