This yellow-gold,  Reference 2, with a uniquely aged champagne dial perfectly encapsulates the brand’s long-established commitment to traditional watchmaking. Understated both in styling and case-size, it’s part of a small, yet significant collection of Urban Jürgensen watches, complete with dials hand-finished by the late Derek Pratt. With its unassuming 38 mm size, and svelte profile matched by a highly-refined, Frédéric Piguet calibre, it's arguably one of most elegant offerings of the modern Urban Jürgensen era.

The Reference 2 was part of a limited series of Urban Jürgensen wristwatches introduced during the early 90s, housing modern Frédéric Piguet movements with added complications also developed by Pratt. A total of 175 examples were made, with 122 of these believed to have been cased in solid gold.

A Strong Foundation

Urban Jürgensen have a rich and varied history, dating back to the late 18th Century. The manufactures namesake, Urban Jürgensen (1776-1830), along with his father Jürgen Jürgensen, have long been credited with introducing the watch industry to Denmark. Shortly after the birth of his son in 1776, Jürgen Jürgensen moved to Le Locle in Switzerland to work with Jacques-Frédéric Houriet, laying the foundations for a Danish-Swiss connection which still exists over 240 years later.

In 1985, the brand was acquired by Peter Baumberger, who together with master English horologist Derek Pratt, set about carrying forward a legacy of elegant and complicated timepieces, whilst pioneering concepts of performance, stability and movement aesthetics. The Reference 2, epitomises this period of the brand's history in the best possible way.

The Design

The 38 mm yellow gold case of this Reference 2, features the brand’s distinctive teardrop lugs and convex bezel. Forged separately from the case, the classic teardrop lugs are carefully heat-treated, hand-polished and individually soldered into place using mid-century horological methods, with no visible soldering line.

Over time, the hand-finished, traditionally engine-turned guilloché dial has developed a uniform "tropical" patina, creating a unique vintage aesthetic. A small trench separates the outer chapter of black minute markers and inner polished chapter of black (inked) Roman numerals, forming a nice contrast against the monochromatic appearance of the dial and case. The centre of the dial occupies yet another section, decorated by a diamond-guilloché pattern. A cartouche at twelve o'clock references “Urban Jürgensen Copenhagen”. All parts are hand-crafted from beginning to end; including the slender, solid-gold ‘observatoire’ hour and minute hands.

At twelve o'clock, the aperture for the moonphase is shown, adding further level of depth to the dial. This understated display also displays a basket-work pattern beneath, encasing the unique reference number of the watch. The large subsidiary register at six o'clock is decorated by more hand-turned, basket-work patterning, enclosed within the polished date chapter. The dates themselves centre around a slender rose-gold indicator, with an elegant counter-balance at one end.

The Movement

The ultra-slim Frédéric Piguet calibre is expertly-finished and elaborately hand-decorated, featuring a 21k gold guilloche rotor, signed with the UJS crest. This automatically-wound movement is adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, with 35 jewels.

Closer look