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 8, epitomises this period of the brand's history in the best possible way.
The 38 mm platinum case of the Reference 8, 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.
The hand-finished, traditionally engine-turned guilloché dial has an outer chapter of blue minute markers, with a trench separating it from a second polished chapter of blue (inked) Roman numerals. The centre of the dial occupies yet another section, decorated by a diamond-guilloché pattern. Separate cartouches at twelve o'clock reference “Urban Jürgensen" and "Copenhagen”. All parts are hand-crafted from beginning to end; including the slender, solid-gold and blue ‘observatoire’ hour and minute hands.
At six o'clock is the subsidiary seconds, adding another level of depth to the dial. This understated display is decorated by a hand-turned, basket-work pattern, enclosed within a polished chapter. The markers centre around a slim, blue indicator, counter-balanced at one end.
The highly-refined, Frédéric Piguet calibre is expertly-finished and elaborately hand-decorated, featuring a 21k gold guilloche rotor, signed with the UJS crest. This self-winding movement is adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, with 31 jewels.
This Urban Jürgensen Reference 8 is accompanied by its Certificate of Origin (dated 14 October, 1999) and original fitted wooden presentation box with outer packaging.
Although this piece is preowned, A Collected Man is an authorised UK retailer for Urban Jürgensen. Viewings can be arranged by appointment at our offices in Central London. Any watches from can be ordered through us.
Closer look
| Brand: | Urban Jürgensen |
| Model: | Reference 8 |
| Movement: | mechanical self-winding Frédéric Piguet calibre |
| Functions: | hours, minutes, sub-seconds |
| Features: | blue Roman numerals and hands, hand-finished engine-turned dial |
| Case: | 38 mm platinum |
| Crystal: | sapphire front |
| Strap: | light nubuck Istanbul strap, original UJS black alligator strap, platinum tang buckle |
| Lug/buckle width: | |
| Year: | 1999 |
| Box & papers: | original box and Certificate of Origin from Urban Jürgensen |
This preowned, full-set Urban Jürgensen Reference 8 is for sale at A Collected Man, an authorised UK retailer for Urban Jürgensen. The watch has remained virtually unworn since the date of its original purchase and is in excellent condition. It is currently being serviced and will be available in approximately 1-2 weeks.
