WORLDTEMPUS - 12 December 2011
Elizabeth Doerr
This classically beautiful piece of watchmaking only reveals its incredible finesse when the wearer turns the watch over to see a 32 mm movement through a transparent sapphire crystal case back. This view is framed by an ultra-classic 42 mm gold wristwatch, the “face” of which comprises a solid silver dial that has been guilloché by hand.
Just the look of it would not let the observer – even the keen observer – know that this timepiece was made by the low-key marque Urban Jürgensen. Though this is a name that echoes throughout the annals of horological history much like that of Abraham-Louis Breguet and Ulysse Nardin, in modern-day watchmaking it had all but gone to sleep as far as the regular consumer was concerned. Its modern history was revived by Peter Baumberger in 1979, who was part of the era's active Swiss vintage watch scene.
Baumberger and shareholder Dr. Helmut Crott, previous owner of the German auction house of the same name, mainly worked with independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen and the late Derek Pratt in creating some exceptional pieces for the collector's market. Watches marked with the Urban Jürgensen name remained rare and sought-after – and unmarketed.
Launches
Following Baumberger's unexpected passing last year, at Baselworld 2011 Urban Jürgensen revealed a high-caliber project the small company had been working on since 2005: the P8 chronometer. Aided by Jean-François Mojon, the concept of the movement begun by Pratt was to improve rate, performance, and stability. Large, aesthetic Caliber UJS08 contains a world premier: the first serial pivoted detent escapement made for a wristwatch. C.O.S.C.- and Chronofiable-certified, this classically beautiful and wondrously aesthetic piece of watchmaking displays an obviously hacking second hand thanks to a pivoted detent escapement moving it in defined little deadbeat jumps.
Perhaps the only fly in the ointment is that due to the number of high profile launches Voutilainen has been involved in this year, his own new model got a bit lost in the shuffle.
Voutilainen debuted a new in-house movement with his own direct impulse double-wheel escapement and a free-sprung balance, which, according to the Finnish master watchmaker, requires 30-40 percent less energy than a conventional Swiss lever escapement. The two escape wheels providing direct impulse to the balance wheel do not require lubrication. Caliber 28 is manufactured in-house, including the escapement. “My new escapement reminds me of the Natural escapement made by Breguet, but in my case, we have a totally different type of lever between the two escape wheels. I have a patent pending for this lever and the configuration of the escapement,” Voutilainen said at Baselworld. The ultra-rare watch housing this ingenious new movement is called Vingt-8 and its aesthetics are very typical of this reserved watchmaker: classic, proportioned and harmonious. As is the P08 by Urban Jürgensen.
