Comments:
credit: @thedeadwatchsociety, Monochrome, Hodinkee, A Blog To watch & Phillips
Jürgensen, Pratt & Voutilainen Glory
The launch of the UJ-1 & UJ-2, two of the three watches made by Kari Voutilainen to revive the Urban Jürgensen brand have been welcomed on our site with moderate enthusiasm: The new Urban Jürgensen Collection.
However, I personally find the UJ-1, which is a wristwatch reinterpretation of Derek Pratt's Oval pocket watch, to be a fantastic piece.
So I am happy to highlight it again together with the UJ-2 and a Derek Pratt UJ pocket watch:
- UJ-1 Tourbillon in rose gold. A reimagination of the legendary Urban Jürgensen Derek Pratt Oval Pocket Watch.
- UJ-2 in rose gold with a blue dial: three-hand watch with double wheel natural escapement.
- Perpetual Calendar, Minute Repeating pocket watch with Moonphases made by Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen with a yellow gold hunter case, 1985.
What do you think?
Best, Emmanuel
credit: @thedeadwatchsociety, Monochrome, Hodinkee, A Blog To watch & Phillips
I really like the movements
I like the layouts and the finishing. One thing I don’t like is the 12 o’clock. It sure if it’s a 0? Or ()?
Dial side, I like the tourbillon piece better. I am not a fan of the smaller chapter ring on the blue.
It’s a 0, no doubt about that (for me, at least).
For me too, dial and movement sides, it’s the UJ-1 that really stands out.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
The '0' is a tribute to Pratt's oval pocket watch...
...far too cute. Silly, in fact. I love older UJs, but these have zero appeal to me...
Thank you for clarifying the
meaning of the 0. I understand your dislike but don’t share it.
Somehow I missed this thread and the one about the oval watch
One of my great pleasures in the watch world was meeting and talking with Derek Pratt. What a nice and humble guy he was. I talked with him and Kari for awhile, not knowing who either of them were...
We were all just “watch guys” 20 years ago...
Cazalea
We were all just “watch guys” 20 years ago...
Thank you for sharing this experience and these photos.
These guys are humble craftsmen and creators and I’m not surprised that they are nice people.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
The wristwatches are very thick...
...and appear to be far thicker than their listed dimensions. Classic UJ may have needed a lift, but these are a miss. In addition, they have one of the most annoying websites I've ever seen.
I’m not surprised that the thickness upsets you.
And I fully respect your dislike for these watches, but I feel very differently.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
I have to see them in person yet but i am mostly impressed by the movement from the Tourbillon.
What a beauty 👌🏻
The UJ-1 is definitely the main piece of the three
made to revive the brand.
I like it very much, at least on photos.
Best, Emmanuel
I like it very much, at least on photos.
Best, Emmanuel
The relaunch has me torn somewhat…
I find there are many elements that are well done but the whole somehow does not have the coherence I would wish for. I know that neither Kari nor UJ were known for thin watches but these really are very, very thick - so not quite sure what a use case would be for them - at least from my perspective.
And then I am not quite clear what the direction is supposed to be. Previously the UJs started visually resembling KVs possibly too much (at a lower price point) and now I have the feeling that there is a new visual language (that seems to take little to nothing from the brand’s past) but the positioning came to be one very similar to KV 🤷🏻♂️
My question is if the world needed yet another independent focused on finishing, fine as it undoubtedly is, or if a better niche and hence an opportunity was missed.
Even if I had the money needing to be urgently spent on a watch in this segment somehow I doubt UJ would currently make it on the shortlist 🤷🏻♂️
I find it very interesting to read your thoughts.
I might be too enthusiastic, as I've never seen the UJ-1 in real life (the only model I really care about, but strongly care about).
Thickness and price (or at least the positioning of the brand) might be strong issues, I am aware of that.
But I love the Oval pocket watch and this wristwatch tribute is very appealing to me (not that I can afford it).
Thank you for sharing your doubts.
Best, Emmanuel
Thickness and price (or at least the positioning of the brand) might be strong issues, I am aware of that.
But I love the Oval pocket watch and this wristwatch tribute is very appealing to me (not that I can afford it).
Thank you for sharing your doubts.
Best, Emmanuel
Not trying to diss what is there…
I am sure a lot of effort went into the relaunch but not quite sure if this portfolio is the right one at the right time. I guess, time will tell 🤷🏻♂️
Hi Emmanuel - thank you for posting these nice photos!
To me the UJ-1 is a bit controversial for the following reasons: (i) the original Oval watch used a spring detent escapement and I am not sure D.P. would be thrilled to know that his movement architecture in the Oval is being reimagined with a simpler Swiss lever escapement, (ii) as far as I understand D.P. was not thrilled that K.V. was asked to complete his Oval watch - D.P.'s dream was to complete the watch by himself, as far as I have learned. So a bit controversial overall, to me.
Hi JJ,
thank you for sharing your doubts.
I fully understand them and I realise that I might be too enthusiastic.
But I love the Oval and I find this wristwatch tribute very appealing, at least on photos...
But I should maybe be more skeptical.
Best, Emmanuel
I fully understand them and I realise that I might be too enthusiastic.
But I love the Oval and I find this wristwatch tribute very appealing, at least on photos...
But I should maybe be more skeptical.
Best, Emmanuel
Maybe I am being too cautious here, I am not sure
It’s just that D.P. was an emblematic watchmaker of the era and Oval aledgedly was regarded by him as one of his greatest creations. So any remake effort would be under a magnifying glass here for “worthiness” and moral clarity.
I find them very attractive however there’s just something about the lugs.
To me the lugs on a case have to be extremely visually appealing. Especially in a dress watch. It would be like looking at a beautiful woman and a stunning dress with very short legs.
I agree that it is an interesting view.
All the more so since I personally like this unusual design, at least on photos.
A hands-on experience would be absolutely necessary here.
Best, Emmanuel
A hands-on experience would be absolutely necessary here.
Best, Emmanuel
You might be completely right, Tony.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
On photos, I find these lugs very interesting: not only different, but giving the case a very nice look.
But I would have to see the UJ-1 in real life. Maybe someday.
Best, Emmanuel
On photos, I find these lugs very interesting: not only different, but giving the case a very nice look.
But I would have to see the UJ-1 in real life. Maybe someday.
Best, Emmanuel
if the lugs were not so short, I would have gone after one of these. Everything apart from the lugs speaks to what I look in a watch these days. Thanks for sharing!
I understand your feeling.
I would need to see these lugs in real life because I personally like them on photos...
Best, Emmanuel