Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown Watch Review
The Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown is a hand-wound timepiece that bears a strong resemblance to its forebears. However, as Angus Davies explains, this is an attribute for those would-be buyers who seek true luxury.
Obsolescence is incompatible with the notion of luxury
Obsolescence is not consistent with ‘true luxury’. A painting by an Old Master, a Fabergé egg or a Chippendale table continue to proffer eye appeal despite being made in a sepia-toned era. Indeed, the lustre of true luxury does not wane with the passage of time.
I have often been dismayed that some luxury brands perpetually unveil new models, happy to render their former products as obsolete. It effectively says, ‘we got it wrong’ and here is our latest version which is superb, that is until we choose to discard it and repeat the process again.
The finest examples of luxury, change little. Their design and specification remain consistent. New variants may be released, but they are subtle variants of the original which retain the essence of the initial design.
Urban Jürgensen 1140L RG Brown
In 2017, Urban Jürgensen revealed its Reference 1140L RG Brown, a classically-styled timepiece from its Jürgensen 1745 Collection. This watch is a paragon of elegance, endowed with a hand-wound movement, rose gold case and hand-finished guilloché dial. The time is gracefully articulated with thermally blued hands and, most notably, each hour is indicated with a slender gold baton.
While attending Baselworld 2018, I looked at Urban Jürgensen’s new models. The brand based in Biel/ Bienne, did not unveil a myriad of new references, choosing to release just three models, each readily identifiable as an Urban Jurgensen timepiece. Only very subtle differences distinguished them as new.
One of the new models was the Reference 1140 RG Brown. At first glance, it looked identical to the Reference 1140L RG Brown I had reviewed the previous year. However, closer inspection revealed a subtle difference, the addition of the company’s legendary Arabic numerals.
Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown – dial
Disciples of Urban Jürgensen will no doubt be excited at the advent of the Reference 1140 RG Brown as the model’s numerals are unlike any others. Crafted in solid rose gold, their intricate shape necessitates two separate cutting processes. The number ‘4’ is said to be particularly difficult to execute. Each numeral is polished by hand to form a distinctive pillow shape. Once affixed to the dial epidermis, they exhibit a becoming depth, augmenting their allure.
The appeal of the Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown is not limited to the Arabic numerals gracing its dial, there are numerous episodes of delight.
Urban Jürgensen upholds watchmaking traditions. For instance, the company has equipped the dial with three thermally blue steel hands. The hour hand features a polished eye in rose gold. Interestingly, the eye clicks into position merely by the function of its frictional fit, a testament to the precise standards prevalent at this Maison. The contrast of the rose gold circlet at the heart of the thermally blued hour hand provides a comely contrast which is clear to see. The silver-toned centres shine beautifully.
Another speciality of the house are the guilloché dials. A series of motifs are imparted to the dial surface using a hand-operated rose-engine lathe. Each dial has to be performed by one artisan to ensure consistency. The main dial area is adorned with a sea of Grains d’Orge while the small seconds display features a basketwork motif. The hour track features satiné circulaire, conferring a muted, tasteful aesthetic. Small pearls encircle the dial, conferring ease of read-off.
Each dial is said to necessitate up to 700 individual processes. However, absolute luxury makes no concessions to haste.
Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown – case
Over the years, tastes have changed. Once small watches were de rigueur. More recently, oversized watches were popular, especially among those individuals wishing to flaunt their wealth. Urban Jürgensen has repeatedly shown that it does not subscribe to trends. The Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown is 40 mm in diameter, a scale which should not succumb to the fickle behaviour of fashion.
The case is of three-part construction. A convex bezel is juxtaposed against the arcing profile of the case-band. This contrast proffers a wonderful allure. Light interacts with the numerous contours of the bezel and case-band, casting numerous shadows, heightening the visual allure of the case.
The strap is affixed to the case with teardrop lugs which are forged under immense pressure. This process is repeated several times to achieve the desired shape. Between each forging cycle, the lugs are heat treated to prevent them becoming brittle. Thereafter, the lugs are milled, hand polished and soldered to the case. This approach is in stark contrast to the mass-produced method of milling a case with integrated lugs using a CNC machine, however, the glorious appearance of the Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown justifies the effort expended.
Sat atop the dial surface is a domed sapphire crystal. The case-back is fitted with a flat sapphire crystal affording views of the hand-wound movement.
Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown – Urban Jürgensen P4 hand-finished movement
The in-house, Urban Jürgensen P4 hand-finished movement features manual winding. Each movement is adjusted to temperature and isochronism in five positions.
The balance has a frequency of 21,600 VpH (3Hz) and the movement contains 23 jewels. Twin barrels collaborate to deliver an impressive 72 hours of autonomy. Pulling the crown causes the seconds to stop, proving ideal when synchronising the watch with a reference clock. However, where the Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown stands out from the crowd is with its peerless finishing.
The bridges are exquisitely decorated with Côtes de Genève rayonnantes. Each radiating line is beautifully defined and composed of numerous crisp, diagonal markings. There are a plethora of thermally blued screws adorning the movement. I especially like the blued screws on the ratchet wheel and click. Nothing appears perfunctory.
Engraved golden text proclaims the makers name and the jewel count. The jewel sinks are highly polished. Inspecting the bridges reveals superb anglage. Each bevel gleams resplendently, providing a wonderful contrast with the neighbouring surfaces and flanks.
The balance bridge is an interesting design. It is affixed at two points, making it more stable than a conventional balance cock. The twin-arm, open-worked design allows sight of the balance wheel rotating to and fro.
Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown – closing thoughts
Each constituent element of the Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown is the product of protracted consideration. The dial grants matchless readability while harnessing eye-catching artisanal craftsmanship. The case deftly blends lines, convex and concave forms while bestowing excellent wearer comfort. Lastly, the movement is endowed with no-compromise finishing and an impressive power-reserve. With this watch, functionality and beauty sit side by side.
Despite writing about many watch brands, I remain an unashamed admirer of Urban Jürgensen. I am reticent to refer to this horological maison as a brand. This company makes products with palpable integrity, free of marketing hype. The styling of each timepiece embraces classicism, employs traditional watchmaking techniques and evinces a timeless appearance.
With Urban Jürgensen, there are no radical deviations from the styling of former models and no intrinsic obsolescence. The styling of each model proffers longevity, a fundamental requirement for watch connoisseurs. Indeed, as the Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown demonstrates, this company understands the meaning of ‘true luxury’.
Further information
https://www.urbanjurgensen.com/
Technical specification
- Model: Urban Jurgensen 1140 RG Brown
- Case: Rose gold; diameter 40 mm; sapphire crystal to front and case-back; water resistant to 3 atm (30 metres)
- Functions: Hours; minutes; small seconds
- Movement: Urban Jürgensen Movement P4; hand-wound movement; frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz); 23 jewels; power reserve 72 hours
- Strap: Brown alligator leather strap with solid rose gold folding buckle and clasp
- Price: CHF 37,300 + VAT (RRP as of 18.6.2018)
- Limited Edition: 20 pieces