Jules Jurgensen

In the 1850s, the venerable Danish, but in reality Swiss, watch brand Jules Jürgensen began producing pocket watches equipped with a special movement supposedly designed by Louis-Benjamin Audemars in 1833. This movement had a characteristic layout with straight, rounded bridges (in an early version), a large bimetallic balance wheel and an extremely long pallet fork and index adjuster – this movement was to become widely known as the Jürgensen caliber. This movement appeared in several versions in Jules Jürgensen pocket watches – until the 1930s, including an early version with a key winding and setting system, then with a remontoir for the winding crown and also with a spring detent escapement in a slightly different – equally beautiful – version, which was also called the Jürgensen caliber. From 1867, the movement could be fitted with the manual winding and stem setting system developed by Jules Jürgensen, which used a hinged pendent bow.
Due to the popularity of the Jürgensen caliber, which seems to have been strongly associated with the image of prestigious pocket watches with a precise and reliable movement in the second half of the 19th century, the design was adopted by many other brands, including H. Moser & Cie, Guinand Frères, James Nardin, to name but a few, with the exact technical specifications varying considerably, including the shape of the barrel bridge, the construction of the escapement fork, the presence of a Breguet hairspring and several other details. Many sources doubt that the Jürgensen caliber was the result of a technical development that was at least in some way related to Jules Jürgensen, but only became popular because it was regularly used by this renowned brand. It is also claimed that ébauches of this caliber were supplied by various factories besides Louis-Benjamin Audemars, including Piguet Frères, Aubert Frères, Reinbold, Louis Ami Capt, Meylan & Guignard Frères and others, which is confirmed by the corresponding markings on some of the caliber’s components.
However, the hand-setting mechanism which is actuated when the bow is pulled down to the case is used in at least some of the Jürgensen calibers (it is not possible to verify the entire production) which we find in Jules Jürgensen pocket watches manufactured after 1867 (the year in which the corresponding patent was acquired by Jules Frederik Jürgensen, the founder of the brand). Be that as it may, the name Jürgensen caliber is not a modern invention, like the “California” dials of Rolex or Panerai watches, because it has been part of the vocabulary of watchmaking for a very long time. As early as 1883, the Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie wrote: “La calibre Jürgensen est devenu l’un des types les plus estimés en horlogerie de poche. L’échappement à ancre sur la ligne, longue fourchette, qui y est appliqué, est l’un des caractères de cette création”. (“The Jürgensen caliber has become one of the most appreciated types of pocket watches. The long fork lever escapement with which it is equipped is one of the characteristics of this creation.”)
The Jürgensen caliber has a wonderful history that lasted from at least the 1850s to the 1930s and has shaped the legacy of the Jules Jürgensen Copenhagen brand, but also the pocket watches of many other notable watchmakers.

The high reputation of Jules Jürgensen pocket watches, which has led to the term “Jürgensen caliber” to describe the design of the movement, is fully justified when you look at the outstanding movement of this watch. Few watchmakers have the honor of being the father of their own caliber type, and Jules Jürgensen with the Jürgensen caliber is one of them. This watch No.14519 looks like a typical example of Jules Jürgensen’s watchmaking art. The watch features an openface (Lepine) case made from 18k gold in the Empire style, a classic Jürgensen caliber, a two-part white enamel dial and delicate “Pomme de Breguet” hands in blued steel – as attractive as a classic pocket watch from the second half of the 19th century can be. The presence of the Jürgensen-type bow incorporating hand- setting mechanism makes this watch even more special.