Lot 9

Urban Jürgensen

An exceptionally fine and rare, large, silver deck chronometer with free-sprung helical gold balance spring and regulator dial - the 24th chronometer of 58 movements so far produced. An identical deck chronometer is known as the so-called "Moltke Chronometer", named after the Danish politician and first democratically elected Prime Minister of Denmark Count Adam Wilhelm Moltke (1785-1864), who lent these chronometers for scientific expeditions

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John Arnold was the first to use balance springs in gold, probably as early as 1779. Both Jürgensen's teacher and later father-in-law Jacques Frederic Houriet and Abraham-Louis Breguet experimented with golden balance springs, but it was Urban Jürgensen who knew how to perfect them and use them effectively. He used the gold balance spring in his best chronometers, which were intended for seafaring, because he knew that neither rust nor magnetism could harm them. This led to his chronometers being taken on various scientific expeditions, initiated by the Danish politician Count Adam Wilhelm Moltke. Heinrich Christian Schumacher (1780-1850), German astronomer and mathematician, professor of astronomy in Copenhagen and director of the observatory, was also enthusiastic and remarked: "A considerable number of Chronometers has been executed in Mr. Jürgensen's establishment, which have all proved superiority in their construction. We particularly draw attention to the helical balance springs which are made of gold, and with respect... to alloys, elasticity, and dimensions, are based upon the experience of a great many years".
The spring detent escapement is based on John Arnold’s design. The brass escape wheel has cycloidal impulse faces. The detent is mounted to a gilded brass arm, which has micrometric adjustment, allowing for precision adjustment of the locking stone. Many were later converted to the Earnshaw type, and it is rare to find one which has survived in original condition.
In his early years, Urban Jürgensen used cases made by Johan Friedrich Hansemann (1787-1843), a Danish goldsmith of German origin who became a Master in 1810. He made the cases for some of Jürgensen's best chronometers.
The nearly identical, so called "Moltke chronometer" is illustrated and described in "The Jürgensen Dynasty" by John M. R. Knudsen, Copenhagen 2013, page 111ff.

Urban Juergensen (1776-1830) was the son of Juergen Juergensen (watchmaker to the Danish court); he was born on August 5, 1776 in Kopenhagen. He went to a business school which he left at the age of 15 to train with his father. At the same time he took private math lessons and studied foreign languages with Professor Woolf, who later became minister of state. When he was 20, Urban’s father sent him to Switzerland to further his education; he spent 18 months in Neuchâtel and 6 months in Geneva. In 1797 Urban went to Le Locle to work for Jacques-Frédéric Houriet. From Le Locle he travelled to Paris. Since he came highly recommended, Juergensen was able to work in the workshops of Abraham Louis Breguet and Ferdinand Berthoud. At the time he received an annual grant of 800 thalers from the Danish government. Juergensen later went to work with John Arnold in London to perfect his knowledge on the design of marine chronometers. From London he travelled back to Switzerland via Paris and married one of the daughters of Jacques-Frédéric Houriet. In 1801 Juergensen returned to Kopenhagen and founded a company for the production of marine chronometers with Etienne Magnin. Magnin went to St. Petersburg shortly afterwards. In 1806 his eldest son Louis Urban was born and on 27 July 1808 his son Jules Frederik. Urban Juergensen was the first watchmaker to become a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences. King Frederick VI granted him a Royal Appointment to supply the court with watches and the Danish Admiralty with chronometers. Urban Juergensen died on May 14, 1830. After his death his sons Louis Urban and Jules continued the business.