Danish gold quarter repeating duplex pocket watch Circa 1824

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Kenmerk
AD0438
Diameter
59 mm
Estimate
€ 3.000 - 6.000
Price sold
€ 4.000

Gold quarter repeater by Urban Jürgensen
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A heavy Danish 18 carat gold open faced quarter repeating duplex pocket watch, circa 1824. Full plate movement, two hammers, two gongs, steel brass double wheel duplex escapement, temperature compensated balance spring. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals and subsidiary seconds.
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Diameter: 59 mm
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Weight: 187 g
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Signed: Urban Jürgensen Kiobenhavn
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Similar watches are described and illustrated in great detail in ‘Urban Juergensen & Soenner’ by John M.R. Knudsen, Copenhagen 2003, pages 190-191. 
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Urban Jürgensen (1776-1830) was the son of Jürgen Jürgensen (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, Jürgensen 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. Jürgensen 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. His first son Louis Urban was born in 1800. In 1801 Jürgensen returned to Copenhagen and founded a company for the production of marine chronometers with Etienne Magnin. Magnin went to St. Petersburg shortly afterwards. On July 27th, 1808 Urban’s son Jules Frederik was born. 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.

Signed: Urban Jürgensen Kiobenhavn

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