Jules Jurgensen Watches Identification & Value (Price Guide with Marks) (2024)

Despite their high production, old Jules Jurgensen watches hold immense value as one of the first internationally acclaimed watches. Besides, in 2013, celebrities like Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Jay-Z sported these watches, doubling their prominence!

But this also allows sellers to sell off fake vintage watches as Jules Jurgensen watches, for hefty prices. And if you can’t identify a real J.J. watch, you may sell it for underappreciated value.

So, use this Jules Jurgensen watch identification guide to help you spot the real J.J. watches by their marks and watch movements. You’ll also learn about Jurgensen watch values at the end!

Interesting History of the Jules Jurgensen Watch Company

Jules Jurgensen, a famous Swiss-movement Danish metal watch company, went through the following critical historical events:

• 1740:Danish matchmaking expert Jürgen Jürgensen established a watch company named ‘Larpent & Jurgensen’ with his partner, Isaac Larpet. Initially, the company made pocket watches.
• 1811: After Jurgen passed away, his son Urban Jurgensen ran the company for about 19 years until he died in 1830.
• 1830s:Jurgensen’s grandsons Jules & Louis took over the company and renamed it “Urban Jurgensen Sonnier.” In 1834, Jules established his watchmaking workshop in Switzerland, named ‘Jules Jurgensen Copenhagen.’
• 1919:Jules Jurgensen produced its first in-house wristwatch, the Jurgensen One, in 1919. They even introduced high-beat frequency, 70-hour power reserve, and auto-movement dials, which helped them win over 34 international watch awards!
• 1974:Mort Clayman, a U.S.-based watch distribution company, purchased J.J.’s assets and sold them to Peter Baumberger, who reproduced vintage Jules Jurgensen watches as a co-brand!

Jules Jurgensen isn’t in business after its last watch, the Dual Time Stamp Watch, was released in 2009. However, many new, forged watches still use painted or printed Jules Jurgensen logos. So, beware of those!

5 Ways to Identify & Date Vintage Jules Jurgensen Watches

You can identify & date old & REAL Jules Jurgensen watches based on their markings, materials, features, movements, and model names. You’ll usually find all these details on the watch’s case, box, belt, or dial.

Here are the five easy steps to spot a real Jules Jurgensen watch:

1. Check the Jules Jurgensen Brand Markings

The best way to verify the authenticity of a Jules Jurgensen Watch is by tracing its brand markings. You may find the brand name engraved on the watch dial, watch movement, and case.

Authentic Jules Jurgensen watches have stylized company logos and label marks on the dial that can help you track their manufacturing year. Generally, you’ll find the following marks on JJ watches:

• ‘Jules Jurgensen’
• ‘J.J.’
• ‘Jules Jurgensen Corp’
• ‘Jules JurgensenCopenhagen’ mostly on pocket watches

Apart from this, you may also see a ‘Swiss-made’ location mark on the watch.

I’ve prepared a J.J. Watch age chart using hand-made brand marks (solely for your reference) to help you date your watch easily:

Jules Jurgensen Watch Making Years	Identifying Logos	Estimated Age
1919 & Onwards		Around 100 years
1920 – 1940		60 – 80 years
1940 & Onwards		Over 80 years
1960 – 1980		43 – 63

Another crucial mark is the serial number found on the movements of a Jules Jurgensen pocketwatch or wristwatch. Unfortunately, the brand didn’t compile its serial numbers in any database. But most vintage J.J. watches have serial numbers ranging from 3000 to 6000.

But what if your watch is too old, with no visible marks or logos? You can date and identify your Jules Jurgensen watch using these era-specific features:

• 1800s – 1900s:The 1800s-1900s J.J. watches are mostly 1.5 – 2-inch antique pocket watches. These have solid gold or silver cases with enamel-based carving, hand or key movements, and sub-date or moon subdials. Popular examples include the Alfred, Big Mouth, and Hunter watches.
• 1920 – 1930:Jules Jugersen transitioned to cased gold & silver wristwatches featuring Art Deco motifs, key-wound movements, round indexes & triple calendars.
• 1940 – 1950s:The 1940s and 50s J.J. watches are formal, military-style watches. So, these have improved water, dust, and shock resistance, analog displays, and rectangular cases
• 1960 – 1970 (Jules Jurgensen Watch 1740):You can spot these new watches by their automatic or quartz movements, incabloc or antimagnetic coatings, minute repeaters, and steel bodies.

The new modern J.J. watches have a stamped ‘Jules Jurgensen Est. 1740’ logo on the dial, so collectors also call them the ‘1740 Jules Jurgensen watch?’ But remember, the “1740” mark stands for the company’s foundation year and doesn’t indicate the watch’s manufacturing year.

In contrast, the real antique Jugerson pocket watches, dating back to 1740, have a Larpent & Jurgensen logo.

2. Look for Watch Material Marks

Most authentic Jules Jurgensen watches have polished metal belts of gold, silver, or steel. Some newer ones may also have leather belts similar to Hamilton or other companies. You may also find shiny crystal and stone work on the metal case and belts.

Besides, if you observe closely, you’ll see material hallmarks engraved on the metal belts, cases, or clasps in all old Jurgensen watches. I’ve compiled all these marks for easy Jules Jurgensen watch identification:

Simple gold & silver-plated watches fetch up to $1,500, while a pure gold, 14k Jules Jurgensen watch sells for over $4,000.

3. Analyze the Watch Movements

Note that most old Jules Jurgensen watches used imported Swiss (spring) movements with engraved hallmarks like ‘Swiss,’ ‘Swiss-made,’ or ‘ETA’ on the back.

But that’s not mandatory. I’ve appraised a few J.J. watches from the late 1970s batch, and they had quartz (battery and oscillation) movements. These automatic Jules Jurgensen quartz watches are worth around $500 – $600, even in pristine condition.

The watch movements can also help you spot a fake Jules Jurgensen watch. Unlike authentic watches, the counterfeits mostly have modern kinetic, solar, or radio-controlled movements with a battery-power mark.

4. Check the Jewels & Hardware Features

A Jurgensen watch’s mechanism and hardware features can help you identify it. For example, old collectible Jules Jurgensen watches will have 4 – 15 jewels on their balance forks and escape wheels.

A few rare 1930s J.J. watches may also have 18 – 20 jewels, making them extremely valuable, like this 2-tone Gold J.J. Watch with 18 Jewels, available for $4,000 on 1stDibs!

Besides jewels, old Jules Jurgensen watches have a set of fixed hardware – case & dial features as follows:

• Roman, Arabic, Baton, or Diamond numerals (silver or golden)
• Simple, straight, Breguet-style (apple-shaped) or dauphine hands
• Snap-on, screw-back, or threaded cases
• Heavy weight rotating, coin-edge or diamond bezels
• Might have high-end & patterned Guilloché dials
• Might have additional subdials, day & date indicators, and moon phase displays

5. Identify the Jules Jurgensen Watch Models

Another quick way to spot a Jules Jurgensen watch is to check its model name! Usually, you’ll get the watch’s model name or number on its case or box. But I’ve also seen some models, especially the military ones, bearing the name on the case and dial, too.

However, some official models, such as the Jumping Hour & dive watch, don’t have any model labels. Instead, they have unique features and displays that distinguish them.

You can learn about some popular old Jules Jurgensen models, with their features and values, in the list below:

Vintage Jules Jurgensen Watch Value Guide

Today, most good-quality collectible Jules Jurgensen wrist watches are worth $500 – $1,500, while antique pocket watches can fetch up to $5,000 or more. Rare, limited-series J.J. wristwatch models can also be expensive.

For example, a limited-edition Jurgensen ladies’ watch with a 10k gold wire belt and analog dial sold for around $3,500 on Etsy.

Technically, a watch will be valued more in working condition, with rotating arms and active features like day & date indicators, moon phase clock & LED displays. But the final value also depends on the watch’s condition, age, packaging, model, and type.

For example, the Jules Jurgensen ladies’ watches are worth up to $1,000 – $1,500, but the men’s watches can be slightly more valuable.

Similarly, vintage 1920-1930s manual or mechanical key-wound watches are valued at around $300 – $1,500. In contrast, new 1970s Quartz watches will sell for only $10 – $200 at any auction.

Apart from these features, the value of Jules Jurgensen watches also depends on their types and materials, as shown below:

As you saw above, identifying Jules Jurgensen watches is easy if you observe their logos and marks. And this guide will come in handy for that. You can also identify and value old Waltham watches and Benrus watches in a similar way but with a few distinctive features.