A timepiece steeped in tradition meant for the modern era, The Alfred is a fine piece of watchmaking that is all class and a bit of contemporary.

Urban Jürgensen timepieces reflect classic designs and what might be called a restrained sort of elegance. In terms of understatement and luxury, Urban Jürgensen watches might just top the list.

This model in particular, which is simply called ‘The Alfred’, is a tribute to Jacques Alfred Jürgensen, who was the last proper watchmaker of the family.

When I think Alfred, I think Batman’s trusty and savvy assistant. And indeed, this is a watch that Alfred himself might wear. That’s because this very composed watch infuses a lot of that century-old tradition and elegance.

Take, for instance, the teardrop shaped lugs of the stainless steel case, which takes on a more modern 42mm size despite its clearly classical lines.

The domed sapphire crystal and the fluted crown – which is engraved with the brand logo – also help with the neo-antique look of the timepiece.

Dialside, we see further evidence that this watch is steeped in tradition. A high degree of craftsmanship is demonstrated through the use of the ‘Grenage’ technique, a time-consuming process that results in a silvery, frosted surface.

Adding texture to the otherwise sleek look of the watch, aficionados of antique pocket watches will recognize the special finishing of the granular dial.

The understated yet complex dial has been matched nicely with hands that give the watch more personality. Entirely handcrafted, the distinctive set of thermally blued steel hands apparently required no less than 50 manufacturing steps and over a day’s work to complete.

The classy hands dance to the beat of the Urban Jürgensen Caliber P4 manual winding movement with sub-second display, which I particularly like. Thanks to its twin barrels, the movement delivers up to 72 hours of autonomy at 21’600 vibrations per minute.

The solid caliber can be admired through the display case back, including its Geneva stripes and open worked balance bridge. Adding consistency with the dial, the screws have also been thermally blued.

Overall, The Alfred, which is priced at just over 14,000 euros, is classy and elegant. One thing that is distinctly modern about it is its size, but otherwise the watch demonstrates traditional watchmaking through and through. And that’s exactly what you’re looking for when making a tribute piece to Jacques Alfred.