In collaboration with Junghans
Hands-on: Junghans max bill
Junghans is a traditional German watch brand with a long history in watchmaking, founded in 1861 in south-western Germany.
Text: The editorial team
Image: Aleksandar Mladenovic
Junghans is a traditional German watch brand with a long history within watchmaking, founded in the year 1861 in south-western Germany. Known for its classic and balanced design the company has developed into a brand with loyal followers in modern times.After recently having taken a closer look at their Pilot collection we now follow up with an article in cooperation with Junghans, where we give an overview of their iconic ”max bill” model.
Max Bill
It started with the first kitchen clock that Junghans launched together with Max Bill in 1956, and after that followed the first max bill wristwatch in 1961. This was a simple and functional watch that reflected the Bauhaus principle that form follows function.
The design was characterised by clean lines, clear typography and a balanced layout where nothing was superfluous. The first models were kitchen clocks, followed by table clocks and wall clocks, but soon wristwatches were introduced too, which quickly became stylistic icons.
The different models
The Max Bill collection is divided into different models that combine timeless Bauhaus design with modern technology. Max Bill Automatic offers classic watches with automatic movements and comes in several variants. For those who are looking for a chronograph there is the max bill Chronoscope, which keeps the minimalist design but adds functions for timekeeping. Max Bill MEGA Solar offers exact time indication thanks to Junghans' own radio-controlled technology and is particularly durable since it is powered by solar energy.
For a unique time display there is the max bill Regulator, where hours, minutes and seconds are shown separately on the dial. Those who prefer a quartz movement can choose the max bill Quarz – a more affordable but still clean alternative, which is also offered in ladies' versions with a smaller diameter. Whatever the model, the bax bill collection is a perfect example of how functionality and aesthetics can be combined in a timeless watch.
The most important model, which forms the basis for the whole max bill series, is reference 27/3701.02 – a 34 mm hand-wound watch that represents the modern version of the original model from 1961. Junghans points out that the watch has largely remained unchanged since then, which underlines the model's timelessness and popularity. Over the years Junghans has kept the fundamental design but updated the models with modern technology such as automatic movements, sapphire crystal and improved water resistance. Despite these updates today's max bill watches remain in the main faithful to Max Bill's original vision.
Max Bill emphasised timelessness in design and avoided trends. His complete quote reads:
”A watch should, as far as it is possible, be as free from fashion as possible, as timeless as possible, without losing track of the time.”
This sums up his philosophy of creating watches that are both functional and aesthetically durable over time.
Specifications
The max bill collection comes in sizes from 32 mm to 40 mm. The smaller models, such as the max bill Ladies, have a diameter of 32 mm, while the Automatic, Quarz and MEGA models usually measure 38 mm. Chronoscope and Regulator are the largest, at 40 mm. The movements vary depending on the model: the automatic movements are used in the max bill Automatic and Chronoscope, while quartz movements are found in the max bill Quarz for simplicity and precision. max bill MEGA Solar combines this with solar energy to minimise the need for battery changes. max bill Regulator has a movement where hours, minutes and seconds are shown separately, which offers a unique and technically interesting time display.
Junghans' max bill collection clearly shows that minimalist design does not have to be boring. On the contrary it is both attractive and proven. Junghans, as a large manufacturer with a long history, offers watches that meet high demands and suit many tastes. The max bill models are among their bestsellers and very popular both among design and watch enthusiasts.
At Eqotime we appreciate not only the watches' elegant design and simplicity but also how comfortably they sit on the wrist. It is rare to find a manufacturer that combines history and modern design in such an impressive way, and we are really enthusiastic about the collection – where the ”Original” is our favourite.
