The Elements of Time

Press Release

The first line of mechanical watches were designed for Junghans by Max Bill five years after the watchmakers’ collaboration with the Bauhaus artist was established way back in 1956 – design icons which are still in production to this day. Six decades have passed since then. Six decades of delightfully distinctive, puristic watch designs. Junghans are now to celebrate, and honour the anniversary of this unique association with an exclusive collector’s piece for your wrist: Limited to just 1,060 units worldwide, the aptly named max bill Edition Set 60 comprises three very different watches. 

All good things come in threes

Each of the three timepieces – a max bill Automatic, a max bill MEGA Kleine Sekunde and a max bill Regulator – come in their own individual case and are housed collectively in a special Edition box. A portrait of Max Bill, the architect of these legendary watch designs, is displayed on the inside. 

The uniform colour scheme of anthracite, beige grey and orange is showcased in the Edition set and throughout the design of the three timepieces: The 12 o’clock index, the luminous substance on the hands and the interior lining of the strap are vividly pronounced in orange, with dark anthracite accentuating the distinct style of the polished stainless steel case. A calf leather strap in a warm beige grey blends harmoniously with the high-contrast presentation and synergises the colouring in a balanced triad. 

All three watches display the time their own unique way, while at the same time symbolising six decades of Max Bill on the wrist: The traditional luminous twin dots at 12 o’clock are integrated in the number 60. An inimitable detail which conforms elegantly with the harmoniously proportioned hour and minute markers of the minute track. Additionally, a special Edition engraving is featured on the case back for each of the Edition models. 

A design as fundamental as time itself

A coherent display of the time was of utmost importance for Max Bill. Every element of time – hours, minutes and seconds – is meticulously emphasised within his designs. This design principle is most demonstrably exemplified in the new max bill Regulator, which breaks displaying the time down into its fundamental components: whereas the minutes are counted out centrally from the middle, the hours and the seconds are indicated in their own auxiliary dials positioned at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock.

The max bill MEGA Kleine Sekunde combines the meticulous design of the Bauhaus artist with ultimate precision timing: A decentralised second display with half-second progression is also testament to the accuracy of Junghans’ self-developed radio control technology within the watch.

The third watch in the set, a max bill Automatic, boasts an impressive puristic clarity which consolidates the hours, minutes and seconds centrally from the middle.

The max bill Regulator, the max bill MEGA Kleine Sekunde and the max bill Automatic combine Max Bill’s exquisite sense of proportion with modern appliances and state-of-the-art technology. As an ensemble of watches perfectly complimenting one another, the max bill Edition Set 60 is a remarkable triad of each individual element of time – in perfect harmony with the legendary design from 1961.