Junghans Max Bill Edition 2017 Watch Review
Friday - 20 October 2017
It's been 56 years since Max Bill designed his first Junghans wristwatch, 61 since the kitchen clock. The brand felt it was about time to revisit the timeless piece in honour of the Bauhaus scholar himself. The 2017 edition follows the distinctive approach of the German art school and their motto 'form follows function' in every single detail.
As a tribute to the artist, the new addition features the colourful, abstract design of Max Bill. The ‘variation 1’ is from his ‘grafische reihen’ (graphic series), which reflects the continuous developments of the geometric forms, which are also mathematically justified. As each polygon is formed the side of the next polygon comes to life so naturally. Max Bill shares his thoughts on his work, which was created early on in his career - ‘a pure interaction of form and colour …. The sole purpose of which is to delight with its existence.’
Junghans offers two designs with the Max Bill Edition 2017 - a lined index dial and the Arabic numeral dial. Both bring precision, clarity and design simplicity to the instrument yet the lined dial attracts the more purist admirers amongst watch enthusiasts. Those who favour tradition will find the typography of the Max Bill numeral design much more pleasing. Which ever you choose, both models feature a black leather strap with a bold shade of green or blue as the lining.
The number 22 is important for Max Bill with his birthday and wedding anniversary falling on this date. Always limiting his art work to 22 pieces it felt only right for the 2017 Max Bill to pay homage to this special number. The exclusive timepiece is therefore limited to 222 pieces. In addition to the wristwatch the set includes a table clock fitted with a quartz movement and the ‘variation 1’ design.
Over 50 years later, Junghans capture the spirit of the very first Max Bill. The utilitarian feel with clear lines and simplistic form remains with the strive for aesthetic perfection.
