Our watches have been described by some as industrial in appearance, our titanium cases bearing witness to the tools used by the casemaker, proudly displaying their “birthmarks” for all to see! Some have even gone so far as to call this lack of devotion to buffing and polishing downright brutal in its devotion to function over form.
This same philosophy is borne out in Ludwig Oechslin’s direct and simple solutions to some of horology’s most complex engineering challenges, distilling seemingly dauntless complications down to their very essence, utilizing the fewest moving parts necessary.
ochs und junior has always been about collaboration. When we moved to our current home in La Chaux-de-Fonds, we quickly got acquainted with a lot of the local artisans and craftspeople who now produce some of the dials, straps and other components that we proudly utilize to craft each ochs und junior watch.
In many ways, ochs und junior embodies a lot of the bauhaus ethos – combining arts and crafts with a modernist vision. And that got us thinking…
We are excited to introduce the first version of the ochs line date or mese – the ochs line mese 1.22.
ochs und junior mese 1.22
The case is titanium, measuring 39mm in diameter.
The movement is ETA’s 2824-2 and the module of Ludwig Oechslin consists of 2 single parts. And in ochs und junior’s new tradition of making the superlative affordable, it is priced at:
CHF 3’500 — incl. 7.7% VAT. CHF 3’230 — Export price.
Available in 12-16 weeks.
Summary & overview
Ludwig Oechslin’s date watch displays the essentials – time and date. Its analogue date display is more readable than a digital display from the same distance. And unlike large digital displays, the date dot is not a distraction when checking the time. The “dot” is actually a precisely calculated curved dash.
39mm case | Grade 5 titanium | ETA 2824-2 | Black dial and date disk, date dot in red | Markers in yellow | Hour hand in blue green, minute hand in yellow, second hand in red | Markers, hands and date dot with Super-LumiNova | Black Cordura strap handmade by Sabina Brägger | Non customizable.
Reading the functions
The arrows next to the watch above allow you to show different dates. Reading Oechslin’s date display becomes intuitive after a short time on the wrist.
The Date
The 30+1 holes around the perimeter of the dial display the date. The 10 minute markers serve as reference points. For example: the marker indicating 30 minutes also shows the 15th day of the month (30÷2=15). These 5 day markers allow for the date to be read at a glance and after a short time, you can recognize the date intuitively. This video of Oechslin explaining the date spiral for his perpetual calendar is also relevant for his date watch.
The Time
The exact minute and second can be read by the ring of holes, spaced at 2-minute intervals. These perforations mark even-numbered minutes while the adjoining spaces denote odd-numbered minutes.
Mechanics
How does the date function work?
Oechslin replaces the standard numbered date disk with 31 holes in the dial and a precisely calculated curved dash. The holes are arranged in a gentle spiral, with the 31st overlapping the 1st. The curved dash shows the 1st and the 31st, but not both at the same time.
Why does the 31st hole overlap the 1st hole?
The 30 equally spaced holes make the exact minute and second readable (holes are even minutes, gaps odd).
What was the motivation for the design?
Oechslin would like to read the date with the same clarity as the time. After conducting experiments he realized a digital date display would have to be enormous to be as legible as analog watch hands. To be equally legible, the date would have to fill almost 2/ 3 of the dial. However, the first thing you would see when glancing at your watch would be the date, and the most common use case for a wristwatch is telling the time. Oechslin’s analog date spiral sets the visual hierarchy straight and is soon read as simply as the hands on a watch.
ochs und junior ochs line mese 1.22 Technical Specifications
Dimensions: 39mm x 10.4mm
Weight: 54g
Water Resistance: 100m in titanium
Case: 2-part case designed by Ludwig Oechslin with visible machining marks.
Base: Movement ETA 2824-2 with 38 hours of power reserve.
Manufacturer: ETA Grenchen / Switzerland.
Crown: Screw-down crown designed by Ludwig Oechslin in grade 5 titanium.
Manufacturer: Pibor SA / Glovelier / Switzerland.
Buckle and strap: Classic buckle in grade 5 titanium, designed by Ludwig Oechslin.
Visible machining marks. Black Cordura-Strap in S/M/L, handmade by Sabina Brägger.
Glass: Sapphire crystal by Stettler in Lyss/Switzerland.
Night visibility: Swiss Super-LumiNova ®, applied by Monyco in La Chaux-de-Fonds/Switzerland.
Swiss Made: The ochs und junior date watch is entirely manufactured in Switzerland.
Each watch is hand-assembled and regulated at the ochs und junior workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Warranty: The entire watch is covered by a 2-year guarantee.
Design: Ludwig Oechslin; ochs line mese 1.22 in black by Cajetana Oechslin, non-customizable.
Order Order via Mail: oj@ochsundjunior.ch
Order with a 50% prepayment in accordance with the ochs und junior standard guidelines: Payment via our homepage (stripe) or via bank transfer to our bank account:
Credit Suisse
ochs und junior AG
IBAN: CH31 0483 5039 2684 4100 0
Clearing No. 4835
Swift: CRESCHZZ80A
Account No. 0463-392684-41
