MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—Having now spent 3 weeks with my new ochs and junior annual calendar, I very much wanted to add to the honored section of the website, in order to help potential new owners with their deliberations. Particularly given that many of us are unable to ever see or handle an ochs and junior in person prior to making a big decision to purchase: as was the case for me living in Australia!
By way of background, this watch was a present for a significant milestone birthday – and I had agreement from my wife that a special watch would mark the occasion. I have a modest collection of mechanical watches spanning vintage (1940’s) to modern classics (1990’s) from some of the well-known Swiss manufactures, but since getting interested in mechanical watches 10-15 years ago, have never purchased a watch new. For this special occasion, I wanted a new timepiece, on which to make my own history and record of ownership for a change. Given that I already had simple three-handers, power reserves, time and date as well as chronographs in my collection – the decision was between a calendar complication or a GMT. As a smaller person, I also wanted to limit diameter to 39mm maximum, and thus thickness no more than 11-12mm to keep the proportions of the watch aesthetically pleasing.
With these criteria, my list of potential watches was already quite small…but having tried on a few of the potential watches from other manufactures, I was always a bit underwhelmed as to how they looked on the wrist in comparison to the fancy website rendered images. And then I remembered ochs und junior – whom I had read about in a few watch website posts. I immediately went onto the website and started exploring. The annual calendar fit the bill perfectly: size/ thickness/ complication/ aesthetics/ engineering – I realized immediately that this was the perfect watch for me. Something about a calendar watch also seemed perfect for an important birthday. When my wife saw the website – the decision was made: she commented that this was the last age at which I could still pull off an interesting modern/avant-garde timepiece (I’m not sure if that was an insult)!
We designed the watch together, which actually didn’t take that long: I always knew I wanted a blue-dial watch, and was drawn to the famous o&j blue patina: with Rhodium plated markers and hands, seconds hand in dial color (I still use a running center seconds hand when I’m at work), regular patination on the disks, and red for a little pop of color on the indicator dots.
Fast-forward 8-10 weeks later, and I had the watch in hand on my birthday. My first new watch, first blue dial, first titantium watch and first calendar complication. It is just fantastic.
As others have already noted, what is amazing with ochs and junior watches is how much better they are in person compared with any photograph: in contrast to some of the watches from other mainstream brands that I had handled over the previous months. The blue patina dial is particularly intriguing: the shifts in colour from grey, to brown, to almost black, and then vivid blue to almost ‘washed out old denim jeans blue’ is just great. On my watch, the Rhodium plated hands and markers almost seem to glow, and with the right light my patinated date disc does too. As such, the legibility is fantastic, including in near total darkness without any lume. The calendar spirals provide lovely interest in the design, and with the 10 minute markers on the dial the overall design reminds me of some of the classic mid-century sector dial Swiss watches. At the same time, ochs and junior has managed to establish such a clear design language of their own, which is rare in the watch industry for a company that has only been producing watches for 10 years or so. The industrial finish of the watch, with the tooling marks is just as beautiful an expression of craft as any Cotes de Geneve, and small touches like the innovative buckle and sturgeon strap really mark these watches as unique and beautiful design objects, which of course are matched with serious horological fire-power in the design of the complications.
As mentioned, I have now been wearing my watch continuously for 3 weeks, part of which was during our family holiday to New Zealand, where I took it into the mountains for skiing, street luging and walks in nature. It was sometimes difficult to keep my eyes on the road as it sat on my wrist. For interest, I paid attention to my average daily rate deviation over a 10 day period: where I recorded between -2sec and 0 seconds daily, and a total deviation of only -4sec over the 10 days. This is extraordinary, and again a testament to how well these watches are adjusted and regulated by the team.
In this day and age all mechanical watches are of course luxuries: in that they are not really necessary. But if we were truly to think of a luxury watch, I can think of no better example than an ochs and junior. Innovation, excellence in engineering and movement design, discretion and personalisation to a degree which is not available in the Swiss watch industry anymore unless you have many hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend.
Contrast this with what you see in the larger watch industry – advertising everywhere including on the back of every inflight magazine, multiple boutiques including in every airport departure lounge, sports sponsorships, brand ambassadors, restricted supply leading to people begging to be allowed to purchase the latest model for full retail price – even going on a waiting list just to buy a watch. That is not remotely what I would regard to be luxurious, but rather just crass commercialization. And of course, you pay for all of that when you buy watches from those companies. Having just returned from an overseas trip, I felt almost sorry for those people shopping in the airport boutiques for their ‘luxury watch’: in this day and age that is a bit like buying a watch at a bus stop!
A final important point. During the production and delivery of my watch there were a couple of minor issues. The communication from Beat and his team was fantastic, with immediate plans made for resolution of the issues, all within 24 hours of me sending an email. Not to labor the point too much, but this kind of service is a true luxury. You are able to communicate with the CEO and co-owner of the company, you know who assembled your watch, who made the strap, who machined the case and patinated the dial: and you deal directly with the people who brought your watch to life. This is true luxury, like you would have perhaps experienced 50 years ago when you went to your local watch company in Switzerland to have a special watch made. Today, this is very hard to find.
Thanks for everything Beat and team, and to those of you considering the purchase of an unusual Swiss watch without ever having seen or touched one like I did – you won’t regret it.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Dear Beat, I have received my watch! You’ve heard this many times before but I feel the need to say it anyway – these watches look so much better in person than they do on your website/social media. I am truly in awe, and honored to have something this special in my collection. Everything – even the engraving – looks way sharper than I imagined!
Ludwig’s utilitarian and brutally simple design philosophy causes this date watch to have a distinct beauty that I have never seen in a watch before. The machining marks, the unusually short lugs, and the overall simplicity in the design – all of these things contribute to an overall aesthetic that I have never seen in a watch. It is truly beautiful in its own right.
Throughout this process, I have told you that I am a software developer – this job occupies most of my work time. I have also led you to believe that I work in graphic design – which is certainly true but not as important as my work in software engineering. That being said, my formal education lies in marketing. I graduated with a bachelors degree in business marketing around this time last year.
With my training in marketing comes my biggest fascination about this watch: the complete lack of branding anywhere on the exterior. In an industry where EVERYONE is trying to make a statement with their brands and logos, a brand that allows the product to stand on its own – unmarked – makes the biggest statement of them all in my opinion. ochs und junior is undeniably Swiss in every regard, however, it hasn’t fallen into traps that so many of the established brands have over the last 15 or 20 years. I could write many more paragraphs on my feelings about your business relative to the industry, but I will keep it simple. To put it shortly: the brand you’ve created with Ludwig, and the products of this brand, are nothing short of genius. The “silence” is impossible to ignore.
I will admit, the sturgeon strap was a complete afterthought at the time of designing my watch. During the design process, I was so concerned with the “metal” that I almost completely dismissed the strap choice. I liked the appearance of the sturgeon, and I figured that was good enough to make it my choice. Now that I know more about this leather – I am absolutely thrilled to have it in my collection. I have never owned a leather-strapped watch before – the lack of water resistance and relative fragility of the skin has always kept me with steel bracelets. The sturgeon offers all of the everyday practicalities of a steel band but with a distinct look – I am excited to get it broken in! I believe it will be the first strap durable enough for me to wear every day. My strap fits perfectly, by the way!
With almost any watch from any other brand, the sentimental experiences one gets from ownership start on the date the piece is acquired. With an ochs und junior, the watch arrives with months of sentimental experiences already attached, and it is a really special feeling – one that I wasn’t anticipating. It has been a long time coming, but the feeling of finally having exactly the watch I wanted – without any impulsive compromises – is incredibly rewarding! The wait was worth it!
My watch will be worn (daily) and cherished for many years to come! Not many people are blessed with an opportunity to have a timepiece this special.
Thank you for everything!
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL—For some reason, blame nature for that, I’m one of those guys who wants to find the “one watch”: the one I can do anything with, the one that will amaze me when I look at it on my wrist, the one that I can always rely on… You know the story: the one that I can pass along to future generations and know that they will treasure it as a ticking part of me. But if you share this feeling, you know that it is an almost impossible task.
I’ve owned several watches from most of the famous brands. I’ve had excellent watches, I really have. But for some reason, every one of those had something that would put it of the “one watch” list: too shiny, not shiny enough, too big, too small, too complicated, too dull, the list goes on… Yes, I’m very hard to please, I’ll admit. Long story short, I’m a flipper, buying and selling my watches so fast you would think I’m crazy. Well, maybe I am.
I can’t recall when I first heard of ochs und junior (yes, I’ve learned they don’t put capital letters on their name), but it has been for quite a while… One thing to point out is that I live in Brazil, so some watches are very hard to come across. We have some amazing collectors, but they don’t always come out of their caves. Because of that, I’ve never seen an ochs und junior in person. But every once in a while, I would find myself on their webpage, playing around the customizer and telling myself I should go for it.
About a month ago, on one of those days you find yourself looking at your collection and wondering (you do that too right?), I realized none of the watches I owned were really what I wanted (I told you I’m kinda crazy), so I decided to do something new: sell everything and start over! Heck, I’m a watch lover so I should love my watches!
Also, I decided that it was time to stop and really think about my next purchase. It was time to put real effort into finding “the one”. All the experience I’ve acquired collecting watches should be put to good use!
I knew what a watch should have and shouldn’t, in order to be what I wanted. So, I made a list:
Water resistant: I like to swim, dive, do sports and everything else with my watches, so Water resistance was a must.
Lightness: For the same reasons, including everyday use.
Size: I like it to be big enough so it’s easy to read but also small enough, so it doesn’t get in the way. 39mm to 42mm is my sweet spot, depending on how busy the dial is.
Overall Look: I want my watch to be beautiful to look at, with an interesting design and with personality. I don’t want to get bored with it. But at the same time, I don’t want other people looking at it for the wrong reasons, I don’t want to catch the attention of wrong people.
Exclusiveness: I want a watch with personality, not a commodity. There are many watches that would tick all the reasons above, but this is what would put them off the list.
Toughness: I hate sending watches to be serviced. I like them on my wrist!
Then I sat down and took a good look at the list. Suddenly, it came to me! ochs und junior! They tick everything I want! So, I decided to pull the trigger. It was finally time!
Usually I buy my watches pre-owned, but with all the possibilities an ochs und junior can have, a new one seemed more appropriate to me.
I jumped to the customizer. It was time to design my watch. After hours of indecisions, I came up with what I wanted, only to find out that they had one just like that for sale, ready in Lucerne. I sent an email to Beat.
This is where everything you know about buying watches changes completely. I’ve NEVER seen such a helpful person in the watch business. How many companies do you know where the CEO calls you and spends an hour on the phone, helping you with every possible question you might have while having a great chat? It has to be experienced to be fully understood.
A few emails and great conversations later, I ended up with a 39mm Date model and two straps: A Sturgeon Leather strap (mandatory!) and a textile strap.
Then it finally arrived (with amazingly fast shipping)! The moment I got my hands on the watch, I was sold! It has been on my wrist every single day for the past month, and I have no intention of taking it out. Cycling, diving, swimming, hot and cold weather, it’s being used as it should!
The straps are excellent. The leather is something very unique, much more special than those straps you know by “leather strap”. It’s very tough, light and it does mold to the wrist, as they mention! It’s got a lot of character, as everyone is unique. So cool. The textile is amazing as well. Perfect sizing, beautiful and appears to be ready to tug a boat. When I ordered the watch, I wasn’t quite sure which color to go with, but Beat suggested this beige/desert sand color. He nailed it, it’s a perfect match. It’s the strap I’ve actually been using more, it’s on my wrist as I write this down.
The date complication is amazingly intuitive. It became second nature to me almost instantly. So simple and so functional!
The finishing of the watch is something very unique. I would describe it as a “raw luxury”, as it is carefully made and finished, but in a way that adds a personality to each part used. Everything is simple, but at the same time, luxurious. I’ve never seen a watch like this. Amazing.
Remember the list? Here is how it checked everything:
Water Resistance: It’s 100m (tested for much more than that). I’ve never been deeper than 50m, so I’m more than covered.
Lightness: Titanium. Do I need to say more?
Size: I went for the 39mm. For the Date dial, it seemed more appropriate to my taste. I was right.
Overall Look and Exclusiveness: Well… it has to be seen to be believed. WHAT A WATCH! It’s unique, unlike anything else. So much personality! So beautiful to look at! I love how the dial works with the light it gets… And the Date complication is so genius!
Toughness: I’m putting it through some abuse! Time will tell, but if it survives like the one Beat tortures, I’m more than satisfied!
To end, I would like to point out that buying this watch has been one of the best decisions I’ve had in my watch collecting history, because I’ve found The One. I feel like I moved a level up on my watch collecting game. I look at this watch and I see years of my experience combined and translated on this piece.
I ended up selling 99% of my other watches. Will I regret that? Maybe. But then again, they would spend time in their boxes, as my wrist is now always occupied by my ochs und junior date.
Just one little fact to show you how cool these guys are: My sturgeon strap, for some reason, started to “come apart” on the side (this was a millimetric-scale thing). So I emailed Beat, asking if this was expected as a part of the breaking in time. He replied to me with two things: Saying “no, that is not supposed to happen”, and attaching the tracking number of the new strap that was already on its way! You won’t find this level of attention with any other brand.
I sure haven’t!
SWABIA, GERMANY—I am now finally holding my watch in my hands and it feels like a second birthday! 😀
The watch is really great. And even though I expected the wild patina would turn out more blue than it did, I am happy. It is a unique piece and for that reason, a little different from the pictures found on your website.
The craftsmanship is fantastic – and as a quality engineer for Porsche, I am able to really judge that. Every glance at the watch, with its barely visible machining marks, joints, and transitions, fascinates anew. That’s something one can only truly appreciate when seeing the watch in real life.
And the engraving is perfect.
For the next few days, I’ll be wearing the watch to make sure the sturgeon leather shapes itself nicely to my wrist.
Please give all at ochs und junior my thanks for their great work. A special thank you to Dr. Oechslin for his genius, and our best wishes for him to come with many more brilliant ideas.
Greetings from Swabia to Lucerne – we are looking forward to visiting you with the watch at some point.
UNITED KINGDOM—My journey began long before ochs und junior existed, in 1999. I discovered the ski region of Hoch-Ybrig, the Druesberghütte, and each month over the winter their “Vollmond” Fondue evenings. A couple of years later I purchased my first moon phase watch in Einsiedeln.
In 2016 I read an article in Quill & Pad and was immediately drawn to the simplicity and mathematical accuracy of the ochs und junior moon phase: I knew then that I would one day own one.
When I first contacted Beat, I think in 2017, it was purely on an inquisitive basis: I was keen to understand the epicyclic gear train calculations. Ludwig’s calculation was willingly provided and the urge to own this watch was becoming stronger. However, I still had a nagging question as to how the precise mathematical calculation manifested itself into the moon phase being presented on a disc which rotates once every 12 hours (through 6.0954°). A little time spent with an Excel spreadsheet and everything became suddenly clear. It was that “light-bulb” moment, and the brilliant elegance of Ludwig’s design became apparent. From month to lunar month, there are tiny variations in the depiction of the full moon, no more (and frequently much less) than -3°/+3° either side of the 6 o’clock position…and the width of the 15th date dot, at the 6 o’clock position: precisely 6° – perfect. From here there was no turning back: I had to own this watch!
I visited Beat at the OJ workshop in early May to discuss the design of my watch. The customizer is a great tool, and the many high resolution images on the website provide further insight into how your watch will appear. But nothing compares with holding these watches in your hand and seeing the effect of the sunlight on the patinated dial and discs. Besides, you get to meet Beat and try out the excellent expresso!
We discussed my initial design, which changed slightly as I had originally thought I would need to achieve a contrast with grey patinated discs and a blue patinated dial. Nothing was too much trouble for Beat, and there was always an example available to hold and view: I settled on blue patination throughout which looked fantastic in natural light. Every question was eagerly answered, including an explanation of the ingenious mechanism by which the moon disc is held firm during the 10 hours or so each 12 when the central finger is not located in the gear train.
And then came the little smile from Beat, when I made my ‘special’ request: to have three milled markers added, two on the dial 6° apart at the 6 o’clock position, and one on the moon disc at the precise point of the full moon. The geek in me wants to be able to observe the tiny variations referred to above each month at full moon. Of course this could be accommodated: each watch is manufactured to order and is unique, just like each customer!
And so the journey continued, Peter Cantieni’s CAD diagram arrived in my inbox, the three unique markers would be milled at the narrowest possible width of just 0.15mm, allowing visualization of the tiny variations of the Full Moon position each month.
And finally the day arrived, early August, and “I’m on my way” to collect my moon phase…it is fantastic, even better to hold in the hand (and wear on the wrist)…but we actually spent very little time on my moon phase, and far more time on the mechanics of the new day/night. After all, I’ll have many hours, days and months ahead to spend bonding with my moon phase…
And as I left the workshop, I couldn’t resist asking about Ludwig’s current projects…my lips are sealed!
Peter Cantieni: technical diagram
Ludwig Oechslin: watches and astronomy
COLORADO—I have always wondered why certain people are so fascinated by mechanical timepieces. I know for me it started when I was really young and my grandfather collected mechanical clocks. I also remember not really understanding him when he would talk about how they worked or how each one was different. It wasn’t until later in life that I started to really understand what he was saying and how he felt. And I probably didn’t fully appreciate it until I dissembled and reassembled my first movement.
I own a small watch company so I am very picky about what I add to my private collection. I chose an ochs und junior timepiece for many reasons. I tend to like simple, clean designs and appreciate the engineering involved in making something complex more simple. I also feel that ochs und junior watches excel at blending the various design elements of the watch in harmony. The design flows seamlessly from the titanium case to the brushed dial and hands all the way through to the unique sturgeon strap. The highlight being how the light plays off the brushed dial.
I also appreciate the unique and uncommon nature of watches from some smaller companies. The customer service with ochs und junior and the communication while designing and building the watch was a real pleasure. Mr. Weinmann was very responsive and easy to communicate with.
Dr. Oechslin’s history in both horology and watchmaking speaks for itself and this was a very big part of why I chose one of their timepieces. I think that history shows in all aspects of the company.
I will proudly wear my ochs und junior annual calendar knowing that the same passion I have for mechanical timepieces is also shared by the people who helped me build such a special and unique watch.
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA—After learning about ochs und junior, in particular the moon phase, it took me about five seconds to decide I wanted one. In my own business, I always try to find simple solutions to complex problems, and ochs und junior clearly shares that ethos to an extreme degree.
Committing to buy one of their watches wasn’t easy. Spending that much money on something I couldn’t even see until after I’d bought it was an exercise in trust I wasn’t sure I could manage. Once the decision to buy had been made, I was left with the far more difficult task of designing what I actually wanted. To that end, I sent at least one email per day for a month to Beat. Sometimes I’d make small changes, and still other times I’d make simply insane requests. No matter what I suggested, Beat would show me a mock up or reign me back into reality, sometimes both. What I learned from that process is that ochs und junior is incredibly willing to try new things. For instance, I don’t really care for seconds hands on watches, but I recognize their necessity on a moon phase. I asked if they could mill an impossibly fine, almost invisible line into the seconds disk, something that I wouldn’t see unless I was looking for it. Of all the customization I wanted, this was the one aspect I was least sure could be accomplished in a way that met my expectation. I was shown a picture of the bare brass piece, and my apprehension only grew. When my watch arrived, the seconds disk was the first thing I checked, and it was perfect. The final product is better than what I’d first imagined, and it makes me smile every time I look at it.
Along that theme, the pictures on the website and in reviews in no way do justice to the quality of these watches. Looking at mine, it feels like it’s something completely different with every change in angle or lighting. The grain in the patinated brass can sit cold and unyielding, then, with the slightest flick of the wrist, explode light and color. For a watch that presents as plain on a computer screen, it has more depth and facets than any other that I have seen in person. Many of the reviews talk about the raw nature of the cases because of the visible machining marks. That sounds nice in print, but it’s an incomplete appraisal. In the metal, the markings are as precise and crisp as any Côtes de Genève, only more unique and subtle. While it’s certainly a different type of finishing, to call it unfinished is to miss the point.
All of my other watches came with some degree of buyer’s remorse or maybe Catholic guilt after I’d brought them home. This is my first watch that feels wholly right and justified, which I credit to the team’s ability to build something that is as perfect a representation of me as is likely possible.
Stuart lives in the Chicago area. He gave us permission to link to his Reddit post from our Honored page. -CP
CALIFORNIA—It is significantly more difficult to design a simple solution than a complex one.
I work in Internet infrastructure for Google, so I deal with very large-scale critical systems on a daily basis. In my line of business the first solutions that come to mind for engineering problems are typically the most complex ones – it takes a lot of engineering brilliance and experience from our teams to be able to deconstruct down to a simple solution.
After dealing with 15 years of operational challenges I’ve come to know that having more moving parts means more things that can go wrong. For the stability and reliability of the system it is incredibly important to reduce the number of dependencies and subsystems.
I was fascinated to come across a watch company where their master watch maker has the same design philosophy – simplicity.
Wearing an ochs und junior timepiece is a constant reminder for me to strive for higher reliability in the systems I work with.
As Einstein said, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.”
ANNAPOLIS, USA—For me, the main attraction of the watch is that one of the great horological minds of our time has placed within reach a far more precise timepiece – in terms of the accuracy of the moon-phase display – than any other watch. I can afford this extraordinary precision thanks purely to the simplicity of the design. By extension, the dial’s visual simplicity also has a practical effect: I am able to learn what the date is without the need to read a number. In this age of digits, it is an innovation of an old-fashioned sort, and it gives me joy.
Then there are of course the aesthetic rewards of simplicity. The dial is brilliant: with its subtle date spiral, and the “horse shoe” that shows not only the sun-reflected moon but also the dark side. I find it satisfying that the watch has a couple of complications, and offers them while refusing to give up an iota of clarity. The result is a watch that tells me the time at a glance, even when I am not wearing reading glasses, and representing also my own choices and ideas, is unique and uniquely mine.
In addition to ox-strength horology, there was also the role you played, Beat, on that crystal-clear summer’s day in Lucerne that made getting this watch special. You asked all the right questions, listened to my vision, and improved it by suggesting the sun dot at twelve o’clock should be not just gold but polished, sunny gold. You had earlier arranged for me to have a little extra time in Lucerne, and after lunch you made sure I knew how to get to the wounded lion and to the glorious panorama. You gave me a memorable day!
THE NETHERLANDS—My moon phase is still something special. It represents for me many things.
It reminds me to use my creativity and to value all what excels in simplicity. No matter how big or small, the understanding that simple is most of the time the hardest and requires understanding of the complexity at first, is very useful in my daily work as a consultant in the field of organizational development.
LOS ANGELES—ochs und junior highlights the best of this industry. They are a brand that has a clear ethos and sticks to it. Everything is natural and cohesive. It is a watch with integrity. This allows it to simultaneously be successful as a piece of art, design, mechanical engineering and horology. To own an ochs und junior is to stand up for things being done the way they ought to be. Plus they know how to make a proper espresso!
PORTUGAL—When I discovered ochs und junior, what struck me the most, apart from Ludwig Oechslin’s genius and ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’, was the possibility of having a say in ‘my’ watch.
So when in the first mail I asked about the possibility of having one made in bronze I was surprised at getting a call from Beat within a few minutes, telling me they had had the material in stock for a few weeks and were just waiting for the first customer to ask for it.
What a coincidence and what fun being able to choose the design to my liking!
That’s really half of the fun, the other one is using it. And this is one, which will certainly stay until I pass it along to another generation.
WOLFSBURG, GERMANY—My love for your watches was born in 2010, when I came across ochs und junior in a watch magazine by accident. At the time, I was still a fan and collector of classical watches. The announcement was for the mese, which drew me in immediately with its puristic design and its incredible calendar. The correspondence which followed, as well as the visits to Lucerne – though back then not yet in the ochs und junior workshop – did the rest. I went for the puristic version in silver, with hands and a dial made from white gold.
That was 5 years ago and I have never regretted my decision. From the very beginning, I was looking forward to the patina that was expected to develop on the silver case – and indeed, the case is developing an absolutely gorgeous patina in the more protected areas, which interplay nicely with the more polished patches. Now as then, the watch is a dream and a gem.
Over the course of the years, I got to take advantage of your very special service – the watch parts that had originally been executed in titanium (crown and buckle) were by and by exchanged for parts made of silver, so that now, the watch is completely harmonious. And on top of that, we used these occasions to enjoy really nice visits to ochs und junior in Lucerne – now at the workshop.
Image also by Hans-Dieter Brand (more on Dropbox)
THE NETHERLANDS—For me ochs und junior is more than just a watch company. The design philosophy is also a source of inspiration for my daily business life. Both the challenge to make a function work with as few parts as possible and the way Ludwig finds a different way to show various instances of time again and again. So simple, even for a child. After I told my daughter on the 7th of June that her birthday would be at the 25th dot, she started to count the dots and was a bit disappointed that it would take 18 more nights. But it gave her a much better idea of the time span than a digital date would have provided. In the online maps where I try to visualise traffic congestion and traffic accidents, I try to show as little as possible, but enough to tell the right story. In that approach I recognize a little part of the ochs und junior philosophy of creating beautiful, yet simple timepieces.
CALIFORNIA—I collect authentic mechanical watches and therefore find the current ‘retro-mania’ embarrassing. Just like overladen or skeletonized dials. But then I discovered ochs und junior with its visually fascinating annual calendar – the dial might as well be an abstract graphic design – and the possibility of designing my own personal watch with their online customizer. It’s no secret: I love colors, and in combination with the soft grace of sterling silver, the warm yellow and the fresh blue quite simply render my watch cool – whoever sees it says ‘WOW, SHOW ME!’ and walks away with a smile.
NEW YORK—Ludwig Oechslin might just be the greatest watchmaker you’ve never heard of, and his ochs und junior line of handmade timepieces might just create an entirely new segment of ‘anti-luxury’ watches. Devoid of the ‘complications for complications sake’ mantra that has permeated the Swiss watch industry over the past decade, the Lucerne-based horologist offers the full range of Pantone colors for the watch’s dial and hands, giving customers numerous options. Coupling bespoke design with the brilliant functional simplicity of cogs and wheels (instead of the more volatile levers and switches), ochs und junior sets a new standard for both customization and technical precision. I was so impressed by what Oechslin offers that when I wanted to celebrate five years covering the watch industry, I did so with an ochs und junior timepiece. As an expression of gratitude to our audience, HODINKEE gave the watch to one of our readers; we selected a timepiece that represented not only ourselves, but what we thought was the very best that this industry could do. As someone who owns watches from dozens of manufactures in a range of vintages and price points, I can say there isn’t a single more satisfying timepiece to wear than an ochs und junior – it makes you feel like, for once, you’re part of the solution, not the problem.