This watch brand is the embodiment of true minimal design. Not simply absence of elements, but rather minimally curated elements like symmetry, contrast, depth, proportions (case vs lugs), font design, handset etc. Coming from an architectural background, Junghans is a an absolute masterpiece of contemporary design!
this was the most romantic and nostalgic take you guys ever did on a watch. I was captivated throughout the whole length of the video. thank you for this experience, teddy and the team!
I have a large collection of watches that has taken decades to acquire some beautiful time pieces. In the last couple years I have really been looking into the German watch history. The Max Bill design really is something that my collection needs. I have been adding some great watches including a Union, Glashutte Original,Nomos and Laco. Junghans Max Bill is next. Thanks for the video.
Yes GO rocks, i own Panomatic Lunar Green Gold version and now getting this Junghans ! Have a few Rolex etc too but germans are so good at the design game.
This is such a cool watch Teddy! I love these long term reviews. Those "week on the wrist" videos always seem a bit silly to me - you don't really know a watch after a week! But videos like this are my absolute favourite! Great video Teddy!
Appreciate all of your commentary ! You walk the walk, you wear em, sell em and you give us the interviews with those that collect em and make em !!! That my friend is priceless !
I'm very happy that we share the identical opinion on this watch, you said my thoughts in this video. I fell in love with Junghans at first sight, I think it was exactly this model. And yes as you mentioned - I did not use to be a watch guy, Junghans made me love watches. Cheers! 🥂
Bought a Meister Fein automatic signatur today as a gift for my father after a trip to Munich , and I remembered this specific video of yours that introduced me to Junghans and German watch brands in general. It is one of the most elegant watches I have ever seen and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Junghans is an amazing brand with a lot of history and deserves more recognition, definitely a brand that tells a lot about the owner’s knowledge around watches. Thank you for this video Teddy!
As a college student, I can't afford this watch at the moment but it is something I would like to save up for in the future. My first chrono would either be this or one of the Intra-matic series from Hamilton. Great video Teddy!
Im a sales associate at a little shop that gets to sell these beautiful watches and my favorites are Max Bill Regulator Special Edition 60, Max Bill Chronoscope with the Matte Black case and Blue- grey strap, and the Meister Driver Chorono with the Sand dial and brown strap and the quirky Mega 1000
I bought it for my 38th birthday, thanks to you, after seeing it in your instagram and youtube. I needed to wait for it 3months cause i took the version with saphire crystal. This watch is amagizing! When it came i fall in love with it. Thanks Teddy for showing me this watch!
My favorite watch ever. I bought mine from your website and have had no issues with the crystal. Love the way the crystal interactions with the hands and numerals.
I've been going back and forth with this watch. This hasn't tipped me over the edge, it was a significant push through. I'm definitely going to see if anyone has one in stock when I'm in Singapore.
Love from India. My grandfather first table clock was from Jungahans and sadly he passed away a year back. Being a UX designer who just made a job switch to FAANG , I was looking for watch to celebrate my new job. As I'm following your Channel from past 3 years, i would definitely say this is the right video on right time. Today my respect towards you even got one step once I heard that you were UX designer. Looking forward to see some cool video as always. Thanks once again.
Yes, it is an acrylic crystal and yes it is a $2000 watch. And the Omega Speedmaster is a $6000 watch. I have had my hand wound version for five years and there is no problem at all with the acrylic crystal. It’s not a tool watch and not for cycling, gardening, watersports etc etc. For those activities you need other watches. Movement: the hand wound ETA is ticking quite noticeably if you hold it to your ear. The automatic has quite the spinning rotor, Cartier does too, by the way. I was quite surprised when I found out, and it’s still present even in the latest Santos.
This watch is truly a piece of art, really one of its kind! It's the reason I got interested in watches, and since then I'm looking for a more affordable alternative that I can justify buying. But there's nothing quite like it, apart from knockoffs... Like you mentioned, the UX is stellar. I also work in software/design, as a frontend web developer with a design background, so I immediately noticed the use of space, how the tips of the hands point right to the appropriate numbers, how the shape provides a maximum of dial surface with a minimum of case size. There's plenty of contrast, but the proportions and the lack of ornaments make it more elegant than anything else I have seen. It's really form follows function at its best! On top of that, I have another connection to Bauhaus: I grew up very close to Dessau where Max Bill studied at the Bauhaus, and I visited the place a couple of times and fell in love with the Bauhaus philosophy. And writing all this, I realize that I might have to save some money and just get the original...
Great job on both the watch and your experience. Didn’t know the price had crept up that high. I own the quartz, no chrono basic Max Bill. So classy. That ‘4’ - such a beautiful font.
One of my first mechanical watches was the seagull 1963; i first adore it; but more and more that i was learning about the world of making watch and that i was learning to love design and conception of a watch i found my Seagul too much here, not enough there and, obviously, not accurate enough. So after a long journey of 3 years of buying watches, i did manage to fall in love with this watch... it was my first watch that made me feel the balance between the eccentricity that i like (in the movement and is sound very loud which i like) and between the lightness of his appearance. I still use this watch once in a while! I agree with all of your point... some of your negative points are my positive points!!! The thing is that the Junghans Max Bill Chronoscope answered to all of my needs; i wish to had it sooner!!!
My first watch was a Junghans from the Bauhaus series in 1968 (movement 620.10 with small second hand at six o'clock). I still have it and it still works. I love the clean design of Junghans (and Nomos).
Awesome to see this! Love that you gave a real world take on something you have owned and loved for so long. I totally agree with rotor spin, I don’t mind it at all! It is a mechanical watch and I love any reminder of that throughout the day. That is basically the same reason I want a seconds register somewhere on my chrono. I don’t like a still dial. Gorgeous watch for sure.
I bought a citizen tough watch chrono (only quartz) and hated the fact that the chrono seconds hand sits stationary so much, I had to find a replacement. I knew it did when i bought it, but i figured I'd get used to it... nope. 😄
Love the watch when I bought mine sapphire crystal wasn’t available and I’d still go for plexiglass because it’s more accurate to the original era of the Max Bill watches also the thing that nobody ever seems to talk about is the fact that the dial isn’t really white it’s sort of white with a metallic silver coating which gives the watch a different look depending on how the light is hitting it overall a great watch one of the most beautiful I’ve ever owned
I scratched my Junghans plexiglass in the first week I owned my Meister and had to almost immediately upgrade to the sapphire. I like that the new version of this watch has sapphire standard. Love the design.
Your review of the Max Bill chronoscope was one of the reviews that made me decide to buy one as well. 2 years later and it still sits proud in the collection among my speedmaster, IWC, schaumburg (lovely German microbrand) and vintage chronograph. I simply love it! Do have to say the valjoux wiggle is quite noticeable indeed. Unfortunately I did had an issue with the rotor, or at least a part of the winding mechanism, coming loose. The aftermarket service of Junghans is not the quickest and it took quite some while to get it fixed under warranty. But all good now!
I've started my 'collection' with one of the Max Bill Bauhaus Editions. The design is so simple and minimalistic. Love it. You're right about the noisy movement, always noticable but not disturbing.
Im new into watches but being also a UX UI designer myself I’m quite picky and a lover of good design. This would be my perfect light summer watch, while keeping my current Raketa Leopard 24 as my sturdy winter watch
I just got my first watch from your website a couple weeks ago and I opted for the Automatic with the date. I was definitely captivated by the Chronoscope at first, and that's what I was looking at, but I knew I would miss the sweeping seconds hand! Just like you, I wished they had gone with minutes and seconds for the sub-dials, instead of minutes and hours (who actually needs to time something with their watch for an hour plus?). Anyway, I have been absolutely thrilled with my Automatic and have already put a few different straps on it! It will definitely stay in my possession. There's just something captivating about the design that never gets old. It's also incredibly easy to read, which is nice.
Couldn't agree more with you! When I look at a watch, I wanna SEE it doing it's thing. If I just needed to know the time, I'd ask stupid alexa! I am sitting here with both, the no date max bill and the chrono sans numerals trying to decide which one to keep. The chrono goes back on monday!
I bought this exact watch (albeit in black) a few years ago, after watching your video and I still love it. The glass did get scratched very easily (from a non-smooth wall).
Just bought one yesterday, missing 60 second register is something that I found odd, but I looked at the positive which is that I won't bother too much about setting it to the second every couple of days. A design classic, it is utterly timeless...probably the reason you've owned it for six years and still love it.
I own the very same model, also 6 years old, and no scratches on plexiglass. Lots of positive feedback everytime is noticed. I think I'll never get rid of it.
This one felt more « personal ». I like that. Reminds me of the older videos. It also brought back the interest for Junghans I had lost over the years.
This watch was the first watch that got the "watch bug" to bite me. And yes I bought this watch! It was an achievement of my life, very sentimental value to me. love this watch dearly!
I'm in love with the Junghans Mega Solar, it's so clever, the design is fascinatingly minimalist, the movement has almost unmatched precision even for a quartz movement, beside the auto radio synch it has +/- 8 seconds a year on its own, and the fact that it's also solar and has a perpetual calendar until the year 2400 makes it a brilliant brilliant watch.
Very interesting video, I espeically enjoyed the introduction and history in the beginning, but also your perspective on long-term ownership of this magnificent timepiece. I have owned my Max Bill Automatic Bauhaus for a little over 1 year now and must say I am still absolutely in love with it. an incredible piece of timekeeping and design history on your wrist. Very good point about the rotating mechanism, I went to my local watchmaker after first getting the watch thinking that the mechanism must be chafing or broken, as it was so "loud" and felt gritty.
Excellent watch, I love the design. It was also my first purchase. Like you said it’s really nice to have wrist band options. I swap my bands all the time and it just looks great with any style. The dial is very captivating in my opinion.
I love it. Actually I wear it right now. The hesalite is not much of a problem as it can be polished. Overall a great brand offering high quality. Highly reccomended ! Btw: for IWC lovers of the Portuguese, this one might fulfill your desire until sourcing it.
I purchased the 36mm black dial Junghans from you. It has the plexiglass and I wear it at home. I take off my day watch and put on my Junghans for the evening.
Some great thoughts Teddy. I don't currently have a Junghans but I guess I have the nearest thing to it from a Bauhaus design perspective being a Nomos. Mine is not a chronograph though it shares similar design influences. Personally I'm OK with the lack of a running seconds hand, I have a couple of Valjoux 7753 base movements in watches that I rarely look at the running seconds but as you mention it's a nice to have. The execution of the Junhans chronograph is very well done the way it hides the arguably thick movement and hence case better than many. This is a well proven workhorse movement as well as being serviceable given its popularity. I do like the shorter lug to lug compared to the Nomos though.
Love it. Bought it after seeing a video of yours. Everyone who sees it comments on it. Must swap out straps! Oh, it reminds me of my Dad. This would have been his style. So it ticks a lot of boxes.
I really enjoy the Bauhaus design. I have a Bambino V3 which I think feels Bauhaus style. I do find this look to be dressy for me, so its not an every day style or me, but its awesome. Thanks for the macros with all the years of blemishes, its fun to see that.
I like the bauhaus look of this piece. Years ago, I picked up a Kenneth Cole KC1568 Iconic Chronograph, which has a similar aesthetic. It's one of the few fashion watches I still admire due to the design.
I owned a time-only Max Bill with black dial. Noisiest watch I've ever worn and I cracked the plexiglass in the first few months. I sold it soon after but I've always fancied owning the chronograph version. The case shape and domed crystal are lovely - always made me think of a UFO when looking at it from the side. It's a very cool watch.
Teddy I wish you would do a SOTC. I'm not sure if there's a hesitation about doing one but I think people would appreciate it. And you're a successful guy, I'm sure you have some nice watches and rightly so.
I have some older Speedies - the 775x-variants are ubiquitous. I can attest to the "loud" nature of the calibre, but it's a fun reminder of the very special machine on my wrist.
I’ve had my MaxBill for 4-5 years and the rotor in the movement is noisy.. or can be… it’s sort of nice to see someone else mention this. Mines not the chrono, so i’d guess it is the case shape adding to the sound. Great video Teddy
I always wondered what was the "inspiration" for so many Chinese "cheapo"-s that mess it up - there's no balance with those and it got me thingking there has to be a proper brand name design that is special. and boom! there it is. love the versatility of it and that it's not leaning into the "look at me!!! I'm a chronograph waaatch!!" but is more towards the dress style. classy yet strong.
Teddy, this is a fantastic video. I loved your story of how watch fits within your journey in the hobby of watch collecting. That really resonated with me. Thank you for sharing this.
A lot of people call the Max Bill watches “minimalist” but in reality it’s not minimalism, it’s modernism! I’m a graphic designer who is almost always working within the modernist school of design so of course I’m so attracted to this watch. It’s not about the subtraction of elements for its own sake, it’s about giving the owner of this watch all the information they need quickly and efficiently. No fluff, that’s what modernism is about. I love it, it’s my dream watch.
I really enjoy the Bauhaus design. I have a Bambino V3 which I think feels Bauhaus style. I do find this look to be dressy for me, so its not an every day style or me, but its awesome. Thanks for the macros with all the years of blemishes, its fun to see that. I would love to eventually upgrade my Orient to a Max Bill no numeral no date automatic. It’s beautiful.
Hey Teddy, great video as usual ! This watch was my 40th birthday gift and I love it but I've had a mixed experience. It might be useful for someone looking to purchase. I helped my wife chose it, so I was part of the whole process. My first mistake was not going to a proper jeweler, but rather to a department store. Rather high-end, but department store nonetheless and the watch corner was operated by one of those large dealer brands with multiple outlets. They were a fully authorized dealer but didn't know the brand or the product line that well. I looked up the exact reference I wanted, and had them order that. But by doing so, I couldn't find the sapphire option online, and had them order the acrylic, missing the fact that the sapphire option was in fact available but only on the black strap. A properly informed salesperson should have been able to navigate me to the sapphire option I wanted. Then the watch arrived and I was a little surprised by a few things : the tan colored strap was much lighter than I exepected, the dial was more light gray than white, and the strangest was the cristal. The best I can describe is instead of sloping down smoothely to the bezel, the dome ended on a sharp angle then dropped straight down 1mm or so to the bezel. And rubbing a finger or a piece of clothing on that angle let out a VERY plasticky and cheap sound. But I had gotten used to it, then, only a month or two into owning it, I knocked it on a corner of a wall and chipped the cristal. I did my homework again, better this time, and knew that the reference model I had we compatible with a sapphire retrofit, but the reseller didn't so I decided not to bother with them ever again. I looked up the import company, contacted them, and they pointed me towards a couple of proper trustworthy jewelers, only one of whom was aware of the sapphire option. Although the sapphire is about 200€ extra on purchase, it's around 400€ for a replacement, so I opted for an acrylic cristal replacement after all. The job was done in a few days, and most surprisingly, the new cristal did not have that weird angle. Now it's smooth right down to the bezel. I still don't understand what was up with that. And although I'm usually careful, I already have a small scratch on the dome, around 5 o'clock. I might go for sapphire if I feel like it later on. All in all, I wanted to save a few hundred in store credit, but ended up regretting not having looked up this shop first. Always go for the passionate guy. If anyone wants a nice address in Paris, let me know.
I have had mine (black dial) for five years, no problems whatsoever, no scratches on the crystal; the caseback is a scratch magnet however, which is a pity. Great design, style never goes out of fashion.
Stunning watch. There’s nothing else like it at the price point. It’s either the MB Chronoscope or an IWC Portugieser, which will cost you 4x. I do love the Portugieser too!
New follower here...I've watched a few of your videos & fell for this specific model. Couldn't find it until earlier today & found it with the sapphire update for $1775. Thank you for this info...helped me pull the trigger.
Love that center hand stack. Concerning Junghans I’m a sucker for that Master Agenda model with the 52 week counter and power reserve grey and white dial.
@@TeddyBaldassarre I think it’s because it’s a bit more unusual. Pretty sure your Explorer 2 is your favourite but more people have that. I feel like the Max Bill is more to your style as it’s a bit dressy and you always talk about your fondness for minimalism “...as a pursuit rather than a lack of thought” is how I remember you saying it.
Beautiful watch that works (for me - of course not to swiming) in almost every situation. The fact of the loud spin makes me like it even more 😊 At first I thought it was a Korean watch, the number on the dial looks a lot like its hangul alphabet. Thanks again for sharing Spiderman 🙏
It is a great looking watch, clean lines. I have a Max Bill dress watch with the tan strap. I would never get rid of it. I also have a Christopher Ward Moonglow and the rotor on that watch is very, very noisy. I thought the watch was broken until doing some research.
I ordered the 38mm sapphire auto Max Bill from an online supplier and was rather 'underwhelmed' by it and have returned it for a refund. As I intend to order the 40mm chronoscope version with sapphire which is described as being 'less domed' than the plexiglass model, but hopefully has more presence than the rather plain looking and smallish appearance of the regular 38mm Max Bill which is very 60's in its design and sizing.I also ordered an Artem black sailcloth strap with a deployant clasp which looked good on the watch being a high quality strap making it look less of a dress watch so will probably look nice on the more sports inspired chronoscope. The Chronoscope is nearly twice the price of the standard 38mm Max Bill so hoping it is twice the watch in appearance. Also the lack of a sweeping seconds hand would be annoying as I use this as a visual sign that the watch is still going, so would have to run the chronoscope function full time and hope that it will not wear the mechanism prematurely?
This is a magnificent design. I recall visiting the original Bauhaus back in the 80s in old East Germany, in Weimar, DDR. So I feel close to the Bauhaus design. (The Bauhaus was moved later in the 1920s to Dessau, due to the political intrigue of Weimar. Weimar is a rather small town, at least it was back in old East Germany days, rather a quiet place.) This is a magnificent watch and when I can afford it, is on my buy list with the brown leather strap. It's odd, but of my watches, I love this silly seiko 5, snkl 23.
The design elements of this watch are so ubiquitous here. This watch reminds me of every train station/school/hospital clock I’ve ever seen. I just cannot get excited about it.
Nice video Teddy I own the Junghans Meister Telemeter love everything about it but am seriously thinking of replacing the glass to sapphire, oddly enough I’m waiting till the acrylic glass gets scratched up enough to the point it needs replacement, 4 years now and it still looks new….lol
I know the feeling. Looks like they are starting to offer sapphire now immediately given the amount of requests and interests across their many models. Thanks for watching btw!
I like my Meister Telemeter best on a Milanese mesh bracelet simply because it looks great and it adds weight to the extremely light almost cheap feel of the watch.
I have the same per your recommendation in gold. This brand and Xemex gives you that full on Deiter feel...you should put on you black turtle neck....SPROCKETS
I love my Junghans Chronoscope! Ever since I saw it on TB TV I decided to purchase one and I have enjoyed it ever since. It's an absolute strap monster which is unusual for a dress style watch and I also like the thickness and size of the watch which makes it somewhat less feminine and more wearable with all outfits. It's a delight to own and wear and yes the the automatic movement can be noisy but I enjoy that too
No plans to purchase one a time soon though I do appreciate the aesthetic. If I were to change my mind, I’d certainly choose the plexi crystal, it simply is part of the design language. All that aside, I probably favor the idea of a manual wind, three handed watch from them.
Alternative ?! IWC Portuguese chronograph: The Watch ! I own the both and love them both yet IWC is the standard. Junghans has that Bauhaus design that is for art lovers.
The only reason why I don’t like this watch is the missing second counter function on the Chronoscope. If you really want to use the Chronoscope it’s useless without a second counter. I don’t think that you lose symmetry if you put a second counter on the left.
Great review. I think we bought the watch more or less at the same time! My father gave it to me around may or june 2016 when i finished my law degree. It's almost the only watch I use, apart from a Certina quartz DS action that i use when i go near water because the max bill has no stated water resistance (altough i once jumped with it in the swimming pool and it survived the experience). I also would add that the back of the watch scratches very easily and the max bill engravement at the back can barely be seen anymore. Also that it stands wear vey well, including the plexiglass. In my case it has a crack and a lot of scratches, but still stands well (remember i have worn it 24/7 for 6 years. One time i even fell off my motorcycle and hit the ground with the watch and it only left a scratch, so the sicralan coating works). I would like to ask you about a rally black strap that i saw in one of your early videos, which i really liked and would love to get my hands on. Thanks for all the content, Teddy! This is one of my favorite channels!
I have and love this watch. The design is my style and I like to be able to wear a time piece that illustrate it. I do wish it had a little second arm at 9 o clock too! That and a better water resistance would make it just perfect for me! I also did get the sapphire upgrade. And if I’m being picky, I like a brushed finish over chrome too. But I can’t see ever parting with mine.
I especaily agree with you that there's simply nothing like Junghans Max bill, no real althernative. Sure, Nomos is also Bauhaus, but they are the modernized version, which is attracting by itself. Still, Max Bill is always gonna be the special one.
This watch is really well designed and even though I don't think elegeant dress-style watches suit me that well I think this might be a good fit. I'm thinking of starting to get into mechanical watches and this is a strong contender.
This watch brand is the embodiment of true minimal design. Not simply absence of elements, but rather minimally curated elements like symmetry, contrast, depth, proportions (case vs lugs), font design, handset etc. Coming from an architectural background, Junghans is a an absolute masterpiece of contemporary design!
I agree! Thanks for watching buddy!
Absolut art what Junghans is doing! I love it!
this was the most romantic and nostalgic take you guys ever did on a watch. I was captivated throughout the whole length of the video. thank you for this experience, teddy and the team!
Glad you enjoyed it! This is one of those watches that shaped the journey.
Also the one he did about his grandfather’s watch
I have a large collection of watches that has taken decades to acquire some beautiful time pieces. In the last couple years I have really been looking into the German watch history. The Max Bill design really is something that my collection needs. I have been adding some great watches including a Union, Glashutte Original,Nomos and Laco. Junghans Max Bill is next. Thanks for the video.
Yes GO rocks, i own Panomatic Lunar Green Gold version and now getting this Junghans ! Have a few Rolex etc too but germans are so good at the design game.
how dare you not mention Hanhart! : -P
This is such a cool watch Teddy! I love these long term reviews. Those "week on the wrist" videos always seem a bit silly to me - you don't really know a watch after a week! But videos like this are my absolute favourite! Great video Teddy!
Appreciate all of your commentary ! You walk the walk, you wear em, sell em and you give us the interviews with those that collect em and make em !!!
That my friend is priceless !
Appreciate it my friend! 🙌🏻
I'm very happy that we share the identical opinion on this watch, you said my thoughts in this video. I fell in love with Junghans at first sight, I think it was exactly this model. And yes as you mentioned - I did not use to be a watch guy, Junghans made me love watches. Cheers! 🥂
Bought a Meister Fein automatic signatur today as a gift for my father after a trip to Munich , and I remembered this specific video of yours that introduced me to Junghans and German watch brands in general. It is one of the most elegant watches I have ever seen and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Junghans is an amazing brand with a lot of history and deserves more recognition, definitely a brand that tells a lot about the owner’s knowledge around watches. Thank you for this video Teddy!
As a college student, I can't afford this watch at the moment but it is something I would like to save up for in the future. My first chrono would either be this or one of the Intra-matic series from Hamilton. Great video Teddy!
I have the same 2 watches on my wish list. It will a difficult decision
Same, but I do have a preference for the intra-matic
Im a sales associate at a little shop that gets to sell these beautiful watches and my favorites are Max Bill Regulator Special Edition 60, Max Bill Chronoscope with the Matte Black case and Blue- grey strap, and the Meister Driver Chorono with the Sand dial and brown strap and the quirky Mega 1000
I bought it for my 38th birthday, thanks to you, after seeing it in your instagram and youtube. I needed to wait for it 3months cause i took the version with saphire crystal. This watch is amagizing! When it came i fall in love with it. Thanks Teddy for showing me this watch!
My favorite watch ever. I bought mine from your website and have had no issues with the crystal. Love the way the crystal interactions with the hands and numerals.
Great idea to do a 6 years on review.
A spectacular piece as well!! Love this thing!
I remember coming close to buying this 6 years when I watched your video. I never pulled the trigger but glad to hear your long term feedback
I've been going back and forth with this watch.
This hasn't tipped me over the edge, it was a significant push through.
I'm definitely going to see if anyone has one in stock when I'm in Singapore.
Love from India. My grandfather first table clock was from Jungahans and sadly he passed away a year back. Being a UX designer who just made a job switch to FAANG , I was looking for watch to celebrate my new job. As I'm following your Channel from past 3 years, i would definitely say this is the right video on right time. Today my respect towards you even got one step once I heard that you were UX designer. Looking forward to see some cool video as always. Thanks once again.
Yes, it is an acrylic crystal and yes it is a $2000 watch. And the Omega Speedmaster is a $6000 watch. I have had my hand wound version for five years and there is no problem at all with the acrylic crystal. It’s not a tool watch and not for cycling, gardening, watersports etc etc. For those activities you need other watches. Movement: the hand wound ETA is ticking quite noticeably if you hold it to your ear. The automatic has quite the spinning rotor, Cartier does too, by the way. I was quite surprised when I found out, and it’s still present even in the latest Santos.
This watch is truly a piece of art, really one of its kind! It's the reason I got interested in watches, and since then I'm looking for a more affordable alternative that I can justify buying. But there's nothing quite like it, apart from knockoffs... Like you mentioned, the UX is stellar. I also work in software/design, as a frontend web developer with a design background, so I immediately noticed the use of space, how the tips of the hands point right to the appropriate numbers, how the shape provides a maximum of dial surface with a minimum of case size. There's plenty of contrast, but the proportions and the lack of ornaments make it more elegant than anything else I have seen. It's really form follows function at its best! On top of that, I have another connection to Bauhaus: I grew up very close to Dessau where Max Bill studied at the Bauhaus, and I visited the place a couple of times and fell in love with the Bauhaus philosophy. And writing all this, I realize that I might have to save some money and just get the original...
You can have a look at the Junkers Bauhaus series - they have their own design choices, but come fairly close at a very good price level
I own a different watch that uses a Valjoux 7750 movement and I always thought that the noticeable sound and tactile vibration were really cool!
Great job on both the watch and your experience. Didn’t know the price had crept up that high. I own the quartz, no chrono basic Max Bill. So classy. That ‘4’ - such a beautiful font.
One of my first mechanical watches was the seagull 1963; i first adore it; but more and more that i was learning about the world of making watch and that i was learning to love design and conception of a watch i found my Seagul too much here, not enough there and, obviously, not accurate enough. So after a long journey of 3 years of buying watches, i did manage to fall in love with this watch... it was my first watch that made me feel the balance between the eccentricity that i like (in the movement and is sound very loud which i like) and between the lightness of his appearance. I still use this watch once in a while! I agree with all of your point... some of your negative points are my positive points!!! The thing is that the Junghans Max Bill Chronoscope answered to all of my needs; i wish to had it sooner!!!
My first watch was a Junghans from the Bauhaus series in 1968 (movement 620.10 with small second hand at six o'clock). I still have it and it still works. I love the clean design of Junghans (and Nomos).
Awesome to see this! Love that you gave a real world take on something you have owned and loved for so long. I totally agree with rotor spin, I don’t mind it at all! It is a mechanical watch and I love any reminder of that throughout the day. That is basically the same reason I want a seconds register somewhere on my chrono. I don’t like a still dial. Gorgeous watch for sure.
I bought a citizen tough watch chrono (only quartz) and hated the fact that the chrono seconds hand sits stationary so much, I had to find a replacement. I knew it did when i bought it, but i figured I'd get used to it... nope. 😄
@@matthewweaver1123 i sold a chrono on ebay once and the guy messaged saying the watch is broken because the seconds hand wasnt moving…
@@Someothername2134 please tell me he didn't get his money back.
I have a Certina with the same movement. It has a flat saphire crystal, but you still get that sound when the movement spins. I kinda like it :-)
Love the watch when I bought mine sapphire crystal wasn’t available and I’d still go for plexiglass because it’s more accurate to the original era of the Max Bill watches also the thing that nobody ever seems to talk about is the fact that the dial isn’t really white it’s sort of white with a metallic silver coating which gives the watch a different look depending on how the light is hitting it overall a great watch one of the most beautiful I’ve ever owned
I scratched my Junghans plexiglass in the first week I owned my Meister and had to almost immediately upgrade to the sapphire. I like that the new version of this watch has sapphire standard. Love the design.
Great rundown! I sold mine years ago, but there's no question it's a quality piece at a reasonable price.
Your review of the Max Bill chronoscope was one of the reviews that made me decide to buy one as well. 2 years later and it still sits proud in the collection among my speedmaster, IWC, schaumburg (lovely German microbrand) and vintage chronograph. I simply love it!
Do have to say the valjoux wiggle is quite noticeable indeed. Unfortunately I did had an issue with the rotor, or at least a part of the winding mechanism, coming loose. The aftermarket service of Junghans is not the quickest and it took quite some while to get it fixed under warranty. But all good now!
I've started my 'collection' with one of the Max Bill Bauhaus Editions. The design is so simple and minimalistic. Love it. You're right about the noisy movement, always noticable but not disturbing.
Im new into watches but being also a UX UI designer myself I’m quite picky and a lover of good design. This would be my perfect light summer watch, while keeping my current Raketa Leopard 24 as my sturdy winter watch
I just got my first watch from your website a couple weeks ago and I opted for the Automatic with the date. I was definitely captivated by the Chronoscope at first, and that's what I was looking at, but I knew I would miss the sweeping seconds hand! Just like you, I wished they had gone with minutes and seconds for the sub-dials, instead of minutes and hours (who actually needs to time something with their watch for an hour plus?). Anyway, I have been absolutely thrilled with my Automatic and have already put a few different straps on it! It will definitely stay in my possession. There's just something captivating about the design that never gets old. It's also incredibly easy to read, which is nice.
Couldn't agree more with you! When I look at a watch, I wanna SEE it doing it's thing. If I just needed to know the time, I'd ask stupid alexa! I am sitting here with both, the no date max bill and the chrono sans numerals trying to decide which one to keep. The chrono goes back on monday!
I bought this exact watch (albeit in black) a few years ago, after watching your video and I still love it. The glass did get scratched very easily (from a non-smooth wall).
Just bought one yesterday, missing 60 second register is something that I found odd, but I looked at the positive which is that I won't bother too much about setting it to the second every couple of days. A design classic, it is utterly timeless...probably the reason you've owned it for six years and still love it.
I own the very same model, also 6 years old, and no scratches on plexiglass.
Lots of positive feedback everytime is noticed. I think I'll never get rid of it.
Great video, I like the down to earth style and the fact you sit with the watch between your hands while you talk.
This one felt more « personal ». I like that. Reminds me of the older videos. It also brought back the interest for Junghans I had lost over the years.
That dial is mesmerizing. I probably wouldn’t get the chrono version, but I can definitely see myself getting one of the 3 handers
This watch was the first watch that got the "watch bug" to bite me. And yes I bought this watch! It was an achievement of my life, very sentimental value to me. love this watch dearly!
I'm in love with the Junghans Mega Solar, it's so clever, the design is fascinatingly minimalist, the movement has almost unmatched precision even for a quartz movement, beside the auto radio synch it has +/- 8 seconds a year on its own, and the fact that it's also solar and has a perpetual calendar until the year 2400 makes it a brilliant brilliant watch.
Thanks for a great review. I`ve had an ordinary Max Bill Automatic about six years too, and still like the pure Bauhaus esthetics.
Very interesting video, I espeically enjoyed the introduction and history in the beginning, but also your perspective on long-term ownership of this magnificent timepiece. I have owned my Max Bill Automatic Bauhaus for a little over 1 year now and must say I am still absolutely in love with it. an incredible piece of timekeeping and design history on your wrist. Very good point about the rotating mechanism, I went to my local watchmaker after first getting the watch thinking that the mechanism must be chafing or broken, as it was so "loud" and felt gritty.
Excellent watch, I love the design. It was also my first purchase. Like you said it’s really nice to have wrist band options. I swap my bands all the time and it just looks great with any style. The dial is very captivating in my opinion.
I love it.
Actually I wear it right now.
The hesalite is not much of a problem as it can be polished.
Overall a great brand offering high quality.
Highly reccomended !
Btw: for IWC lovers of the Portuguese, this one might fulfill your desire until sourcing it.
I am saving up for this broe, I love it. Thanks for the plug 🔌
I purchased the 36mm black dial Junghans from you. It has the plexiglass and I wear it at home. I take off my day watch and put on my Junghans for the evening.
We're going to need an updated SOTC Teddy!
I have this watch in black and love it. Looked for years for a lifetime watch and this is it.
Some great thoughts Teddy. I don't currently have a Junghans but I guess I have the nearest thing to it from a Bauhaus design perspective being a Nomos. Mine is not a chronograph though it shares similar design influences. Personally I'm OK with the lack of a running seconds hand, I have a couple of Valjoux 7753 base movements in watches that I rarely look at the running seconds but as you mention it's a nice to have. The execution of the Junhans chronograph is very well done the way it hides the arguably thick movement and hence case better than many. This is a well proven workhorse movement as well as being serviceable given its popularity. I do like the shorter lug to lug compared to the Nomos though.
I really enjoy when teddy gets personal with his videos 👍👍
Love it. Bought it after seeing a video of yours. Everyone who sees it comments on it. Must swap out straps! Oh, it reminds me of my Dad. This would have been his style. So it ticks a lot of boxes.
I really enjoy the Bauhaus design. I have a Bambino V3 which I think feels Bauhaus style. I do find this look to be dressy for me, so its not an every day style or me, but its awesome. Thanks for the macros with all the years of blemishes, its fun to see that.
I like the bauhaus look of this piece. Years ago, I picked up a Kenneth Cole KC1568 Iconic Chronograph, which has a similar aesthetic. It's one of the few fashion watches I still admire due to the design.
Good memories, Teddy. You introduced me to watches years ago and I remember posting and asking you about the Max Bill Chronoscope.
I remember your username and those comments haha. Thanks for the support, my friend!
I owned a time-only Max Bill with black dial. Noisiest watch I've ever worn and I cracked the plexiglass in the first few months. I sold it soon after but I've always fancied owning the chronograph version. The case shape and domed crystal are lovely - always made me think of a UFO when looking at it from the side. It's a very cool watch.
Teddy I wish you would do a SOTC. I'm not sure if there's a hesitation about doing one but I think people would appreciate it. And you're a successful guy, I'm sure you have some nice watches and rightly so.
Love the passion. Just picked one up twenty minutes ago for an absolute steal. Very excited for it’s arrival.
Love the Max Bill design.That all simple dial does it for me.
Thank you Teddy for introducing this watch to me. This is definitely on my radar now and will pick it up when I can afford it. :)
Such an elegant watch and a great long term review. Thanks, Teddy
I have some older Speedies - the 775x-variants are ubiquitous. I can attest to the "loud" nature of the calibre, but it's a fun reminder of the very special machine on my wrist.
@text me on telegram @Teddybaldassarre1 I'm sorry, I'm not even sure how to do that!
Thanks for such a nostalgic and intimate take on the watch; I enjoyed this vid immensely - more please.
I’ve had my MaxBill for 4-5 years and the rotor in the movement is noisy.. or can be… it’s sort of nice to see someone else mention this. Mines not the chrono, so i’d guess it is the case shape adding to the sound.
Great video Teddy
This thing is crisp! I’ve been looking for a good simple watch with a black strap that could be worn on a laidback tip
I always wondered what was the "inspiration" for so many Chinese "cheapo"-s that mess it up - there's no balance with those and it got me thingking there has to be a proper brand name design that is special. and boom! there it is. love the versatility of it and that it's not leaning into the "look at me!!! I'm a chronograph waaatch!!" but is more towards the dress style. classy yet strong.
Another great watch that I can't afford. Always watching for one on my local used market. I can hope. I prefer the black dial.
Teddy, this is a fantastic video. I loved your story of how watch fits within your journey in the hobby of watch collecting. That really resonated with me. Thank you for sharing this.
A lot of people call the Max Bill watches “minimalist” but in reality it’s not minimalism, it’s modernism! I’m a graphic designer who is almost always working within the modernist school of design so of course I’m so attracted to this watch. It’s not about the subtraction of elements for its own sake, it’s about giving the owner of this watch all the information they need quickly and efficiently. No fluff, that’s what modernism is about. I love it, it’s my dream watch.
I really enjoy the Bauhaus design. I have a Bambino V3 which I think feels Bauhaus style. I do find this look to be dressy for me, so its not an every day style or me, but its awesome. Thanks for the macros with all the years of blemishes, its fun to see that. I would love to eventually upgrade my Orient to a Max Bill no numeral no date automatic. It’s beautiful.
I understand your reason for enjoying this watch. I had an Eberhard Traversetolo years ago that I sold and regret doing it
Hey Teddy, great video as usual !
This watch was my 40th birthday gift and I love it but I've had a mixed experience. It might be useful for someone looking to purchase.
I helped my wife chose it, so I was part of the whole process. My first mistake was not going to a proper jeweler, but rather to a department store. Rather high-end, but department store nonetheless and the watch corner was operated by one of those large dealer brands with multiple outlets.
They were a fully authorized dealer but didn't know the brand or the product line that well. I looked up the exact reference I wanted, and had them order that. But by doing so, I couldn't find the sapphire option online, and had them order the acrylic, missing the fact that the sapphire option was in fact available but only on the black strap. A properly informed salesperson should have been able to navigate me to the sapphire option I wanted.
Then the watch arrived and I was a little surprised by a few things : the tan colored strap was much lighter than I exepected, the dial was more light gray than white, and the strangest was the cristal. The best I can describe is instead of sloping down smoothely to the bezel, the dome ended on a sharp angle then dropped straight down 1mm or so to the bezel. And rubbing a finger or a piece of clothing on that angle let out a VERY plasticky and cheap sound.
But I had gotten used to it, then, only a month or two into owning it, I knocked it on a corner of a wall and chipped the cristal. I did my homework again, better this time, and knew that the reference model I had we compatible with a sapphire retrofit, but the reseller didn't so I decided not to bother with them ever again. I looked up the import company, contacted them, and they pointed me towards a couple of proper trustworthy jewelers, only one of whom was aware of the sapphire option.
Although the sapphire is about 200€ extra on purchase, it's around 400€ for a replacement, so I opted for an acrylic cristal replacement after all. The job was done in a few days, and most surprisingly, the new cristal did not have that weird angle. Now it's smooth right down to the bezel. I still don't understand what was up with that.
And although I'm usually careful, I already have a small scratch on the dome, around 5 o'clock. I might go for sapphire if I feel like it later on.
All in all, I wanted to save a few hundred in store credit, but ended up regretting not having looked up this shop first. Always go for the passionate guy.
If anyone wants a nice address in Paris, let me know.
Thanks for sharing your story!
I have had mine (black dial) for five years, no problems whatsoever, no scratches on the crystal; the caseback is a scratch magnet however, which is a pity. Great design, style never goes out of fashion.
Stunning watch. There’s nothing else like it at the price point. It’s either the MB Chronoscope or an IWC Portugieser, which will cost you 4x. I do love the Portugieser too!
This watch is the exact definition of clean
New follower here...I've watched a few of your videos & fell for this specific model. Couldn't find it until earlier today & found it with the sapphire update for $1775. Thank you for this info...helped me pull the trigger.
I would love, love, love to know the waffle NATO strap on this watch. It's featured throughout but at 5:20 I think gives it the best view. Help!
Love that center hand stack. Concerning Junghans I’m a sucker for that Master Agenda model with the 52 week counter and power reserve grey and white dial.
Excellent review. How good it looks. There is also the Max Bill Automatic. Even cleaner and more simplistic. Black dial. Tempting.
I feel like this is your signature piece. It’s the one that I associate with you the most.
Weird how that happens. Just stumbled on this watch years ago with no expectation.
@@TeddyBaldassarre I think it’s because it’s a bit more unusual. Pretty sure your Explorer 2 is your favourite but more people have that. I feel like the Max Bill is more to your style as it’s a bit dressy and you always talk about your fondness for minimalism “...as a pursuit rather than a lack of thought” is how I remember you saying it.
Wow. I love this watch!! I just purchased after watching your review!
Beautiful watch that works (for me - of course not to swiming) in almost every situation.
The fact of the loud spin makes me like it even more 😊
At first I thought it was a Korean watch, the number on the dial looks a lot like its hangul alphabet.
Thanks again for sharing Spiderman 🙏
Great video and great accurate description of a beautiful piece of artwork!
1st
It is a great looking watch, clean lines. I have a Max Bill dress watch with the tan strap. I would never get rid of it.
I also have a Christopher Ward Moonglow and the rotor on that watch is very, very noisy. I thought the watch was broken until doing some research.
I ordered the 38mm sapphire auto Max Bill from an online supplier and was rather 'underwhelmed' by it and have returned it for a refund. As I intend to order the 40mm chronoscope version with sapphire which is described as being 'less domed' than the plexiglass model, but hopefully has more presence than the rather plain looking and smallish appearance of the regular 38mm Max Bill which is very 60's in its design and sizing.I also ordered an Artem black sailcloth strap with a deployant clasp which looked good on the watch being a high quality strap making it look less of a dress watch so will probably look nice on the more sports inspired chronoscope.
The Chronoscope is nearly twice the price of the standard 38mm Max Bill so hoping it is twice the watch in appearance.
Also the lack of a sweeping seconds hand would be annoying as I use this as a visual sign that the watch is still going, so would have to run the chronoscope function full time and hope that it will not wear the mechanism prematurely?
This is a magnificent design. I recall visiting the original Bauhaus back in the 80s in old East Germany, in Weimar, DDR. So I feel close to the Bauhaus design. (The Bauhaus was moved later in the 1920s to Dessau, due to the political intrigue of Weimar. Weimar is a rather small town, at least it was back in old East Germany days, rather a quiet place.)
This is a magnificent watch and when I can afford it, is on my buy list with the brown leather strap.
It's odd, but of my watches, I love this silly seiko 5, snkl 23.
@Text me on telegram @Teddybaldassarre1 Oh yes, you're really Teddy, uh hum. I get censored by you tube and you scammers are allowed to run free.
The design elements of this watch are so ubiquitous here. This watch reminds me of every train station/school/hospital clock I’ve ever seen. I just cannot get excited about it.
Nice video Teddy I own the Junghans Meister Telemeter love everything about it but am seriously thinking of replacing the glass to sapphire, oddly enough I’m waiting till the acrylic glass gets scratched up enough to the point it needs replacement, 4 years now and it still looks new….lol
I know the feeling. Looks like they are starting to offer sapphire now immediately given the amount of requests and interests across their many models. Thanks for watching btw!
I like my Meister Telemeter best on a Milanese mesh bracelet simply because it looks great and it adds weight to the extremely light almost cheap feel of the watch.
I have the same per your recommendation in gold. This brand and Xemex gives you that full on Deiter feel...you should put on you black turtle neck....SPROCKETS
I love my Junghans Chronoscope! Ever since I saw it on TB TV I decided to purchase one and I have enjoyed it ever since. It's an absolute strap monster which is unusual for a dress style watch and I also like the thickness and size of the watch which makes it somewhat less feminine and more wearable with all outfits. It's a delight to own and wear and yes the the automatic movement can be noisy but I enjoy that too
Spotted a black dial Junghans at Munich Airport - beautiful !
No plans to purchase one a time soon though I do appreciate the aesthetic. If I were to change my mind, I’d certainly choose the plexi crystal, it simply is part of the design language.
All that aside, I probably favor the idea of a manual wind, three handed watch from them.
Alternative ?!
IWC Portuguese chronograph: The Watch !
I own the both and love them both yet IWC is the standard.
Junghans has that Bauhaus design that is for art lovers.
The only reason why I don’t like this watch is the missing second counter function on the Chronoscope. If you really want to use the Chronoscope it’s useless without a second counter. I don’t think that you lose symmetry if you put a second counter on the left.
I like your thoughts on UX. Outside of design, I don't think the watch industry, and the big companies in particular, always put overall UX first.
Great review. I think we bought the watch more or less at the same time! My father gave it to me around may or june 2016 when i finished my law degree. It's almost the only watch I use, apart from a Certina quartz DS action that i use when i go near water because the max bill has no stated water resistance (altough i once jumped with it in the swimming pool and it survived the experience). I also would add that the back of the watch scratches very easily and the max bill engravement at the back can barely be seen anymore. Also that it stands wear vey well, including the plexiglass. In my case it has a crack and a lot of scratches, but still stands well (remember i have worn it 24/7 for 6 years. One time i even fell off my motorcycle and hit the ground with the watch and it only left a scratch, so the sicralan coating works). I would like to ask you about a rally black strap that i saw in one of your early videos, which i really liked and would love to get my hands on. Thanks for all the content, Teddy! This is one of my favorite channels!
Nomos wouldn't be a 'thing' without Max Bill. I had a time-only Max Bill and sold it, which I regret. I'll buy one again sooner than later I'm sure
I have and love this watch. The design is my style and I like to be able to wear a time piece that illustrate it. I do wish it had a little second arm at 9 o clock too! That and a better water resistance would make it just perfect for me! I also did get the sapphire upgrade. And if I’m being picky, I like a brushed finish over chrome too. But I can’t see ever parting with mine.
Most definitely been eyeing one for a while… I love that design and it ya so unique.. definitely gotta get one
I especaily agree with you that there's simply nothing like Junghans Max bill, no real althernative. Sure, Nomos is also Bauhaus, but they are the modernized version, which is attracting by itself. Still, Max Bill is always gonna be the special one.
This watch is really well designed and even though I don't think elegeant dress-style watches suit me that well I think this might be a good fit. I'm thinking of starting to get into mechanical watches and this is a strong contender.