Max Bill watches by Junghans have stayed virtually unchanged since their introduction in the 1960s. Bauhaus-trained architect and designer Adolf Loos learned how to create modern minimalism as new as it was in the 1920s at his alma mater in Dessau, Germany.
The Junghans Max Bill watches are near-perfect representations of what an everyday watch should look like because of the play of lines, forms, and tones. Accurately timed at all times, with a real vintage flair, the watch is a conversation starter while still being discrete enough to wear on the wrist. Wear them to the office, to a family dinner, or out on the town. With curved hands and an unbelievably thin bezel, they radiate German-made craftsmanship.
Junghans introduced a line of wristwatches by Swiss Bauhaus designer Max Bill after his iconic 1950s kitchen clock. Initially ignored, this collection’s three stainless steel and gold-plated designs are now considered design classics.
Here are some important things to be known about Junghans max bill watches:
Max Bill introduced sleek, simple watch designs first.
Bauhaus-inspired designs existed even before Max Bill’s time at Junghans. German watches also use design minimalism. George Horwitt created the Movado “Museum Watch” in 1947. It got its nickname because it was exhibited in museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Many pre-Max Bill watches would qualify as Bauhaus today since they were cleaner and more minimal.
Max Bill designed the Chronoscope.
The Chronoscope was designed after the artist’s death. The timepiece wasn’t the only complexity added to the Junghans Max Bill in its second iteration.
All 1960s Max Bill models have the Junghans Design logo.
Max Bill disliked German jargon. Ironically, the English term Design has become Max Bill’s most iconic dial trademark. Junghans, Junghans Automatic, and Junghans Meister are other signatures. Junghans Design samples can be linked to Max Bill, as no other Junghans pieces bear that signature.
Due to their rarity, vintage Max Bill pieces command significant prices on the used market. The quality is the same as the latest models.
Max Bill has designed Junghans timepieces since 1957.
Production time is debated. Max Bill supposedly designed Junghans timepieces in 1957. He probably designed the grandfather and kitchen clocks first. Early in his career, he didn’t collaborate on watch designs.
Junghans has confirmed earlier reports. Most sources say this watch collection debuted in 1962. Watch movements in circulation in 1961 were used. Many motions were in stock and encased months or years later, so any reference to 1961 is unfounded.
Max Bill was designed only for Junghans.
He develops watches for Junghans. He also designed Omega and Movado watches. Both versions debuted years later. The rainbow-colored Omega Max Bill fetches middle to high four-figure Sterling values.
All Junghans watches with the famous four are from Max Bill.
He’s credited with many Junghans models, especially those with the Bauhaus number four. They employed this trademark design feature before the Max Bill series and on models from the early 1960s.
All Max Bill models contain bright spots.
Max Bill watches don’t need luminescent points to be valid. Some 1960s models with faceted index lines and 1997 Max Bill models don’t have luminous lines.
The greenish light substance on antique Max Bills gets replaced.
When an older watch includes green illuminating material instead of yellowish radium or tritium, it’s thought that changed these. Not original. German manufacturers employed phosphoric luminous materials that aged green. Max Bill watches have green lume dots because of this. In the dark, vintage watches’ luminous dots can be tested for authenticity. If they glow green, the lume was replaced since the originals burned out.
