The Junghans Max Bill is a seminal Bauhaus-inspired timepiece. Its roots go all the way back to the ’50s when the eponymous Swiss design hero first began designing clocks and wristwatches for the German watch brand. Bill had it right from the get-go and his basic design has remained in Junghans’ lineup for decades, receiving little alterations and improvements along the way, rather than heavy-handed redesigns. It goes without saying that the band’s new introduction of a “soft gold” case to a handful of Max Bill watches is a similarly considered addition.
The new watches are not cased in solid gold but rather a steel case with a PVD gold plating. PVD gold cases are a perfectly fine way to add some gold-toned flair to a watch, but the result is usually shiny and a bit brash. Junghans doesn’t really do brash, and shiny gold is at odds with the Bauhaus ethos, so the coating here has a soft, matte finish. That pairs exceptionally with a very light gray dial and a gray strap.
There are three versions available: one quartz version and two automatics (one with Arabic numerals and the other with elongated indices). Pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but given the standard Junghans Max Bill Automatic retails around $1,000, we wouldn’t expect much more of a premium.
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