ochs & junior Gives Us Two Time Zones Without the Fuss

Dual time watches have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to a new crop of movements boasting variations of the complication, and that’s a very good thing, netting us new GMT watches like this Seiko, this Zodiac, and this Lorca, among many others. What’s rarer is a novel take on presenting the complication. That’s exactly what we get from a new watch from ochs & junior, which ditches the fourth hand altogether, and provides a second set of adjustable hour markers instead. This is the ochs line two time zones aka the due ore raw.

The traditional GMT configuration is lauded for its simplicity which boils down to a 24 hand dutifully lapping the dial once each day, usually accompanied by a set of 24 hour markers against which to read it independently of the 12 hour markers for the local time. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, but not nearly enough in the sub-exotic realm. The Nomos Zürich world time is one such example, and now this ochs & junior represents another such breath of fresh air.

The two time zones seen here utilizes the classic ETA 2824-2 that’s been modified to host a disc containing a set of hour markers in Arabic numeral form under the dial. The standard 31-tooth date disc has been replaced with a 48-tooth disk that’s independently adjustable through the crown. This makes for an intuitive display that’s easily managed and read. Simply add or subtract the difference between your home and local time zones and set the display accordingly at 12 o’clock and off you go. No bezels to adjust, no 24 hour calculations to perform, just a straightforward display of multiple times using the same hour hand. 

This is effectively a 12 hour bezel that’s been set within the dial itself, and made adjustable via the crown. It’s fun and indeed creative, and also a testament to the simple beauty and practicality of a 12 hour bezel.

The two-piece case is constructed from grade 5 titanium, and retains the industrial nature of ochs & junior design themes, with visible marks from the milling and machining. Likewise, the dial features a vertical brush filing texture and minimal markings rendered in oj blue with Super-LumiNova coating. It’s raw in nature yet incredibly refined as a complete package. 

Like many of their watches, the two time zones will be offered in 39mm and 42mm configurations, however this particular model will not be customizable for the time being, beyond the two case sizes. The watches must be ordered via email with the company, where a 50% deposit will be required. Pricing is set at CHF3,065 without VAT. ochs & junior.