The Junghans Max Bill Line Gets the Monochromatic Treatment

The Max Bill line from German maker Junghans is as iconic as a series of watches can be. Designed by, you guessed it, Max Bill, these watches have remained largely the same since their inception, and they’re exemplary of Bauhaus design. In recent years, however, Junghans has really begun to iterate on these watches. None of the changes have been drastic, keeping the Bauhuas foundation intact, but some playfulness with color, case finishing, etc. have really opened the line up.

Last year, Junghans put out an attractive anniversary collection celebrating 100 years of Bauhaus. The watches were really cool, featuring gunmetal cases and red accents on the dial. They were a limited release, and have since sold out. But if you missed out, don’t fret. The brand has just announced a few new members to the Max Bill line, and they’re not unlike those from the anniversary edition.

Junghans Max Bill Automatic Ref. 027/4007.04 and Kleine Automatic Ref. 027/4006.04

• Case Material: Stainless steel with matte anthracite PVD
• Dial: White
• Dimensions: 38mm (Ref. 027/4007.04) and 34mm (Ref. 027/4006.04)
• Crystal: Domed plexiglass
• Water Resistance: 3 bar
• Movement: J800.1 (base ETA 2824)
• Crown: Push/pull
• Strap/bracelet: leather strap
• Price: $1,095 (Ref. 027/4006.04) and $1,195 (Ref. 027/4007.04)
• Reference Number: Ref. 027/4007.04 and Ref. 027/4006.04

Junghans Max Bill Chronoscope Ref. 027/4008.04

• Case Material: Stainless steel with matte anthracite PVD
• Dial: White
• Dimensions: 40mm
• Crystal: Domed plexiglass
• Water Resistance: 3 bar
• Movement: J880.2 (base ETA 7750)
• Crown: Push/pull
• Strap/bracelet: leather strap
• Price: $2,095
• Reference Number: Ref. 027/4008.04

Junghans Max Bill Quartz Ref. 041/4064.04

• Case Material: Stainless steel with matte anthracite PVD
• Dial: White
• Dimensions: 28mm
• Crystal: Domed plexiglass
• Water Resistance: 3 bar
• Movement: J645.33 (base ETA 955.112)
• Crown: Push/pull
• Strap/bracelet: leather strap
• Price: $625
• Reference Number: Ref. 041/4064.04

So, what do we have here? There are four variants: the automatic Chronoscope, two time-with-date automatics, and a quartz option. That ultra cool gunmetal case from the anniversary editions is carried over to all four variants, but instead of red accents, these watches have subdued monochromatic dials. That sounds like it could be really boring, but far from it. The dials are bold, with dark Arabic markers, lighter minute hash marks, and gunmetal hands that pull the whole thing together. It works especially well on the Chronoscope Ref. 027/4008.04, and I adore the lighter sub-registers.

The two automatics are largely similar, but where they differ is their size. The Junghans Max Bill Automatic Ref. 027/4007.04 measures 38mm across, while the Max Bill Kleine Automatic Ref. 027/4006.04 is just 34mm. In my experience, Max Bills all wear a centimeter or two larger than their dimensions because of the all-dial design. That’s something worth considering if you’re thinking of picking up one of these. Also worth noting is that 34mm is not a size Junghans generally offers for their automatic watches, so it’s great to see that option here. If quartz is more your thing, Ref. 041/4064.04 offers a 38mm option that is more or less identical to the larger automatic variant.

Altogether, these four watches are a nice addition to the Max Bill family, and I like these even more than I did the anniversary editions. Those were a bit out there with the red accents, while these to me feel like more natural evolutions of Max Bill’s iconic design. Junghans