The ochs und junior line mese 2.22 with an Yves-Klein Blue Dial

ochs und junior (no capital letters) is a truly fascinating independent watchmaker co-founded by industry legend Ludwig Oechslin and entirely dedicated to minimalism – and not only regarding design but also when it comes to the simplification of complications. The brand has been around for many years already but has been given some fresh air recently, with Christian Gafner joining the team and bringing new designs. Recent models have shown great creativity and a new focus on accessibility, with watches such as the Settimana or the “raw” series. Today, the independent watchmaker is launching something bolder and bright, with a deep “Klein Blue” dial, the ochs und junior line mese 2.22.

This new line mese 2.22 walks in the footsteps of the 1.22 launched earlier this year. A watch that is “brutally Bauhaus,” as described by our own Robin and the brand, with a minimalist look, graphic elements, use of primary colours in light touches and, of course, the less-is-more approach to watchmaking the brand is known for. And, it goes without saying, a brilliantly simple construction guided by Ludwig Oechslin. The ochs und junior line mese 2.22, just like the previous edition of this watch, is all about simplified design and mechanics, being probably the least complex date watch on the market with a 2-part mechanism only… And don’t get me wrong, it is sometimes far more difficult to conceive something that simple rather than to build an overly-engineered module.

This new edition of the line mese retains the classic Oechslin-styled case, with a 2-part construction and nude shape. At 39mm in diameter, with extremely short lugs and a 10.40mm height, it is a relatively compact watch that will still have a presence on the wrist. Comfort is not neglected either, as the grade 5 titanium case weighs only 54 grams. A signature element of many o&j watches, the surface of the case is deliberately left unfinished, with visible machining marks. It’s also a very wearable watch, with a sapphire crystal on top, a screw-down crown and a 100m water-resistance.

The main novelty for this ochs und junior line mese 2.22 is the colour of the dial. And this is a pretty special colour, a deep, vivid and emblematic tone of blue known as “Yves Klein Blue” obtained by a PVD process by Positive Coating in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The colour is applied to the raw-looking brass surface, revealing machining marks. The top dial and date disc underneath use this intense colour, while the indices, hands and date dot are treated with white Super-LumiNova.

As for the mechanics, the ochs und junior line mese 2.22 is all about essentials, with a display of the time and date. The interesting element is, of course, the date. The latter relies on a series of 31 holes to give a feeling of animation and legibility. As you can see, the 31st hole overlaps the 1st hole, again with a clever idea behind it. Indeed, the 30 equally spaced holes make the exact minute and second readable (holes are even minutes, gaps odd). And since the dot is not a dot but a curved dash, the 1st and the 31st are always shown separately… Typical Oechslin.

Power on this watch comes from a classic ETA 2824-2 (automatic, 4Hz, 38h power reserve). On top is a date module that has been designed by Oechslin and that consists of only 2 parts – the date disc and the actual top dial. The watch is delivered on a blue-black Ecopell Enzian Nappa leather strap, handmade by Berne-based designer Sabina Brägger.

The ochs und junior line mese 2.22 is now available for orders with a 50% prepayment, and deliveries are expected in 12-16 weeks. The price is CHF 3,230 (excl. taxes), and the watch isn’t limited. For more details and orders, please visit www.ochsundjunior.swiss.