The Ochs und Junior Ochs Line Day/Night, Oechslin’s Astronomical Sleeper

When you think about astronomical watches, timekeepers that are capable of displaying complex indications related to the position of the moon, the sun, the length of days or the equation of time, you might have in mind watches with fairly loaded dials and an array of star-inspired textures. There’s surely nothing wrong with that, but it is far from being Ludwig Oechslin’s approach to watchmaking. The pope of simplification does things in a fairly different way and the Ochs und Junior Ochs Line Day/Night, a complex astronomical timepiece that’s now available from the standard collection, boasts more complexity than you’d imagine. A true watchmaking sleeper!

Like with almost all watches produced by indie watchmaker Ochs und Junior, this new Ochs Line Day/Night is the best definition of deceptively simple. At first, it might appear as just a time-only watch with a date and a set of additional complications, maybe a moon phase display. Not a big deal, you might think? But there’s more (much more) than meets the eye. It is a radically simple (Oechslin’s trademark) take on a poetical complication, the length of day and nighttime. And if that’s this watch’s primary indication, there are a bunch of other things to discover.

Let’s summarize what the Ochs Line Day/Night does:

• Length of day and nighttime for the location of your choice. This adjusts dynamically. Ludwig Oechslin’s complication is available for both the northern and southern hemispheres.
• Solar noon
• Sunrise and sunset
• The position of the sun and moon in the sky
• The moon phase
• The date
• The time too…

Of course, the length of day and nighttime is something that isn’t universal and linked to a specific location. This is why the Ochs Line Day/Night is a watch made to order, as this watch features a custom-made part which syncs it to a chosen location. And should your place of residence be changed in the future, a new part can adapt to the changed location for both the northern and southern hemispheres.

To power this watch and its complications, which isn’t a true novelty but now makes its appearance in the brand’s permanent collection (it was available in limited editions before), Ochs und Junior relies on a fairly interesting base calibre, the Ulysse Nardin UN-320 – Ludwig Oechslin has been working with UN for many years, specifically designing the trilogy of astronomical complications known as the Astrolabium, Planetarium and Tellurium, and participating in the creation of the Freak. This 4Hz automatic movement with 48h power reserve has been modified with 13 new parts designed by Ludwig Oechslin specifically for day/night (yes, only 13…)

For this new and now standard version of the Ochs Line Day/Night, the brand has opted for a minimalist approach with a grand 5 titanium case of 40mm, with deliberately visible machining marks. The dial is made from brass (daytime) and dark blue patina (dial base & nighttime). The hands and the indexes are in brass as well. The patina changes the colour aesthetics from dark blue, black and brownish to purple and eggplant depending on the incidence of light. The Sun is in hammered 24k yellow gold while the moon is in hammered platinum.

Available for both the northern and southern hemispheres, with the length of day and nighttime for a selected location to be chosen at the moment of order, the Ochs und Junior Ochs Line Day/Night is worn on a dark blue Ecopell leather strap and delivered with a handmade leather pouch. Delivery will take about three months after the order is placed and the price is CHF 10,700 (export price, without taxes). For more details, please visit www.ochsundjunior.swiss.