Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The ochs und junior settimana raw brass
The name is all lower case, highlighting the minimalism of this follow-up to last year’s settimana raw with weekday indicator
One of the key features of ochs und junior watches is a dial full of mysterious holes. This doesn’t apply to all models, but many show advanced complications via dots moving around the dial, such as a perpetual calendar or annual calendar. It’s not just the unusually simplistic dials that are fascinating, but the mechanics as well. The annual calendar only requires three moving parts. What!? There’s also an incredibly accurate moon phase model that uses five parts. These ingenious designs have defined ochs und junior as something truly different and the latest settimana raw brass replaces last year’s nickel-coated brass dial (the settimana raw) with an uncoated one that again flaunts imperfections from machining.
The grade 5 titanium case of the settimana raw brass is offered in two sizes, 36mm or 40mm, with a light weight of only 55 or 57 grams, respectively. The height of both is 10.8mm. Like its predecessors, the new cases show traces of machining and milling imperfections, which is by design. These watches have a somewhat raw and natural aesthetic, reminding me of the Holthinrichs Watches RAW Ornament. The two-part case design is round and soft with short lugs that bring the strap a bit under the case back. An oversized, screw-down titanium crown is all that interrupts this free-flowing form. Ludwig Oechslin is responsible for this aesthetic and it’s a simple work of art. A sapphire crystal protects the dial and the case back is solid, and water resistance is rated at 50 meters. The strap is black Cordura, handmade by Sabina Brägger who also supplies a leather case.
The change from last year is the dial, which is now raw brass that shows all of the markings and texture of CNC machining. Minimalism is the name of the game as there are no indices or markings of any kind. There are just simple hour, minute and seconds hands, all coated with black Super-LumiNova. A mysterious group of dot cutouts circle the inner portion of the dial from 1 to 7 o’clock, while a cutout arch fills the rest, from 8 to 12 o’clock. A black dot coated with Super-LumiNova glides from each dot to represent the day of the week with Monday starting at 1 o’clock. Between Sunday and Monday, it quickly moves across the arch between 8 and 12 o’clock. Simple yet very effective. This 7-weekday module uses only four parts and the brass dial (with a functional back) acts as one of them. The other three are a gear with weekday display (point), triple function wheel and transmission wheel. That’s it! This remarkable feat of engineering was invented by Ludwig Oechslin as well.
Powering the settimana raw brass is a Sellita SW 200-1, an alternative to the ETA 2824. This proven workhorse has 26 jewels, beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) with a 38-hour power reserve. Functions include central hours, minutes, seconds and date, but the date is not utilized here. In fact, it’s been removed entirely to accommodate the weekday indicator, which is powered by the hour wheel via a reduction wheel.
The new ochs und junior settimana raw brass retails for CHF 2,215 (excl. taxes), which is an accessible price for the brand thanks to the Sellita base movement. For more information, please visit www.ochsundjunior.swiss.
5 responses
Just my opinion, but this needs hour markers. Even just the simplest of markers, potentially dots to match the design. Feels like so much effort went into making a useful date / week marker complication, only to hamstring themselves by making it difficult to read the actual time.
If you do not appreciate minimalism, these watches will not appeal to you. I happen to have minimalistic aesthetic approach so I find these quite beautiful, as well as the simplistic mechanics of the movement. Would really like to own one (some day).
I really like the idea of O&J and recently sent them an email with a couple of questions and indicating that I’de interested in buying a time piece from them. Them being a boutique brand I thought they’d be accessible. I never heard back from them. A pity …
Nothing’s really new and exciting from ochs. Ankdjunior
Markus, I am amazed! I think your email was not received at ochs und junior. I recently did, in fact, buy a watch from them and there was, I kid you not, no less than two dozen emails throughout the process. I felt like I was buying a house! They were over the top attentive and offered a bespoke service that would rival watches that cost six figures! I simply could not have asked for a better buying experience.