One look at this instrument/tool watch and it’s not a surprise that the Mühle-Glashütte S.A.R. Rescue-Timer has been equipping the maritime rescue workers of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) since 2002.
The Mühle-Glashütte S.A.R. Rescue-Timer Lumen.
One of its key virtues is the ability to easily read the time during night rescue missions. On-board lighting on sea rescue missions is typically kept at a minimum to allow night the best night vision possible while at sea. The S.A.R. Rescue-Timer features over-size hands and indices fully coated in layers of SuperLumiNova to shine the time even in pitch-black conditions.
The new version of the Mühle-Glashütte S.A.R. Rescue-Timer Lumen takes its name from that same luminosity now on the entire dial, providing a bright backdrop for its skeleton black hands.
Built like a tank and equipped with an impressive 4mm-thick scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, the 42mm stainless steel case features a screw-down back and crown with a confirmed, superior water resistance rating of 1,000 meters.
Three strap options are available to hold the watch in place including the popular rubber, dressier stainless, and now a fabric strap sporting the colors of the watch.
Inside beats a Sellita SW-200 regulated in six positions and customized with a woodpecker neck regulation system to achieve a 0 to +8 seconds per day rate. This is a slightly different chronometer standard that allows for a bit faster running – but never slower as compared to the typical Swiss -4 + 6 COSC standards. Price: $2,499. Available at www.oldnortheastjewelers.com.
Max is back and minimal is original. Sixty years after the launch of the Max Bill Automatic, Junghans has revisited not only that minimalistic design, but has dared to offer it in the authentic 34mm original size.
An original Max Bill watch from 1961 (left) and a new model, with date. Both are 34mm in diameter.
Tiny by today’s standards (for a men’s watch), the 34mm watch is powered by an automatic movement under a dial bereft of excess – or anything distracting, except, for some, a date display. Two dial options offer a choice between an numeral-free edition or a model with Arabic numerals in a fine font.
Whether with simple stick markers or Arabic numerals, the austere dial keeps the smaller size from feeling too crowded, while the almost-nonexistent bezel adds volume and expanse to the scant case.
Water resistance is nominal at 30 meters and good for splashes and rain, while a double-coated sapphire crystal reaches to the very perimeter of the case. A truly unisex watch, the modern rendition ranges in price from $1,095 to $1,195 depending on the case finish and strap or bracelet choice.
Junghans celebrates its 160th anniversary this year with an impressive array of new watches that primarily feature the German-based watchmaker and clockmaker’s historically based Max Bill and Meister collections.
The new Junghans Max Bill Regulator is one of three Max Bill watches offered as part of a limited edition set.
In addition, Junghans adds a limited-edition model to its newer, minimalist Form line while also reviving a long-time favorite kitchen clock/timer it originally debuted in the 1950s.
Junghans has revived a kitchen clock/timer originally sold in the 1950s.
Here, we’ll focus on the additions to the Meister line, with special attention to the Meister Signature Hand-winding Edition 160. Look to future postings for details about the clock and the Max Bill collection updates, or check them out here on the Junghans website.
Gold Meister
The new Meister Signature Hand-winding Edition 160 is a manual-wind model cased in 18-karat gold and fit with an interesting Junghans movement that oscillates at a leisurely 18,000 bph. Measuring a wrist-friendly 39mm in diameter, the limited edition (of 160) watch recalls dress watch styling from the 1960s and 1970s, which Junghans underscores with a decidedly retro rendition of its brand name, as seen on Junghans products of yore.
The new Junghans Meister Signature Hand-winding Edition 160.
Junghans produced the original J620 hand-winding movement between 1966 and 1975 and utilized it for a wide range of mechanical three-hand wristwatches. The J620 can also be found in the Junghans Olympic series of 14-karat gold watches made in 1971 and 1972.
The original Junghans J620 manual-wind movement (right) and the new gold-plated caliber.
For the new watch, Junghans has disassembled, decorated and reassembled existing, historical J620 movements, plating each with a coat of 18-karat rose gold for good measure. And Junghans has thoughtfully provided a clear sapphire caseback to view the work. Price: $9,800.
Meister Power Reserve
Displaying an unusual vertical power reserve indicator just above the 6 o’clock position, the new Meister Gangreserve (power reserve) Edition 160 echoes a similar design Junghans released in the 1950s.
On the steel Junghans Meister Gangreserve (power reserve) Edition 160, the power reserve indicator gradually changes from green to yellow to red as reserve is reduced.
As the power reserve recedes, the indicator’s color on the steel-bracelet model gradually changes from green to yellow and finally to red, which indicates that it’s time to wind the automatic watch again. Two leather-strap models are more subtle: When fully charged, the indicator shows the dial color (see example below). At fifty percent power, the indicator turn gray, and when power drops to zero, the indicator shows red. The Meister Gangreserve Edition 160 is limited to only 160 watches in each of three versions. Prices start at $1,700.
Meister Fein Automatic
This very modern design features a new convex case to frame its minimalist dial. Though not technically thin, it appears so on the wrist with a 39.5mm diameter, almost absent bezel and long hands and markers.
The Junghans Meister Fein Automatic.
Only a date window interrupts the finely detailed dial. Inside, Junghans places a self-winding (ETA-based) J800.1 movement with a power reserve of up to 38 hours. Prices begin at $1,450.
A side view of the Junghans Meister Fein Automatic shows the new convex case.
Meister S Chronoscope, Platinum Edition 160
Junghans cases its most limited anniversary model in polished platinum. The Chronoscope is one of the brand’s top sellers, and here Junghans creates a twelve-piece numbered edition, with the limited edition number cleverly noted within the twelve-hour counter.
The new Junghans Meister S Chronoscope, Platinum Edition 160.
The 45mm by 15.9mm watch features a screwed solid platinum case back with edition logo engraving and a platinum screwed crown (and tube). Its dial reflects the precious case with a gold-hued markers and a nice lacquer finish that fades from matte silver-plate in the center to grey at the edge, set with luminous markers.
The new Junghans Meister S Chronoscope Platinum Edition 160 dial
The synthetic rubber strap features an alligator leather inlay and a platinum buckle. Price: $19,200.
Movement: Historical hand-winding Junghans movement J620 with a power reserve of up to 45 hours, 18,000 bph, rose-gold plated, sunburst ratchet wheel, polished barrel bridge, gear bridge and balance cock with fine longitudinal grinding, stones in polished, bowl-shaped countersinks, outside with fine diamond cut, polished steel screws, Junghans star and caliber number engraving.
The Junghans J620 manual-wind movement.
Case: 39mm by 10.3mm rose gold, five-times screwed gold caseback with sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating on both sides, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating on both sides. Water resistant to 100 meters.
Dial: Matte silver-plated, minute track with applied dots, dauphin hands with diamond cut.
Nomos celebrates Beethoven’s 250th birthday with a square-cased Tetra Divine Spark watch made with a copper-hued dial. The color is meant to elevate the wearer’s mood and to recall Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” which Beethoven set to music in his 9th Symphony.
Tetra Divine Spark from Nomos Glashütte.
The watch is one of four Tetra designs within the Nomos Tetra Symphony collection. While another of the collection’s models is actually called the Tetra Ode to Joy, it’s this copper-dialed version that Nomos says will ignite a ‘spark to the wrist.”
The full Nomos Tetra Symphony series.
Nomos extends the Tetra Divine Spark’s upbeat metallic tone by utilizing three gold hands to indicate hours, minutes and seconds. All three play nicely with the 29.5mm by 29.5mm polished steel case.
Tetra has long been among Nomos’ most elegant offerings, whether with its original manual-wind Alpha caliber inside (like with this new model) or set with an automatic caliber. Note the perfectly executed overlapping lugs, slim dial font and, for this model, the subtle grey velour strap. All in all, a tuneful composition.
The full Nomos Tetra Symphony series.
