The smaller Max Bill still holds its line
By Sam Okafor, London ยท
Max Bill studied at the Bauhaus, and the dials he drew for Junghans in the early 1960s are about as close as a wristwatch gets to a Mies plan: a few lines, exact spacing, nothing decorative. The Damen is the 32.7 mm version, quartz, with a date, and it keeps that language intact at a smaller scale, which is harder than it looks.
Shrink a design like this and the numerals usually get cramped. Here they stay thin and evenly set, with enough room between the hand tips and the minute track. The date window is the only compromise and it's a small one.
8.5 mm thick on a 16 mm strap, sapphire crystal, 495 to 595 dollars. For a small wrist that wants something designed rather than styled, I can't think of a better buy. People who want hand-winding will be disappointed, and so will anyone hoping it does anything but tell the time.