Junghans Max Bill - A Piece of Design History on your Wrist

Simple design and classic style, these are things we’re great fans of at Ryoko, and the Junghans Max Bill collection hit all our sweet spots. Its revival 50 years after the initial release and continued relevance made us want to know more about the story behind this remarkable collection.

Started in 1861 by Erhard Junghans and his brother in law, Junghans began as a clock component factory. It wasn't until 1866 that they made their first clock, and from that point on, they skyrocketed. By 1903, Junghans had become the biggest clock and watch making factory. In the 1950s, Junghans started looking to work with an artist to design their timepieces, and Max Bill was an obvious choice.

Already a renowned swiss artist and designer, Max Bill also had an interest in horology, so this wasn’t a project he had trouble accepting. His work influenced aesthetics all over Europe and even Brazil, but the work he did with Junghans is perhaps what he is most known for. Having studied at the Staatliches Bauhaus in Germany in the late 1920s, the birthplace of the Bauhaus design, this is the concept that we see reflected in the Junghans Max Bill collection.

The Bauhaus design is based on the idea that design should have a purpose and that form should not take over function. The clean lines, simple interface, and minimal design of the Junghans Max Bill wrist watches that give them such an ageless look, are all analogous to the Bauhaus concept. It was this simplicity in design and the classically elegant look that drew us in with these watches.

We have a weakness for watches in general, but when we came across something this extraordinary, we couldn't help matching it with our hand-stitched watch straps.

Check out some of the Junghans Max Bill × Ryoko  looks we came up with: