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Simple solutions to complex problems could well be Dr Ludwig Oechslin’s overriding philosophy. Former curator of the Musée international d’horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Oechslin studied archaeology as an undergraduate and obtained a PhD in Philosophy – with a scholarship to study theoretical physics and astronomy – and became a Swiss master watchmaker in 1983. Bringing his multidisciplinary approach to watchmaking, his Ochs und Junior brand offers a repertoire of complications reinterpreted through radical simplification. Coming up for its 20th birthday, the inaugural Settimana model is revisited with new PVD dials.
Ludwig Oechslin’s watches revolve around three main concepts: rigorously simple watch movements with the fewest components possible, minimalist dials focused on clarity, and a deliberate, raw, industrial touch. The Settimana watch, one of the first two watches Oechslin designed for his brand Ochs und Junior in 2006, upholds his vision with its ingenious display of the days of the week, powered by an ETA automatic base with Oechslin’s weekday complication, comprised of just four additional components. For 2026, Ochs und Junior introduces two new 36mm Settimana models with PVD-coated dials in brown and black.
Instead of using a conventional date window, Oechslin’s Settimana (week in Italian) displays the days of the week with a deceptively simple, yet incredibly graphic system of seven holes cut into the brass dial, indicated by a rotating dot. Starting with Monday, represented by the cut-out circle at 1 o’clock in the centre of the dial, the contrasting coloured dot advances to Sunday and then transits through the cut-out arc to resume its trajectory.
The new dials of the Settimana are made using PVD (physical vapour deposition), a vacuum process in which thin layers of vapourised metallic particles are deposited on the blank dial to create a uniform, long-lasting, vibrant surface colour and finish.
The sleek black dial is paired with shiny bubble-gum pink hour, minute and second hands and a weekday dot, while the warmer brown dial features gold-coloured hands, a weekday dot, and indices; the black dial does not have indices. True to the brand’s minimalist philosophy, there are no logos or inscriptions printed on the dial.
The round, two-part grade 5 titanium case has a diameter of 36mm, a height of 10.8mm and weighs just 55 grams. In line with the brand’s industrial, tool-like aesthetic, the screw-down crown is oversized, the lugs are straight and short, and the case reveals deliberate traces of machining and milling imperfections.
Oechslin developed the Settimana’s weekday indication module with only four additional components: the brass dial with a functional back, a gear for the weekday display, a triple-function wheel and a transmission gear. The tiny module is driven by the base movement’s hour wheel, a reliable and easily serviceable ETA 2824-2 top-grade automatic. Running at 28,800vph and delivering a 42-hour power reserve, the date function is suppressed to make space for the weekday module.
The black Settimana PVD comes with a black Ecopell calfskin strap, while the brown version is paired with a beige textile strap. Both are priced at CHF 2,486 (incl. 8.1% Swiss tax) or CHF 2,300 (export price). You can purchase either on the Ochs und Junior website or by emailing [email protected]. A 50% deposit is required, with delivery expected in approximately 8 weeks.
https://monochrome-watches.com/ochs-und-junior-settimana-pvd-20th-anniversary-models-introducing-price/
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