Ornatus-Mundi introduces the ochs und junior 'day/night' watch, a testament to the brand's unconventional approach to horology. This article delves into the watch's unique personalized dial, which displays day and night length, solar noon, sunrise/sunset, moon phase, and celestial positions, all tailored to the owner's specific geographical latitude.
The timepieces (how apt a term here!) from Lucerne's ochs und junior team are always refreshing unconventional in both their indications and particularly the mechanisms that drive them. Welcome to their newest piece, the day/night, a personalised predictor of your current day:
The day/night shows you:
Length of day and nighttime for the location of your choice
Solar noon
Sunrise and sunset (these are the outer 'wings')
The position of the sun and moon in the sky
The moon phase, date and time.
Since the lengths of day and night vary according to one’s position, the watch is manufactured specifically to the geographical latitude requested by the customer - each watch needs to be ‘position customised’ to the client’s location. This also means that the day/night is not really a travel watch, but if you relocate for a longer time the setting can be changed at ochs und junior.
What can you use these indications for? Quite a lot, actually, as ochs und junior explain in their documentation:
Daytime and nighttime The light and dark-colored areas around the dial show the length of day and night. The lines separating them represent the horizon. The horizon fans move up or down every 10 days to account for seasonal changes.
Sunrise and sunset Sunrise is when the sun passes from the darker colored area of the dial into the lighter colored area. Sunset is when the sun passes from the lighter colored area to the darker colored area.
Moon phase You can imagine the center of the watch as representing the earth. The moon’s position in relation to the sun indicates the moon phase. When the moon is beneath the sun, it is new moon, when the moon is opposite the sun, it is full moon.
Solar noon Using the pusher at 6 o’clock, solar noon (when the sun is at its highest point in the sky) can be set for your location.
Date The date indication at 6 o’clock is used to set the watch. The reason this watch does not feature a date spiral is that the dial holds gear wheels near the perimeter, as can be seen in the image below.
Sun and moon position When facing south, the position of the sun and the moon on the dial indicates the direction in which you will find these heavenly bodies in the sky.
So if you wonder whether how long it still is until sunrise, or whehter you have enough daylight left for a little bike ride this evening or if you wonder where to find the moon - the “day/night” can give you answers all of these questions. Now let's let ochs und junior cofounder Beat Weinmann give a personal introduction to day/night’s functions and how its works:
Now imagine that all thes above can be realised with only 13 addtional moving parts ontop of Ulysse Nardin's manufacture caliber UN-320:
Hour wheel on hour pinion with friction
Transition wheel 1 for moon and sun cogwheels
Transition wheel 2 for moon and sun cogwheels
Sun cogwheel
Moon cogwheel
Date disc
Gear wheel between date disc and annual wheel
Year wheel with crank pin in the size of the deflection of the horizon fans
Carriage with cogs to move the horizon fans
Horizon fan
Horizon fan
Module board
Dial
Spiritus Rector Ludwig Oechslin has once more demonstrated his impressive capacity to simplify and condense the essentials parts to an absolute minimum!
I need to get my hands on experience with this watch sooner rather than later. This is an outstandingly romantic, true and refreshingly simple, condensed piece which I already love to death!
Cheers,
Magnus
Fix title spelling This message has been edited by cazalea on 2018-07-25 18:09:49
About the De Bethune DB25 Ref. DB25
De Bethune DB25 Reference DB25
The DB25 represents De Bethune's entry in the 44.5mm manual-wind category, distinguished by its silver dial configuration within the DB25 series. This reference launched in 2006 and continues the brand's approach to contemporary haute horlogerie complications.
The 44.5mm case is crafted from 18k white gold with a fixed bezel and sapphire crystal. Water resistance extends to 30 meters. The manual-winding caliber DB2105 movement provides a substantial 120-hour power reserve. The watch features a leather strap attachment.
This reference appeals to collectors seeking De Bethune's technical approach to timekeeping in a precious metal case. The extended power reserve and manual-wind operation position it for enthusiasts who appreciate hands-on interaction with their timepieces. The 44.5mm sizing places it in contemporary proportions within the independent watchmaking segment.
Specifications
Caliber
DB2105
Case
18k White Gold
Diameter
44.5 mm
Dial
Silver
Water Resist.
30m
Crystal
Sapphire
Key Points from the Discussion
The ochs und junior day/night watch is highly customizable, with each piece manufactured specifically for the customer's geographical latitude, making it a personalized predictor of local day and night cycles.
Despite its complex indications, the day/night complication is achieved with only 13 additional moving parts on top of a Ulysse Nardin manufacture caliber UN-320, showcasing minimalist engineering.
The watch's functions, including sunrise/sunset, moon phase, and solar noon, are clearly explained, demonstrating its practical utility for understanding celestial movements relative to one's location.
The video explanation by ochs und junior co-founder Beat Weinmann is highlighted as crucial for understanding the watch's innovative functions and appeal.
The brand's customer service and willingness to customize beyond basic choices are praised, encouraging direct communication with Beat Weinmann for unique requests.
A collector expresses strong interest in acquiring the day/night model, having had a positive experience with a previous ochs und junior dual time zone piece.
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The Discussion
AM
amanico
Jul 25, 2018
Excellent, and smart! Thanks for sharing these good news. [nt]
DE
dedestexhes
Jul 25, 2018
Thx Magnus, watch this space 😉 [nt]
AM
amanico
Jul 25, 2018
Are you teasing us, Dirk? ;) [nt]
DE
dedestexhes
Jul 25, 2018
A bit....😀
As it is a very custom one, will take a bit of time...
AM
amanico
Jul 25, 2018
A custom teasing? That's very innovative! ;) [nt]
MA
manilx
Jul 25, 2018
OK. Then we're not waiting for the same thing ;) [nt]
