Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau: the anniversary watch

A mirror of history: to mark the centenary of the architectural masterpiece by Philipp Jakob Manz, Junghans presents the limited Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau.

The terrace building in Schramberg is one of the most spectacular industrial buildings worldwide to be built on a sloping site. At the beginning of the 20th century Junghans was the largest clock manufacturer in the world: demand for Junghans timepieces was so great that there was an increasing requirement for workplaces in the already cramped valley in Schramberg. The nine-stepped terrace building was built directly on the slope, in less than two years. As a result, from 1918 onwards each watchmaker could benefit from direct daylight at the workplace. For decades, the building was the centrepiece of the Junghans factory. In the heyday of mechanical movements in the 50s and 60s in particular, numerous calibres were developed in Schramberg. Components were manufactured in the building to the front of the site, with calibre and watch as-sembly in the terrace building. The top floor was reserved for work that called for the utmost concentration, time and absolute dedication from the watchmakers: the assembly and regulation of chronometers. 2018 sees the monument to industrial architecture celebrate its 100th birthday, with 100 years of architectural history commemorated with a very special timepiece – the limited edition Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau.

With a limited edition of 100 examples, the Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau features a 18-kt. gold case. Inspiration for the champagne-coloured dial with the three matt silver totalisers was the stairways of the terrace building, which are in beige and white.

The stainless steel version is limited to 1,000 watches and has a matt silver-plated dial.

Both models incorporate the distinctive elements of the industrial monument in Schramberg into their design: the minute track of the dial reflects the meandering design of the wall decorations in the terrace building, whilst the dark green of the wall tiles in the stairways can be found in the alligator leather strap. The case back delivers a direct view of the architectural work: an engraved image of the terrace building.

The Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau – a masterful timepiece as homage to an architectural masterpiece.

The Junghans Meister range: inspiration from tradition

Meister – a label that stands for an entire Junghans watch range. The balanced design of the dial with its harmonious proportions has been a characteristic of the Meister line since the 1930s, together with the best movements produced at the company. In the 1950s the watch designers addressed the challenge of reducing the volumes of the watch and creating intricate timepieces, despite the relatively high movement. The steeply domed glasses and dials in combination with thin-walled cases lent the watches a new, elegant and graceful look. During this time Junghans was also producing numerous mechanical calibres, such as the chronometer calibre J83, one of the finest movements to be manufactured in Germany. The design of the Meister collection continues to delight with the grace of its historical predecessors to this day. The models are an homage to the design philosophy and technical achievements of that era. Modern technology, exciting proportions and elegant lines are still features of these Junghans classics today.