In addition to the famous drop-shaped kitchen clock with a short timer, Max Bill also created wall clocks in cooperation with Junghans around 1958/59. There are three different versions of the clock with the lines.
The variant shown here with the reference number 322/0389 has a chrome-plated case, a diameter of 30 cm, cost 140,- DM and is equipped with a crystal.
The watch is driven by an electromechanical movement, the "Electora" folding lever movement Junghans W285.
There are two other versions that are equipped with a brass case. One model has a case with only a very short edge, the dial is moved far to the front of the watch. This model has no glass and is 30 cm in diameter. It cost 120,- DM at that time. The reference number is: 322/0350
In the other brass version, the movement is in a deep case and it is equipped with a glass. This version has got a diameter of 24 cm and cost 123,- DM at that time. The reference number is: 322/0411
All three variants were driven by the same movement, the variant with glass is equipped with a movement, which allows a hand position from behind.
The clock is powered by the caliber Junghans W285, which was manufactured between 1956 and 1962. A spring is tensioned by a hinged anchor, which drives the pin lever movement. If the anchor sinks slowly, it triggers an electrical contact, which throws the anchore upwards again by means of a magnetic coil.
The clock reached me in a tinkered and tainted state. I did not have a look at the movement when I bought the watch. But when I looked at the front of the watch, it was immediately clear, that it could not be the original movement, since it has no second. But the watch had a second hand.
On the hour lines of the 12, 3, 6 and 9 were small, screw-like brass parts. My first fear, that these had been added later to improve the fastening of the dial, fortunately did not come true. The parts were only glued on. It seems that a previous owner of the watch was not satisfied with Max Bill's dial design and wanted to "beautify" the watch.
The dial holding ring can be reduced or spread with a small screw and thus fixes the dial.
Fortunately, the glue that was used to glue the brass parts together could be heated with a hair dryer to soften it and remove it almost without leaving any residue.
At the 9 o'clock index line a spot was visible on the dial. This could not be removed completely.
Since a wrong movement was used, whose axis of the minute hand was thicker than the diameter of the axis of the original movement, the previous owner enlarged the hand hole of the second hand. Since the second hand would not get fixed on the original movement, the hand hole had to be made smaller. Unfortunately, I don't know, how professional watchmakers make this smaller.
I glued with metal glue on the back of the hand a suitable hand center.
The case parts were cleaned and carefully polished or matted. The plastic-coated movement retaining ring was cleaned with a plastic cleaner.
Fortunately, I still had an already overhauled movement, which could be installed without problems. Unfortunately, the rear protection cap was missing. This dust cover, which was borrowed from another watch, was only mounted for a short time for the photo...
The movement, the hands and the case are completely assembled.