With their latest timepiece, the Meister Telemeter, Junghans is indeed going for distance, and speed. And yes, I couldn’t help myself– when I realized the watch had both telemeter (for distance) and tachymeter (and speed) scales, well, that particular Cake lyric popped into my head (and managed to stay lodged there for a good bit as well). Fortunately for you and me, there’s more than just a catchy pop reference to talk about with this watch.
At first glance, I quickly gathered that this was indeed retro-styled. Further reading reveals that it’s actually retro-inspired as well. Junghans has a history in timing, with their first tachymeter scale watches appearing in in the 1930s; jump forward to 1951, and you find watches from the brand that had an additional telemeter scale added on.
It’s from this 1951 model that the latest release draws inspiration. This shows up in how the dial is arranged, which is in part driven by the movement inside. In the 2014 model, it’s the J880.3 movement that finds its home in the 40mm case (the original used a column wheel J88).
On the Meister Telemeter, what speaks to me the most is the overall style of the piece. I have a bit of a thing for these retro-styled pieces, as I’ve not yet quite made the jump into truly vintage timepieces. Here, you have the best of both worlds in a sense ; “old school” style paired with modern manufacturing and reliability.
With this watch, you’ve got a face that is practically all dial, with very little bezel. This, of course, allows the accommodation of both of the scales at the outer edge, while maintaining legibility of both. The main dial itself is fairly spartan, containing just a minute track, the lumed numerals, and the two chrono registers. This keeps the watch extremely readable, and nicely balanced.
Completing the vintage look, of course, is the lume color. While it may not glow as brightly as a white lume paint, it does give a certain look that you’d only otherwise have after, say, 30-plus years of aging. The luminant stays the same shade whether you select the white or black dials, though I find myself giving the edge in the looks department to the lighter dial.
You’ve also got some choices in terms of case finishing. You can pick up the Meister Telemeter in the white dial / black leather combination for $2,581, or you can opt for either the black dial (on bracelet) or white dial/golden case/ brown leather for $2,711.
When it comes to clean and minimalistic watches, the Germans certainly have a knack for making a great product. The addition of the chronograph and the two scales steps this one up a notch, and the vintage styling makes this a model that I’m certain will prove to be popular. junghans.de
