Junghans Max Bill Women's Watch Review

In this article, we’re reviewing the Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch model that comes with a beautiful soft-gold case and a brown textile NATO strap. This is an in-depth review of the timepiece, after having worn it for a few months. So, if you’re interested in adding a Junghans Max Bill watch to your collection, keep reading.

About Junghans watches

Junghans is a reputable German watch-making company with a long history that starts all the way back in 1861. Inspired by innovative American production techniques, the company managed to create affordable and popular timepieces for the German public in just a few years since its launch. And it gradually grew its production, having the largest watch and clock factory, with over 3000 employees, in 1903. Clocks and watches were produced by Junghans for both civilians and military personnel.

A notable collaboration between Junghans and Bauhaus-trained designer Max Bill started in the 1950s, and continued for many years. One of the most popular designs by Max Bill is the “Kitchen Clock with Timer“, an iconic piece, shaped like a tear drop. The watch can be admired at the Museum of Modern Art, in New York.

Many of the brand’s current watch designs are still based on the collaboration with the artist. And such is the case of the Junghans Max Bill watch model that we’re reviewing today.

The Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch

Right away, the Junghans Max Bill watch will make an impression on you due to its design. The Bauhaus design features make this watch look absolutely timeless. Neat, practical, straightforward, a watch you can literally wear on an everyday basis. However, I find that behind its utilitarian minimalism lies a luxurious quality that simply makes me adore it. At least, that’s what made me to fall in love with this watch when I first saw it in a watch store in München.

Look at the details in the photo below to see what I mean:

Close up of Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women's watch

Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 – watch specs

The Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch comes with a 32.7-mm case, in a tone of “soft gold”. It’s placed on a textile NATO strap made from recycled PET bottles. And the case and buckle are stainless steel, PVD-coated.

Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 side of the case

There are different variations for this design. You can opt for a leather strap instead of the NATO textile strap. Given the fact that I have an extra small wrist size, this strap was a better fit for me. You can adjust it to fit very small wrists, without having to bend it or to make it look bulky.

Other watch specifications:

Watch case: Stainless steel PVD-coated
Case width: 32.7 mm
Case thickness: 6.9 mm
Watch crystal: Convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating on both sides
Dial color: Matt white
Watch hands: With environmentally-friendly luminous substance
Dial markers: Arabic numerals and dots with environmentally-friendly luminous substance
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and date
Movement: Quartz movement J643.29
Water resistance: 5 BAR / 50 meters
Bracelet: Textile strap made from recycled PET bottles, buckle stainless steel PVD-coated

Design features & how it wears on the wrist

With Junghans watches, what you see is what you get.

The iconic minimalist design looks pretty much the same in real life, as it does in these images:

Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women's watch on the wrist

As opposed to other watches, where a lot of photo editing is necessary to show-case an accurate depiction of the piece, this Junghans watch needed no editing whatsoever. And that says a lot about its design. The sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating on both sides certainly helps. In fact, you can look at the watch from any angle, and you’ll have no problem telling the time.

The watch is indeed very versatile.

From sportswear to office wear, and everything in between, you can wear this watch with everything. The NATO strap is very comfortable on the wrist, while the dial design adds an elegant touch to the piece. Formal wear would probably be the only style that doesn’t quite work with this watch. At least not with the NATO-strap version.

Don’t expect much from the glow-in-the dark hands & numerals.

Junghans goes the extra mile for the environment, working with environmentally-friendly luminous substance for the hands & numeral indicators of the watch. But don’t expect much from this feature. The loom is not very strong and it dies down pretty quickly. However, since this is not a watch made for diving, I guess this is ok.

Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch – why we loved it

From the unboxing experience, to months of wearing it everyday on the wrist, I absolutely loved this watch.

It’s that timepiece you reach out for when you have no idea what watch to wear. No matter what you’re dressed with, this watch is a safe bet. Moreover, the strap is so comfortable. You literally forget you’re wearing it, until you remember to check the time. And you can once again enjoy its ageless design.

Another thing I particularly enjoy in a watch is being able to quickly read the time & date. And fortunately, that is the case for this Junghans Max Bill watch. The numerals come in a font that’s very easily readable, and so does the date. So, if you’re like me, and prefer a practical watch without compromising on the design front, you’ll love this Junghans watch.

Once again, I have to mention how well it fits extra small wrist sizes. It’s always a struggle for me to find watches that fit my wrist, especially since current trends are to go larger when it comes to watch case sizes. But this Junghans fits perfectly. If you have an extra small wrist and are thinking of ordering this watch online, I suggest going for the NATO strap. Otherwise, if you prefer the leather strap, I’d try to find it in a physical store and try it on. For reference, my wrist is 13.5 cm.

Needless to say, the quartz movement of the watch does justice to the brand’s promise for time-keeping precision and durability. No issue there.

Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch – what we didn’t like

The only thing I didn’t love about the Junghans Max Bill is the fact that the strap starts to deteriorate quite quickly. It’s not a major deterioration, but it has occurred quite soon (after wearing the watch for a couple of weeks). For a watch that’s around the $700-800 mark, I think they should invest in a better strap. But I guess the environmental factor weighs in here. The textile strap is made from recycled PET bottles, so we have to give them that.

Other than that, the watch is grand. The glow-in-the-dark function is not great. But I didn’t plan on using it, anyways. Since this is not a diving watch and not particularly resistant to water.

The price point vs. what you get

Finally, we have to talk about the price point. Is the Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch really worth the money?

Well, first of all, the watch retails for different prices in different parts of the world. At the moment of writing this, the watch retails for €795 (about $860) on the official Junghans website. I’ve managed to find it for as low as €565,00 (about $610) on other websites (shipping included in the price for Europe). For the US market, the watch seems to be more expensive, on some websites reaching the $900 mark.

You could argue that the price point is quite high for a quartz watch, and indeed it is. Is the watch worth it? It depends on the person who wears it. For me, it’s the design that sets this Junghans watch apart from so many others.

For someone who loves German watch brands, like Junghans, Nomos, or Stowa, this piece is definitely worth a spot in the collection. And I can say that the watch looks and feels well-crafted and luxurious on the wrist. A huge difference is made by the soft gold case and engraved buckle. The watch also comes in a beautiful box that does justice to the price.

For those of you who are not keen on this particular design, there are a lot of other watches that come with a lot more exciting features than this Junghans Max Bill. Even at a lower price point. You can even find automatic watches that are better equipped than the Junghans. When it comes to this watch, in my view, the design and the German promise of quality are the only key differentiators.

All in all, if Bauhaus design features are your thing, you can’t go wrong with a Junghans Max Bill watch model.

Junghans watch fan? Let us know in the comments!

This was our honest review of the Junghans Max Bill 047/7055.02 women’s watch. If you have any other questions, let us know in the comments. Do you own a Junghans watch? What’s your experience with them? Comment below, we’re eager to find out. And don’t forget to check out our blog for other exciting watch reviews.

Junghans Max Bill Women’s Watch Review