« The Elegant Highlight of the Meister Mega Collection »
Among Junghans timepieces, the name Mega stands for state-of-the-art radio-controlled watches whose precision, unlike that of conventional quartz watches, is absolutely perfect. Just how elegantly this pioneering technology can be packaged is demonstrated by the new Junghans Meister Mega in gold: adorned with a rose gold coating, it lends the timeless Junghans Meister design a festive touch and gives its owner an elegant presence. Rarely have the future and tradition from Schramberg come together more stylishly.
Harmony in Gold Down to the Last Detail
Among many enthusiasts, the gold-plated watch generally enjoys a dubious reputation. Over the past decades, countless entry-level models have shaped the image of an obtrusive gold sheen applied without any finesse – often combined with fake diamonds. The keywords are bling-bling and hip-hop. Not to forget the mountains of cheap fashion watches whose exaggerated shine frequently flakes off after just a few weeks. The Junghans Mega in gold has nothing to do with these questionable quality standards and shows how harmonious a gold-toned look can be when the designer knows his craft.
Why the Mega in gold comes across as extremely stylish rather than garish is explained by its case proportions. Thanks to the narrow bezel, slim lugs and small crown, the viewer is never confronted with an overdose of gold. In addition, instead of the famous yellow gold gleam, the Junghans radio-controlled watch in gold features a rose-toned surface whose character is more refined and understated. The Junghans isn't a gold watch as such, but its PVD-coated stainless steel case comes surprisingly close to the look of a solid gold model.
Dial: Gold Used with Finesse
True to the Meister collection, the radio-controlled watch in gold is fitted with a clean, minimalist dial. Its refined look stems from a matte silvered surface sparingly accented with gold-plated elements.
[box type="success" align="" class="" width=""]Not all twelve indices have a metallic sheen – only the four markers at three, six, nine and twelve o'clock, the latter in a slightly wider version.[/box]The remaining markers are in black, as are the brand logo including the "Mega" lettering and the numerals in the date window at three o'clock. When it comes to the hands, the Junghans radio-controlled watch in gold lives up to its name again: alongside the stylish dauphine hands for hours and minutes (both with luminous coating), the central seconds hand also shines in majestic rose. Anyone writing about a Junghans Meister can't ignore its domed crystal and its vintage-looking material.
Why the delicate Plexiglas is used instead of robust sapphire crystal is explained not only by Schramberg's pronounced pride in the Meister's long history (the first model appeared in the 1930s), but also by its clear advantages: by avoiding reflections, Plexiglas makes the dial look as natural as possible, allows light scratches to be polished out easily and can be replaced relatively inexpensively if the worst happens. On request, the manufacturer will fit a modern sapphire crystal from the outset.
An Excellent Choice for Women, Too
Another advantage of the crystal is its lightness, which in the Junghans in gold meets pleasant proportions: a diameter of 38.4 millimeters makes the model, officially declared a men's watch, ideally suited to a woman's wrist, which should have no trouble with the average thickness of 9.1 millimeters.
The black calfskin strap, which features a traditional pin buckle with matching gold plating, also has a unisex character. Turn the gold-plated watch over, and the screw-down caseback reveals a detailed world map on a black background. The globe is complemented by the locations of the time signal transmitters from which the Meister watch receives its exact signals worldwide. How precisely time is measured takes our breath away.
Rate Deviation: 0.006 Seconds – in One Million Years
You read that right: the inaccuracy of the J101.65 multi-frequency quartz movement couldn't even be captured with the blink of an eye in a million years.
[box type="info" align="" class="" width=""]For the Mega in gold as a whole, Junghans specifies a maximum rate deviation of 0.02 seconds – provided you are within range of the time signal transmitters (located near Frankfurt, in Colorado, in Fukushima and Kyushu, and in Anthorn, England).[/box]If there is no reception, the quartz movement continues its usual rhythm and still leaves the automatic watches from the Black Forest miles behind – with a mere eight seconds of inaccuracy per year.
[box type="note" align="" class="" width=""]In addition to its precision, the "gold" watch includes all of the German manufacturer's radio technologies.[/box]While Intelligent Time Correction (ITC) ensures 1440 daily comparisons of the seconds hand with the received time information and makes corrections where necessary, Smart Hand Motion (SHM) makes the seconds hand jump twice per second. The elegant Junghans in gold also proves brilliant for travelers, as it allows the time to be adjusted in one-hour increments via the crown without losing its uncompromising precision.
Alternatively, you can press the hidden pusher at four o'clock to search for a new signal, or wait until the following night – between two and three a.m., the watch automatically searches for current time information.
Price, Availability and Alternatives
If you appreciate the balancing act of the Junghans Meister Mega in gold (Ref. 058/7800.00) between noble classicism and cutting-edge technology, you can get this high-quality model from Schramberg at a list price of €990. It is not a limited edition. If it should be a Junghans Mega, but not in gold, the Meister collection offers several stainless steel alternatives without PVD coating.
The flagship model is Ref. 058/4803.44 on a solid bracelet, whose gray dial reveals a proud world map as an expression of global precision. Ref. 058/4800.00 with a silver dial stands for simple understatement and, apart from the missing gold plating, is identical to the classic Mega Gold. Especially popular is the blue version 058/4801.00, whose legibility is excellent thanks to the high contrast of its silver hands and markers. The Junghans Meister Mega Kleine Sekunde is also worth a look.
And if you prefer a traditional touch with a small seconds, the new Junghans Meister Mega Kleine Sekunde models are the best choice. The options are plentiful.
