Monochrome Watches
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The Watchmakers who say MIH

calendar | ic_dehaze_black_24px By Frank Geelen | ic_query_builder_black_24px 3 min read |

The MIH Watch was released in september 2005 and has become a famous watch among watch enthusiasts in those past 3.5 years. With clean looks that do not immediately give away the complexity of the watch, it flies nicely under the radar. 

The concept was developed by Ludwig Oechslin who is well known for creating remarkable watches like the Freak for Ulysse Nardin. Paul Gerber was responsable for the technical development of the MIH, but mr. Gerber also has a reputation for creating the world’s most complicated wristwatch. Christian Gafner, who was responsible for the design, proposed an easily readable watch with absolutely no inscription on the front, but only a small “MIH” at the 9 o’clock position.

As you can see the result is a watch with a very clean dial, which is easy to read the time. But don’t be fooled, despite the clean and simple design, the MIH Watch has a single button chronograph and an annual calendar.

The MIH watch’s movement is based on an ETA/Valjoux 7750, known as a very reliable movement. Based on this movement Oechslin created an annual calendar of only 9 additional moving parts! The annual calender displays the date, month, weekday and even features an AM/PM indicator. Like every annual calendar the mechanism does not have to be adjusted for months with 30 or 31 days. Only the month February with 28 or 29 days needs adjusting.

MIH Watch - backside with 30 minutes chronograph register
MIH Watch – 30 minutes chronograph register

The mechanism displays the complete date on 3 concentric discs: starting at the center of the watch, the AM/PM indicator, the weekday, the month, the date and finally the date is displayed. The central element of the calender mechanism is a 3-layer column wheel. Yes a column wheel, but this time not for operating the chronograph mechanism, but for the annual calendar. This gives the advantage that you can advance and reverse the date without damaging the movement. Other movement only allow you to advance the date and not reverse it. The AM/PM indicator shows one red dot at night and two red dots during the day.

The ETA/Valjoux 7750 is modified from a chronograph that has to be operated with two buttons to a single-button chronograph or monopoussoir. After modifying the chronograph cam, it only takes one button to start, stop and reset the chronograph. Through a small hole in the caseback you can view the 30 minute chronograph register. This way the chronograph registers won’t disturb the minimalistic design of the watch.

Only 200 pieces of the MIH Watch are made every year. Good thing is that the price remains friendly at 5,000 CHF excluding tax. The MIH Watch is available through a dedicated website and in one of the Embassy shops in Luzern or St. Moritz.

The reason why i blogged about the MIH Watch is that it sometimes crosses my path and every time i see it, I really like it. The design is so simple and clean. The technical aspects are amazing. And with buying a MIH you support the Musée International d’Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Yesterday a friend emailed me this wristshot he saw on a forum and of course it made me wonder (again) if I will ever own one of these beautiful pieces…

MIH Watch

And now for something completely different….  before ending this blog, i need to say that every time i hear or read about this watch it’s name reminds me of the movie ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail‘ where they bump into “the Knights who say Ni“. If you pronounce “MIH” in Dutch it’s like “Mí” which sounds similar to “Ní”. For those who have no clue what i’m talking about, they could check out this video capture, but i’m afraid it will only make them wonder more…. Would this watch be my holy grail?

https://mowa.dev/the-watchmakers-who-say-mih/

6 responses

  1. This watch could certainly be your holy grail.
    An amazing watch that I would love to own.
    But since it’s quite large I have to go to Swiss and try first.
    Do you have the exact dimensions, I somewhere recall 42 or 44?
    G

  2. A short trip to try the MIH Watch in Switzerland doesn’t sound too bad.
    It’s 42mm in diameter, which is exactly the same as for example the IWC Pilot Chronograph, which wears very comfortable.

  3. I like it. Danish Design meets distinct Swiss horology. Looks like Jacob Jensen of B&O designed the watch. Or Henning Koppel. Or Arne Jacobsen.

    Wonderful simplicity with a complicated touch.

  4. Hi Frank,

    Thanks for a great read – I think I could fall in love with the MIH watch! I do prefer it to be 1 or 2 mm smaller in diameter and I could live with a MIH.v2 watch : the MIH w/o the chronograph.
    I think the watch’ minimalistic design doesn’t need a chronograph and by putting the minute counter on the back of the watch they rendered the chronograph next to useless (I dont want to unbuckle the watch just to be able to read the minutes past)

    But nevertheless … I like it, very much so!

    Perhaps I will become a watch-addict that says ME to these watchmakers?

    Edwin

  5. @Geo… i had no idea the Cartier Pasha and Rotonde are that big. Thanx for letting me know.

    @Kristian… The watch somehow has something minimalistic about it, that also can be found in Danish Design.

    @Edwin… you are already a watch-addict… now only say “ME”. I hope in some time i can say that together with you. It would make a great rad trip to pick them up, don’t you think?

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