Ochs und Junior Settimana Raw Review: Week on the Wrist

Ochs und Junior Settimana Raw Review: The Week on Your Wrist

There are watches that tell the time, and then there are watches that tell you something about the time. The Ochs und Junior Settimana Raw belongs to the second category. It is a week calendar, a complication so rare that only a handful of watches in history have bothered with it. But this is not a fussy, old-school calendar. It is a Ludwig Oechslin creation, which means it is mechanically elegant, visually minimal, and quietly brilliant. The Raw version adds a layer of tactile, industrial honesty: a titanium case, a raw brass dial, and a leather strap that feels like it was made for a lifetime of wear. In a world of polished hype, the Settimana Raw is a breath of fresh, slightly patinated air.

I have spent a week wearing this watch. I have worn it to the office, to dinner, on a train, and on a lazy Sunday. I have wound it, set it, and watched the week hand creep forward. What follows is not a spec-sheet recitation. It is a wear-focused review from someone who cares about lug-to-lug comfort, legibility in real light, and whether a watch survives a real week on the wrist. The Settimana Raw does survive, and it does so with a character that is hard to find anywhere else.

What Is the Settimana Raw?

The Settimana is Italian for week. The watch is exactly that: a week indicator. Instead of a date window or a day window, it shows you which week of the year you are in. That might sound like a novelty, but once you live with it, you realize how useful it is. How many times have you asked yourself, what week are we in? For anyone who works with schedules, fiscal weeks, or just likes to keep track of the year's progress, it is a genuinely practical complication. The Raw version takes the Settimana and strips it down to its essence. The case is titanium, finished in a raw, unpolished manner. The dial is raw brass, which means it will develop a patina over time. The result is a watch that feels alive, that changes with you, and that never looks quite the same from one month to the next.

Ochs und Junior is not a brand that follows trends. It was founded in 2006 by Ludwig Oechslin and Beat Weinmann in Lucerne, Switzerland. Oechslin is a legend in horology. He is a watchmaker, historian, and former curator of the International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds. He designed the Ulysse Nardin Trilogy of Time and the Freak. His philosophy is simple: complications should be simple. He reduces mechanisms to their minimum number of parts, often using clever geometry instead of complex gear trains. The Settimana is a perfect example. It is not a module bolted onto a movement for the sake of complexity. It is a thoughtful, integrated solution that shows the week with just a few additional components.

Brand History: Ochs und Junior

Ochs und Junior was born from a desire to make watches that are intellectually satisfying but not ostentatious. The brand is based in Lucerne, and its watches are made in small batches. You will not find them in every boutique. You will not see them on every wrist. That is part of the appeal. The brand's name, Ochs und Junior, means Ochs and Junior. It is a play on the idea of a father-and-son workshop, though the founders are not actually related. The spirit is one of independent craftsmanship, of doing things differently, and of respecting the intelligence of the wearer. The Settimana Raw is a direct expression of that spirit. It is a watch for someone who reads about horology, who appreciates the difference between a complication and a gimmick, and who wants a daily wearer that is as interesting as it is comfortable.

Ludwig Oechslin is the mind behind the brand's complications. He is not interested in adding parts for the sake of it. He is interested in solving problems with elegance. The Settimana is a problem: how do you show the week of the year without a complex mechanism? His answer is a simple hand that makes one revolution per year, pointing to a scale of 52 weeks. It is so simple that you wonder why more brands do not do it. But simplicity is hard. It requires a deep understanding of mechanics and a willingness to challenge convention. That is what Ochs und Junior does. The brand has a small but devoted following. Collectors appreciate the intellectual rigor, the unconventional aesthetics, and the fact that these watches are not made for everyone.

Movement and Complication

Inside the Settimana Raw is a modified ETA 2824-2. This is a workhorse automatic movement, known for its reliability and ease of service. Ochs und Junior takes this base and adds its own module to drive the week indicator. The result is a movement that is not flashy. You will not find hand-finished bridges or a gold rotor. What you will find is a mechanism that works, day after day, without fuss. The power reserve is around 38 hours, which is typical for this base. The frequency is 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement is automatic, so it winds as you wear it. If you take it off for a weekend, it will likely still be running on Monday morning. If you leave it longer, you will need to set the week hand, which is easy with the crown.

The week complication is the star. It shows the current week of the year, from 1 to 52. The display is simple: a central hand points to a scale on the dial. The scale is not cluttered with numbers for every week. Instead, it uses markers and a few key numbers, so you can read the week at a glance. It is legible, intuitive, and surprisingly useful. I found myself checking it more often than I expected. It is a conversation starter, too. People notice the unusual hand and ask what it does. You get to explain that it is a week calendar, and then you get to watch their expression shift from confusion to curiosity.

The module is an in-house design, but the base is not. That means service is relatively straightforward for any watchmaker familiar with the ETA 2824-2. The week module, however, should be serviced by Ochs und Junior or someone who has experience with it. The movement is not COSC certified, and it is not meant to be. It is a practical, reliable engine. If you are looking for a haute horlogerie movement with hand-polished anglage, this is not it. If you are looking for a movement that just works, this is exactly it.

Case, Dial, and Strap

The case is titanium. That means it is light, strong, and hypoallergenic. The raw finish is a departure from the polished surfaces you see on most luxury watches. It is matte, slightly textured, and it will show scratches over time. But that is the point. This is not a watch to keep in a safe. It is a watch to wear, to knock against doorframes, to take on trips. The raw titanium will develop a patina of its own, a record of your adventures. The crystal is sapphire, so it will resist scratches. The dial is raw brass. Brass is a living material. It will oxidize, darken, and develop a unique character. Some people love this. Some people prefer a stable dial. If you are the latter, the Raw might not be for you. If you are the former, you will find that the dial becomes more beautiful with each passing month.

The strap is leather. It is supple, comfortable, and it complements the raw aesthetic. The pin buckle is simple and secure. There is no deployant clasp, no micro-adjustment. You just find the right hole and go. That simplicity is refreshing. The lugs curve down, so the watch sits close to the wrist. The crown is easy to grip, and the overall balance is excellent. I did not find myself adjusting it constantly. It just stayed put.

The dial layout is a study in minimalism. There are no superfluous text elements. The brand name is discreet. The week scale is integrated into the outer edge. The hands are simple and legible. The overall effect is one of calm. It is a watch that does not compete for your attention. It waits for you to look at it. When you do, you notice the details: the texture of the raw brass, the way the light plays on the titanium, the precise printing of the week scale. It is a watch that rewards slow observation.

On the Wrist: Comfort and Presence

Comfort is where the Settimana Raw shines. The titanium case makes it feel almost weightless. You forget you are wearing it, which is the highest praise I can give a daily wearer. The leather strap is soft from the first wear, and it does not require a break-in period. The pin buckle is low-profile, so it does not dig into your wrist when you rest your hand on a desk. The watch sits flat, and the lugs do not overhang even on my relatively slim wrist. I have worn it with a suit, with a t-shirt, and with a sweater. It works in all of them. It is not a dress watch, but it is dressy enough. It is not a sports watch, but it is robust enough. It is a true daily wearer.

Presence is more subtle. This is not a watch that will get you noticed from across the room. It is not a Rolex. It is not a Patek. It is an Ochs und Junior. The people who know, know. The people who do not, will just see a minimalist watch with an unusual hand. That is fine. The Settimana Raw is a connoisseur's piece. It rewards a second look. The raw titanium and brass give it a tactile, almost industrial quality that is rare in luxury watches. It feels like a tool, but a tool made with care. I would give it a 4 out of 5 for wrist presence. It is not flashy, but it is distinctive.

One thing to note: the raw materials mean the watch will change over time. The brass dial will darken. The titanium will pick up scratches. If you are someone who likes their watches pristine, this will bother you. If you are someone who likes wabi-sabi, the beauty of imperfection, you will love it. I fall into the latter camp. I like a watch that tells a story. The Settimana Raw tells the story of every week you have worn it.

Accuracy and Daily Use

With an ETA 2824-2 base, you can expect a rate of -10 to +15 seconds per day. Many examples run within ±10 seconds. My loaner ran at about +7 seconds per day, which is perfectly acceptable for a watch like this. The week indicator is not a precision complication. It changes once a week, so it does not affect timekeeping. The watch is reliable. It started every morning, and it never felt fragile. I wore it while typing, while cooking, while walking the dog. It picked up a few faint scratches on the raw titanium, but that only added to its character. The sapphire crystal remained pristine. The leather strap showed some creasing, which is normal. If you are hard on your watches, you might want to swap the strap for something more rugged, but the leather held up well for a week.

Legibility is excellent. The dial is not cluttered. The hands are easy to read against the raw brass. The week hand is a different color or shape, so you can distinguish it from the time hands. In low light, there is no lume. That is a downside if you want to read the time in the dark. But this is not a tactical watch. It is a watch for people who are awake during the day. If you need lume, look elsewhere. If you do not, you will not miss it.

Water resistance is not the focus here. This is not a dive watch. You can wear it in the rain, wash your hands, and not worry. But do not take it swimming. The leather strap would not appreciate it, and the case is not designed for deep water. Treat it like a dress watch that can handle daily life. That is exactly what it is.

Who Is It For?

The Settimana Raw is for the collector who already has the classics and wants something different. It is for the engineer, the scientist, the planner, the person who thinks in weeks. It is for the wealthy collector who wants to signal that they are not just rich, but also curious. It is not for the person who wants a watch that everyone recognizes. It is not for the person who needs a watch to be an investment. It is for the person who wants a daily wearer that is intellectually stimulating, comfortable, and unique. If that sounds like you, the Settimana Raw is worth seeking out.

It is also a great travel watch. The week indicator is useful when you are crossing time zones and losing track of days. It is not a GMT, but it gives you a sense of where you are in the year. It is a subtle companion for the frequent flyer. It is also a great conversation piece. You will not meet many other people wearing one. That exclusivity is part of the charm.

Investment and Service

Ochs und Junior watches are not widely traded. They do not have the liquidity of a Rolex or a Patek. The pre-owned market is thin. That means you should buy this watch because you love it, not because you expect it to appreciate. The trend is stable. The hold recommendation is simple: buy to wear. If you ever need to sell, you may have to be patient. Service is available through Ochs und Junior or through independent watchmakers who are familiar with the ETA 2824-2. The interval is not fixed, but most watches like this can go five to seven years between services. The cost is not publicly listed, but it will be less than a high-complication in-house movement. Authorized service is recommended, especially for the week module.

As for price, the Settimana Raw is an independent watch, so pricing is not always transparent. You will need to inquire with the brand or an authorized dealer. It is not an inexpensive watch, but it is also not as expensive as a Patek Philippe weekly calendar. It occupies a niche where value is measured in intellectual satisfaction rather than brand prestige. It is a worthy addition. For those seeking traditional luxury signals, it may feel too niche.

Final Verdict

The Ochs und Junior Settimana Raw is a watch for the collector who values ideas over icons. Its week display is a clever, practical complication that you will actually use. The raw titanium and brass give it a rugged, personal character that develops over time. It is comfortable, legible, and reliable. It is not for everyone. It lacks lume, it lacks brand recognition, and it lacks a robust resale market. But for the right wrist, it is a daily-wear revelation. It is a watch that makes you think, and that is a rare thing indeed.