Junghans Mega1

[collector]

Not sure if this is the right forum to break out a specific part of this thread.

http://dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?t=2305

(Ed please move if necessary)

Specific reason for split is to continue the discussion on this post within the thread:

Rewolf posted:

@collector:
The reception qualities are outstanding. I didn't succeed in making it NOT receive (it works even in a metal can!). This is probably due to its large antenna which is integrated in the longer part of the strap (see image below). The antenna has a core made of several thin sheets of amorphous metal. The antenna coil is wound around the core at the narrow part in the middle. All this is covered with heat shrink tube. The capacitor required to complete the resonant circuit is under the black epoxy blob.
The antenna in the strap is a bit vulnerable, but still today you can get new straps for about 35EUR. They're mounted to the case with 2 screws.
On interest, I can provide detailed photos of a disassembled antenna (I have one at home that I cut out of a worn-out strap).

About the case material: It's base metal with 5 different coatings.
The cheapest and least durable was the one on the photo above (matt chrome, model 26/0010, flat crystal). Plus:
- polished "titan look" PVD coating (26/0011, curved crystal)
- matt "titan look" PVD (26/0012, flat crystal),
- matt black PVD (26/0013, curved crystal IIRC),
- polished black PVD (26/0014, curved crystal).
Junghans advertised the coatings as "anti allergic".
They came with 4 different straps.
I'm still looking for a mint 26/0011 with original strap for a reasonable price

I'm really interested in learning more about this watch. (Might even try to find one even though it will not sync here in the states)

Specific follow up question: Rewolf listed different variations / colors of the watch. What model is the below one, I can't match the color (maybe its my screen). It looks brown to me.

http://70s-watches.com/a_to_m/aajung.html

Really don't like this color! Love the one Rewolf posted in the original thread!!! The 26/0014 variant with shiny bluish black IP coating is really great looking!!!

[rewolf]

Specific follow up question: Rewolf listed different variations / colors of the watch. What model is the below one, I can't match the color (maybe its my screen). It looks brown to me.
http://70s-watches.com/a_to_m/aajung.html
Really don't like this color! Love the one Rewolf posted in the original thread!!! The 26/0014 variant with shiny bluish black IP coating is really great looking!!!

The watch on Graham Wilson's site (70s-watches) is exactly the model I pictured (026/0014). It does look a bit brown, but probably due to the lighting used for the photo (the 2nd photo is quite near to reality). All photos on that site are a bit greenish, and greenish blue looks brown.
I made my photo in the office, where we have 'daylight' flourescent tube lighting (colour code 954) - colour rendering is perfect, especially blue tones are much better than with other types of lighting - it really makes a difference. And I took care to capture the blue gleam behind the dial
The appearance depends heavily on the lighting - see photos below (not my watch, but the same watch on both photos):


Starting a Mega 1 collection is a good idea
It won't receive in the US, so it won't show date. After a reset it starts at 0:00 and you can adjust the hours with the time zone buttons to your local time (not the minutes, and not the seconds, so reset it exactly on the hour).
So if you buy one, ask for a photo showing the current date - no date means no reception (most probably a defective antenna). Also note that the small digit in the LCD's lower left corner shows the number of failed reception attempts - so there should be no digit.

As for getting one: ebay Germany is a good place. There are always several Mega 1 for sale. Seller "verlorenerweg" (located in Schramberg, Junghans' hometown) regularly sells all variants and also has a shop outside ebay, however I haven't bought from him yet (still trying to resist and get the missing 026/0011 as a bargain ). The 026/0014 is quite rare and price range in perfect condition is 150..250EUR. I was lucky and paid 130 (no box), and it is absolutely flawless - other than 70s-watches' dented 350GBP "bargain"...

Notes about the text on 70-watches:

"...served by the atomic clock in Frankfurt, Germany, which sends signals every 20 minutes"

<nitpick>DCF77 sends a complete time code every single minute.</nitpick>

"The watch will pick up the signals all over the UK and Europe but not in the rest of the world where it will work only as a normal LCD watch."

Yes, except you can't adjust time and date (as mentioned above). And despite the seller is located in the UK, one watch shows 4, the other 9 days without reception. But probably he keeps them in a safe

[collector]

Rewolf,

Thanks for taking the time to do the detailed explanations!! As an aside, I would never have guessed about the color on the watch.

I think I am going to start looking about for a Mega1 even though it will not sync here in the states. As I has posted in another thread, I am going to try to expand my "radio controlled" LCD collection. I already do have the "Version 2" Mega 1000 as well as the "M" version Mega1000. I personally feel that, over time, collecting the "LCD" Megas is a possible task as there does not seem to be all that many models???
Again, thanks for sharing your knowledge!!! (Now that Ed has given us our own sub forum, maybe you could be a moderator? WITH ED"S PERMISSION of course!!!!

[rewolf]

... I personally feel that, over time, collecting the "LCD" Megas is a possible task as there does not seem to be all that many models???

AFAIK, there are 5 versions of the digital Mega 1. There are some more analog versions with a tiny 2-digit LCD on the dial to show date resp. seconds (don't know details, no interest). But the digital Mega 1 was first. I think later the digital Mega 1 module was used in cheap plastic RC watches like 'Eurochron' (at least the LCD looked exactly the same). I don't know of any other digital Junghans RC between Mega 1 and Mega 1000, but I hanven't ver researched this.

Again, thanks for sharing your knowledge!!! (Now that Ed has given us our own sub forum, maybe you could be a moderator? WITH ED"S PERMISSION of course!!!!

Funny you ask - Ed even offered this to me, but I declined for some reasons (sorry, Ed). OTOH, I don't think this section will need any moderation - not enough money involved, so no danger of fraud and fakes

Did you know the Mega 1 was designed by frog design who also designed the Apple Macintosh, the NeXTcube and several other famous products? (However, the Mega 1 is not in frog design's timeline.)
frog design on wikipedia
It is also mentioned on www.scienceandsociety.co.uk with a photo showing a model I haven't ever seen anywhere else. Maybe it's a prototype?

Now that's about all my 'knowledge'