INTRODUCING: The Junghans 1972 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships editions
Fergus NashJunghans have a long and impressive history in the Black Forest region of Germany, so they’re definitely not afraid of some snow. Despite being famed for their heritage and Bauhaus designs, Junghans haven’t stopped developing new models and retro-futuristic styles either. The Junghans 1972 series captures two distinct levels of vintage oddity, now paired with a lemon yellow to signify their sponsorship of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.
Nordic skiing specifically refers to a group of sports where the heel of your ski boots aren’t attached to the ski, setting it aside from Alpine skiing where the whole boot is fixed. The FIS, also known as the International Skiing Federation, have been running the Nordic World Ski Championships for almost a century. The 2023 edition marks the 43rd event, with this one hosted in Planica, Slovenia. It’s also the third time in a row that Junghans have been the Official Timing Partner of the biennial competition, taking place from February 21 to March 5. Participating in the ski jumping will be the reigning world champion Karl Geiger, who is also a long-term brand ambassador for Junghans.
The Junghans 1972 Chronoscope Quartz Edition FIS Lemon packs a lot of ‘70s chunk into its faceted cushion case, with a 43.3mm diameter and a slender elapsed time bezel. The dial takes a lot of inspiration from ‘70s racing chronographs, especially with the elliptical chronograph subdials and blocky applied indices. The small seconds hand is symmetrically placed at 6 o’clock without a subdial, ensuring full attention is given to the chronograph timing elements. Thanks to the quartz movement, the case thickness is only 11.3mm, which definitely makes it a bit easier to wear than its diameter may suggest. Of course, the lemon yellow colour is the most electrifying feature, lighting up the wrist with retro power. It comes with a yellow leather racing strap with black details, or an inverted black and yellow strap if you want to tone things down.
Playing up the throwback eccentricity is the Junghans 1972 Competition FIS Edition Lemon, with retro looks derived from handheld stopwatches. The bullhead arrangement of the crown and pushers married with an elliptical case has its sci-fi associations furthered with sandblasted finishing, and also some very wearable dimensions. The width of the case sounds huge at 45.5mm, but the length is only 41mm which will sit nicely on small wrists. The caseback is probably the strangest element of the watch, with a large curved section that secures the strap and drapes over your wrist. The movement is a Junghans J880.5, which is an automatic chronograph based on the ETA 7750 and features a 4Hz beat rate and a 42 hour power reserve.
The Junghans 1972 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships editions pricing and availability:
Each of the Junghans 1972 references are limited to 150 pieces, with the unique numbers engraved onto the casebacks. For more information, visit Junghans’ website here. Price: AU$1,250 (Chronoscope Quartz Edition) / AU$3,950 (Competition FIS Edition)
| Brand | Junghans |
| Model | 1972 Competition FIS Edition Lemon / 1972 Chronoscope Quartz Edition FIS Lemon |
| Case Dimensions | 45.5mm x 41mm x 14.5mm / 43.3mm x 11.3mm |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Yellow |
| Strap | Leather |
| Movement | J880.5 / Quartz |
| Availability | Limited to 150 pieces each, 300 total |
| Price | AU$1,250 (Chronoscope Quartz Edition) / AU$3,950 (Competition FIS Edition) |