Ochs und Junior Calendario Quattro Anni: A Four-Year Calendar with Radical Simplicity

Ochs und Junior, the independent Swiss watch brand co-founded by the legendary watchmaker Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, marks its twentieth anniversary in 2026 with a new timepiece that epitomizes his design philosophy: maximum function with minimal means. The Calendario Quattro Anni (CQA), which translates from Italian as “Four-Year Calendar,” offers a fascinating middle ground between the complexity of a perpetual calendar and the practicality of an annual calendar. It requires manual correction only once every four years, specifically to advance the date from February 29 to March 1 in leap years.

Dr. Oechslin, born in 1952, is renowned for his ability to solve complex horological problems with elegantly simple mechanical solutions. His perpetual calendar, for example, automatically tracks the leap-year cycle using just nine additional parts. The new Calendario Quattro Anni takes a similar approach, bridging the gap between a fully autonomous perpetual calendar—which accounts for months of 28, 30, and 31 days and remains correct for a century—and an annual calendar, which only accounts for 30- and 31-day months and needs adjustment at the end of February each year.

Design and Display

True to Ochs und Junior’s minimalist Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic, the dial of the CQA is deceptively simple. The circular-brushed blue dial uses apertures to display the calendar functions. The date is indicated by 30 small square holes arranged in an outer ring, with an orange marker highlighting the current date. These squares are positioned at one-minute intervals, cleverly doubling as minute and second indices. For months with 31 days, the date “31” appears in a longer rectangular aperture at the top of the dial, adjacent to the first day of the following month.

Inside the date ring, a circle of 12 smaller square apertures represents the months of the year, also indicated by an orange marker. The time is displayed by baton-style hour and minute hands and six indices, all treated with white gold and featuring a rough sandblasted surface. A central orange seconds hand adds a vibrant accent.

Mechanical Ingenuity

Beneath the dial, the CQA is powered by an ETA 2824-2 automatic movement that has been significantly modified by Oechslin. Key components include a reworked Maltese cross mechanism that controls the number of days assigned to each month, and a special switching wheel with three teeth that calculates how many extra date jumps are needed at the end of a month. A set of partially meshed gears engages only when necessary to skip over impossible dates. In practical terms, the watch mechanically counts the length of each month and jumps over the wrong dates so they never appear on the dial.

This ingenious system means that the wearer only needs to correct the calendar manually once every four years, on the first of March following a leap year. All other months—whether 28, 30, or 31 days—are automatically handled.

Case and Wearability

The watch is housed in a two-part 40mm titanium case, with a height of 11mm including the sapphire crystal. The case is water-resistant to 100 meters and features a screw-down crown designed by Oechslin. The industrial machining traces are deliberately left visible, a hallmark of Ochs und Junior’s design language. Weighing just 65 grams including the strap and buckle, the CQA is exceptionally lightweight and comfortable on the wrist.

The watch comes with a dark blue Ecopell leather strap (available in sizes S, M, L, or XL) with optional orange stitching, and a titanium pin buckle.

Pricing and Availability

The Ochs und Junior Calendario Quattro Anni is priced at CHF 6,900 for export and CHF 7,460 including VAT. Orders can be placed through the brand’s official website with a 50% prepayment, with deliveries expected in early October 2026.

Technical Specifications

• Case: 40mm diameter x 11mm thickness (incl. sapphire crystal) – two-part case and screw-down crown designed by Oechslin – grade 5 titanium, brushed – 65g (incl. strap and buckle) – 100m water-resistance
• Dial: Circular brushed OJ blue dial – 30 square apertures for date with orange marker – 12 smaller square apertures for month with orange marker – white gold-treated baton hour and minute hands and indices – orange central seconds hand
• Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic with reworked Maltese cross mechanism, partially meshed gears and 3-toothed wheel for month transitions – 38h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, calendar with date and month requiring just one correction every four years (via crown)
• Strap: Dark blue Ecopell Enzian calfskin strap, with or without orange stitching – S, M, L, or XL – titanium pin buckle
• Availability: Orders placed with a 50% deposit via the website – delivery in October 2026
• Price: CHF 6,900 (export) / CHF 7,460 (incl. VAT)

For collectors who appreciate horological innovation and minimalist design, the Calendario Quattro Anni is a compelling addition to Ochs und Junior’s lineup, demonstrating that complexity can be achieved with surprising simplicity.