Ollech & Wajs Revives The Early Bird For Its 70th Anniversary
To celebrate its 70th anniversary, Ollech & Wajs has revived one of the most fascinating watches in its back catalogue, the Early Bird, a distinctive 24-hour timepiece inspired by the satellite that transformed global communications.
Originally introduced in 1965, the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird took its name from Intelsat I, better known as ‘Early Bird’, the world’s first commercial geosynchronous communications satellite. It was a technological breakthrough that fundamentally changed how the world connected.
Between 1965 and 1969, the satellite carried the first commercial telecommunications traffic across the Atlantic, transmitting everything from live coverage of NASA’s Gemini 6 splashdown to the Apollo 11 Moon landing. It also broadcast The Beatles performing All You Need Is Love to an estimated global audience of 700 million people. Before Early Bird, continents were connected by cables. Afterwards, they were connected through space.
A Watch Inspired by Space, Built for Service
Albert Wajs recognised the significance of this engineering milestone and commemorated it with a watch unlike anything else in the Ollech & Wajs collection.
Rather than simply borrowing the satellite’s name, the original Early Bird reflected its purpose. Its 24-hour dial mirrored the satellite’s 24-hour orbit of the Earth, while the striking blue-and-red metallic bezel echoed the colours of the spacecraft itself.
Despite its celestial inspiration, the Early Bird was never intended for astronauts. It was designed for military professionals, particularly pilots and radio operators, for whom a true 24-hour display offered practical advantages over a conventional 12-hour dial.
Most examples were sold directly from Zurich via advertisements in military publications such as Army Times. The monochrome newspaper adverts showed what appeared to be a grey bezel, leaving many customers pleasantly surprised when their new watch arrived with its distinctive blue-and-red finish.
Today, the Early Bird is regarded as one of the rarest and most desirable vintage Ollech & Wajs references. Fewer than 500 examples are believed to have been produced and, according to the company, it remained Albert Wajs’ personal favourite.
The Early Bird Returns
Sixty years on, the Early Bird has been faithfully reimagined as the new EB-24. While 24-hour time is now standard across aviation, military operations and much of the world, true 24-hour mechanical wristwatches remain surprisingly uncommon. The EB-24 is powered by an automatic 24-hour movement, meaning its hour hand completes just one full rotation each day. The entire day is displayed at a glance, while the bezel allows wearers to monitor a second time zone simultaneously.
It’s a practical complication for pilots, international travellers and anyone working across multiple time zones, while remaining true to the spirit of the original. Although both the satellite and the original watch celebrated their 60th anniversaries last year, Ollech & Wajs deliberately waited until 2026 to reintroduce the model, choosing instead to mark the brand’s own platinum anniversary with one of its most significant historical references.
Anniversary Details
The Ollech & Wajs EB-24 will be priced at CHF 1,956.00, a subtle reference to the company’s founding year. Adding another collectible touch, the first 56 watches produced will feature individually numbered crowns, allocated in the order purchases are received.
The EB-24 becomes available worldwide from 19:56 CET on Tuesday 30 June 2026, appropriately echoing both the launch time and the brand’s founding year.
Technical Specifications:
Year
2026 (original 1965)
Dimensions
39.5 mm × 12.5 mm; 48 mm lug to lug
Case
Brushed 316L stainless steel, screwed bottom, screwed crown, rotating steel bezel; made in the Swiss Jura
Glass
Sapphire with anti-glare treatment
Bezel
Aluminium anodised bi colour 24-hour worldtime bidirectional friction bezel
Dial
Hands and indexes in white Super-LumiNova®
Water resistance
300 m/ 30ATM
Movement
Automatic, bespoke Soprod P125; with semi-instantaneous changes and quick adjustment using the crown; stop seconds; 4Hz 28,800 vibrations per hour; 25 jewels; 42-hour power reserve; Incabloc. Bespoke OW Zurich 1956 rotor, OW-engraved platine, custom screws, assembled for OW and adjusted in three positions. Accuracy: -7/+7 seconds per day
Strap
Black Italian leather strap
20 mm Italian leather and natural linen, finished in Switzerland; with a brushed stainless steel thorn buckle, signed ‘OWZ 1956’
Bracelet
M-Link stainless steel bracelet (optional extra)
20 mm medium gauge, stainless steel links, hand-brushed, with an OW-engraved adjustable deployant clasp
Origin
Handmade in the Swiss Jura
Price
RRP CHF1,956.00
For more information please visit Ollech & Wajs