Junghans
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
German watchmaker known for its Max Bill watches.
Until Junghans traces its gold and gemstones to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
Better-graded watches
Graded higher than Junghans, selling the same kinds of things.
No watches brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace them.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 3 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Junghans's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Relies on gold and gemstones from artisanal mines where workers face mercury poisoning, silica dust and deadly collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes All Junghans watches are assembled at its own factory in Schramberg, Germany, which had 110 staff in 2023 and made about 50,000 to 60,000 watches a year. It builds its radio-controlled movements itself; mechanical movements come from Switzerland and quartz movements from Japan or Switzerland. It publishes no supplier code, supplier list, audit results or living wage commitment, and gives no origin for cases, dials and straps are made.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse allegations involving Junghans or its suppliers were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Junghans: Germany's industrial champion (Europa Star) · search the archive · Steim family owners since 2009; mechanical movements from Switzerland, quartz from Japan or Switzerland; radio movements made in-house
- Junghans will nach Corona-Delle wieder wachsen (FashionUnited, 2022) · search the archive · 108 staff; all watches assembled in Schramberg; most movements from Switzerland; own radio-controlled movements; 50,000-60,000 watches a year
- Junghans Max Bill 27/3401.04 (The Hour Glass Australia) · search the archive · Junghans watches listed by The Hour Glass Australia, which has boutiques in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
- Junghans (Wikipedia) · search the archive · Founded 1861 in Schramberg; bought by the Steim family after the 2008 insolvency
Published by Junghans or its owner
- Wirtschaftsmeldung 2022 (Uhrenfabrik Junghans, March 2023) · search the archive · 110 employees at Schramberg; all watches designed, built and assembled on the Schramberg site; Steim family owners
Company details
- Headquarters
- Germany
- Employees
- About 110
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Junghans ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/junghans, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Junghans.