Words: Jonathan Wells
Founded just two months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, NOMOS Glashütte is a beacon of modern Germany. It’s progressive, pared-back and meticulously mechanical. Since Roland Schwertner founded the company in early 1990, and designer Susanne Günther drew upon Bauhaus style cues for the watchmaker’s first collection, the Saxony-based brand has ticked its way clearly and confidently to the forefront of the industry.
So why don’t you already have a NOMOS Glashütte wristwatch in your collection? If you don’t want a watch from a typical Swiss brand or you’re simply eager to discover something new, we’ve rounded up the perfect trio of watches to prove it.
From a sports-centric option to a blue-hued model that epitomises elegance, the three NOMOS Glashütte watches we’ve chosen below showcase the brand’s wide-reaching, wide-ranging talents — and just how versatile these German-made timepieces can be in everyday life. So take a look, and pick your favourite — because there’s a NOMOS Glashütte for everyone…
For rugged refinement, the Tangente Sport ‘neomatik’ 42 Date
It can be a tricky task; buckling together practicality and style in a sports watch. Do considerations of form, function or fashion take precedence? And what are the most important features of these rough, tough, tried-and-tested timepieces? You’ll find the answers to these questions neatly encased in the stainless steel form of NOMOS Glashütte’s ‘Tangente Sport’ model. With a diameter measuring a capable 42-millimetres, it’s the most robust watch in the German watchmaker’s storied range.
The brand dub this extra-strong case a ‘miniature vault’ — undoubtedly music to the ears of any extreme sportsmen or globe-trotting adventurers. And it’s got the stats and specs to back-up those claims; with 1,000-feet of water resistance, a well-protected screw-down crown and lashings of Super-LumiNova to ensure those already-bold numerals are even more legible. This is a watch, complete with its white silver-plated dial, that outdoorsmen and athletes should be strapping on. Powerful; resilient and utterly readable.
Case material: Stainless steel, with bipartite sapphire crystal glass back, Dial: Galvanised, white silver-plated, sand-coloured Super-LumiNova, Hands: Rhodium-plated, inlayed with blue Super-LumiNova, Calibre: ‘neomatik’ date caliber DUW 6101, Power Reserve: Up to 42 hours
For effortless elegance, Tangente Midnight Blue
Elegance doesn’t have to be all glitz and glamour. In fact, perhaps the most elegant men of all are the easy-going, effortless characters — those who keep things simple, understated and stick to their signature style guns. This watch, NOMOS Glashütte’s ‘Tangente Midnight Blue’ is a slice of idiosyncrasy; offering modern men the chance to buckle up a traditional timepiece with a versatile, navy-blue edge. It’s possibly our favourite of these four watches — epitomising the do-all, can-do style that every man should strive for.
So how does it do it? Through sheer simplicity. Few hues exude all-purpose pomp like dark blue, so the dial here is drenched in a satin-finished coat of the colour. The case diameter (a humble 35 millimetres with a slim bezel and long lugs that easily cover bigger wrists) offers statement without obstruction — and the dial is dotted with golden Arabic numerals; sleek, slick and legible in equal modern measure. Add to that a seriously neutral, seriously natty beige strap in velour leather, and you’ve got elegance in spades — but not a hint of flash to be found.
Case material: Stainless steel, with bipartite sapphire crystal glass back, Dial: Midnight blue, with golden typography, Hands: Golden baton hands, Calibre: In-house built caliber ‘Alpha’ (wind it once every two days), Power Reserve: Up to 43 hours
For simple sophistication, Orion 33 Gold
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a little glamour. So long as you keep the luxury touches to a well-meaning minimum, a hint of sparkle here or a whisper of opulence there can elevate an outfit — and makes for an excellent signature accessory. Take NOMOS Glashütte’s ‘Orion 33 Gold’, for example. Drizzled with the rich, honey-hued shine of a gold-plated dial, this is a pared-back, stripped-down watch that loses none of its lavish, luxurious character.
It’s the perfect watch for a man who appreciates the finer things, but doesn’t want to flaunt unnecessarily. Those indices, for example, sit pretty on the gold-plated dial — and are themselves plated in rhodium, one of the rarest elements in the world, and the king of the new wave of precious metals. Other subtly splendid touches include fine grooves in the six o’clock subdial (which’ll make your seconds shimmer) and shapely elongated lugs to create a striking silhouette.
Case material: Stainless steel, with tripartite sapphire crystal glass back, Dial: Polished and galvanised, with gold-plating and rhodium-plated appliqué, Hands: Rhodium-plated baton hands, Calibre: In-house built caliber ‘Alpha’ (wind it once every two days), Power Reserve: Up to 43 hours
Need more of a reason to invest in a NOMOS Glashütte wristwatch? Until Valentine’s Day, you can enjoy free engraving on any watch you purchase. Learn more here…
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