As we stated in our in-depth article, the Tangente has been instrumental in the success of German watchmaker Nomos. Inspired by the Bauhaus era and recognisable to all, the Tangente is an emblematic model that has existed in multiple forms. Small and hand-wound, as the original concept was, but also larger and automatic, or colourful and complicated. Today, this emblematic watch is back in a new, luxurious colour with the brand’s in-house automatic calibre, the DUW 3001. Here are the new Tangente Neomatik Blue Gold Models, and we have them reviewed in an in-depth video that also retraces the history of this model.
NOMOS’s Tangente neomatik is a classic timepiece that never gets old. And the Glashütte-based watchmaker knows it. Here comes a new take on it that amalgamates the brand’s winning ingredients. From the minimalist aesthetic to the in-house automatic movement, the latest Tangente neomatik is instantly recognizable in a NOMOS style. It revisits one of the brand’s favorite deep blue colors in a galvanized and sunburst finish. The new model comes in two case diameters of 35 and 38.5 millimeters.
Since its founding in 1990, NOMOS has developed a reputation for crafting high-quality and effortlessly wearable watches with an incredibly consistent design language. The brand’s relentless focus on details makes its watches intrinsically gratifying to look at (especially for anyone with obsessive tendencies). The designs are so wholesome that they do not give you that subconscious nagging feeling that something is unbalanced. And it’s no wonder that the German brand has amassed no less than 160 prestigious awards and prizes for design and watchmaking craft, including one from the GPHG.
The Tangente is NOMOS’s flagship collection and has spawned faithful and timeless designs for 30 years. It blends Bauhaus-style elements with its signature circular case in the shape of a coin with angled lugs. The new Tangente neomatik time-only model boasts a deep blue sunburst dial, which is gold plated before being galvanized to produce an alluring shimmer. Apart from the color variations, the Blue Gold model has the exact execution compared to the prior platinum-gray version launched almost a year ago to the day (which Rob reviewed here).
Other signature features include the numerals in the Tangente typography and a small seconds sub-dial above 6 o’clock. The dial has five Arabic-numeral hour markers as well as minute markers around the outer rim. The hands are plated with rhodium, and the sapphire crystal has an antireflective coating on the inside. Under the NOMOS Glashütte logo is the “neomatik” designation in gold letters. This indicates an in-house DUW 3001 caliber beating underneath.
The two sizes of this new Tangente neomatik — Blue Gold 35 and Blue Gold 39 — come with polished stainless steel cases in 35mm and 38.5mm diameters, respectively. NOMOS also offers the choice of a solid steel back or a display back with an AR-coated sapphire crystal. The former measures 6.7mm and the latter 6.9mm in height. Each watch also comes with a black Horween Shell Cordovan leather strap, featuring rolled edges and a signed pin buckle.
Category: Nomos Watch
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Liebreiz
In watchmaking, the German brand Nomos Glashütte Tangente Liebreiz has arrived at a specialty in the watch business. This remarkable method of achieving imaginative changes to watchmaking has brought Nomos acclaim that is wanted by some since quite a while ago settled Swiss watch brands. Notwithstanding, the greater part of Nomos’ notoriety comes from his lead assortment – Tangente. With a direct plan with an unmistakable and smooth dial, this watch was enormously respected by watch sweethearts when it was delivered in 1992. Also, to date subsequent to finishing a long excursion with the brand, this Nomos watch appreciates an equivalent status among watch sweethearts. wristwatch. wristwatch.
One brand that Dean truly prefers is NOMOS. Truth be told, the Glashuette-based brand was one of the first to be added to the stable after Dean joined Brinker – which likewise shows the trust set in him by the Brinker family. As the proprietor of a few NOMOS watches including the restricted release Club Campus Amsterdam, for quite a long time Dean longed for possessing a restricted version for Brinker. Likewise, as of now with the 50th celebration coming up, the ideal open entryway presented itself. However, rather than a restricted release, Brinker constructs pressure by doing it consistently from this point until the 2022 commemoration. The first is NOMOS Club 48, reference 737.S3.
Today we have the extraordinary watch from the German producer Nomos Glashütte Tangente Liebreiz (we will discharge the umlaut starting now and into the foreseeable future for effortlessness) tangente NOMOS have been around for quite a while, however despite the fact that these have left their imprint in the watchmaking business with moderate plans, passage level extravagance costs, and above all of all German quality and the most elevated consideration. down to the subtleties!
NOMOS Glashutte as we said has been missing for quite a while! The Nomos name was enrolled by Roland Schwertner (who actually drives deals at NOMOS today) in January 1990, only two months after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Nomos draws its impact from the watch plans of the customary German ‘Bauhaus’ style. This regularly brings about moderate dial plans, meager, smooth cases and negligible boxes and paper. With NOMOS at first utilizing the Swiss-made manual breeze development ETA/Peseux 7001. In any case, the organization began to truly stand apart from the Swiss and German rivalry when in 2005 they began utilizing watch developments only. Beginning with the α (Alpha) manual breeze type, yet advancing to the manual breeze type with greater unpredictability over the long haul. With the advancement of their own escapement in 2014, Nomos Glashütte Tangente Liebreiz is totally autonomous of the Swiss maker. As of late, in 2015 NOMOS presented the in-house 10 types DUW (Deutsche Uhrenwerke) 3001. The super flimsy programmed type with a stature of just 3.1 mm was selective to the Neomatic arrangement and in 2018 refreshed the Noematic arrangement with Neomatic-date with Caliber. DUW 6101.
Nomos Glashütte 262 Ludwig Neomatik 41 Date
It’s no secret that the Fratelli are big NOMOS fans. The brand’s signature Bauhaus minimalism makes for a wonderful, clean, classy watch. Yet the Glashütte brand is also not afraid to include small details in its designs. These small details often serve as a nod (or a wink) at either the brand’s own history and DNA or its collaborators. An example of this can be found on the Fratello × NOMOS Weltzeit with the house icon replaced with a Dutch windmill. Today, Nomos Glashütte 262 Ludwig Neomatik 41 Date introduces a watch with one such detail, something only possible due to the brand’s DUW 6101 movement. Are you wondering why? Then keep on reading, as I’ll touch upon that later in the article.
All you need to know is this: the Nomos Glashütte 262 Ludwig Neomatik 41 Date is now fully Roman. Meaning that its date window now also includes Roman numerals. It may not seem obvious at first, but a date wheel with Roman numerals is not a common thing for one good reason. And that reason is the fact that the Roman numeral system makes numbers take up a lot more space than their Arabic counterparts. All numbers under 100, can be represented by two Arabic numerals. But in Roman numerals, a number like LXXXVIII (or 88) certainly requires quite a bit of space. Luckily, there are only a maximum of 31 days in a month. But that leaves us with 28 — or XXVIII — in all its six-character glory. Most date wheels and windows shudder at the thought.
Whereas most movements simply can’t accommodate more than two characters on their date wheel (without making them far too small to read with the naked eye), NOMOS makes the impossible possible. This is all thanks to a clever mechanical ace that the brand’s DUW 6101 date caliber has up its sleeve. This is, of course, the movement’s peripheral date ring. Unlike most mechanical movements, which integrate the date wheel into the base plate, NOMOS developed a system that allows it to sit around the movement. This means that even in the brand’s larger models, the date can be shown right at the edge of the dial. The movement also has a date-setting position which allows for the date to be advanced or reversed, with only a half turn of the crown.
The date advances in 30 minutes, meaning there’s only a relatively small 90-minute “danger zone” for setting the date. Not only that, but it also allows for some neat tricks, such as the triple-date display on the Autobahn or the date-ring system found on the Tangente and Metro Update models. In a rather suitable nod to the Ludwig’s Roman numeral dial, the brand uses this real estate afforded to the date wheel to include even the longest of Roman numerals (under 31) without needing a loupe. I must admit that though it’s only a small detail, I love it. The significance of the movement’s unique mechanical architecture, which makes this possible, coupled with the coherence it gives the Ludwig is brilliant. In the world of watches, small details go a long way, and NOMOS gives a perfect lesson on how this is exactly the case.
Is this my new favorite Nomos Glashütte 262 Ludwig Neomatik 41 Date ? Well, my love for the Club Campus is hard to shift. But I have to admit that this kind of small, clever detail with mechanical chops making it possible certainly raises the appeal of the Ludwig for me. And if I should ever happen to be in the market for a Ludwig, you can rest assured that it would have a Roman numeral date display! That said, I’d love to hear your opinions. Do you also appreciate these small details? Or is it a bit too gimmicky for your taste? Regardless, let me know your thoughts in the comments.
NOMOS Glashütte Ludwig 33 noir
NOMOS Glashütte celebrates women’s wrists with a new ladies’ watch with unique features, the Ludwig 33 noir from NOMOS Glashütte.
NOMOS Glashütte’s newest timepiece for women, the Ludwig 33 noir, is a ladies’ feminine watch without being overly so. This new watch, crafted in the time-honored heritage of Glashütte watchmaking that dates back 175 years, will twirl its way into gatherings this winter and reign supreme in every setting.
NOMOS Glashütte honors the ladies with this latest creation! A unique ladies’ watch with exceptional characteristics. As the year comes to a close, NOMOS introduces the exquisitely delicate Ludwig 33 noir watch with a galvanized black dial. Refined gold hands give it that sophisticated look in the tradition of Glashütte watchmaking. As beautiful on the outside as on the inside!
The NOMOS Glashütte Ludwig 33 noir 33-millimeter case is made of polished stainless steel with a sapphire crystal. It is powered by the hand-wound ALPHA caliber, with one hundred separate components and 17 jewels, perfectly demonstrating various Glashütte watchmaking techniques. The case is matched with a delicate anthracite strap made of velour leather. There are two versions: with a sapphire crystal case back (Ref: 227) or with a stainless steel case back (Ref: 226).
The new Ludwig 33 noir from NOMOS Glashütte is delicate, dark, feminine, and classy, perfect for evenings spent at the theater, attending art openings, galas, or sipping a glass of wine at home. Think of it as the wrist equivalent of the Little Black Dress. A wristwatch with an extroverted disposition that craves attention.
As for the name – Why Ludwig? A peculiar moniker for a watch designed for women, to be sure, but I think it just adds to its overall appeal. Overall, the Ludwig 33 noir is a watch that exudes a captivatingly feminine personality and is impeccable to the highest degree.
Classically simple or simply classic? Pure understatement is the essence of the Ludwig from Nomos Glashütte. This deeply elegant wristwatch is a statement of traditional design, yet is right on the pulse of the times. With its time display focused on the hour, minute and seconds, flat case and classic leather straps, the Ludwig is a dress watch par excellence. It has been part of the manufacture’s collection since its first presentation in 1991. The brand is currently launching a new variant, which, although marketed as a ladies’ watch, should also appeal to lovers of smaller diameters as the stainless-steel case of the Ludwig 33 noir has a diameter of 33mm. It is polished to a gleam and together with the sapphire crystal its shape is reminiscent of old pocket watches.
Nomos Glashütte Club 50 for Brinker’s Jewelers
Launching on October 28th 2023, Brinkers will once again release a limited edition Nomos Club Campus watch title Nomos 50. This watch signifies the 50 years Brinkers Jewelers has been in business and blends the previous Nomos 48 and Nomos 49 limited editions. For this Nomos limited edition watch there will be only 50 numbered units available for sale, which makes it one of the most exclusive Nomos limited edition watches ever made.
What the Nomos Club Campus does well is provide opportunity for great color combinations. Personally from what I’ve seen, Brinkers has done extremely well designing it’s previous limited edition Nomos watches and have knocked it out of the park with the Nomos 50 Brinkers. The Nomos 50 Brinkers features a highly contrasted dial that includes a black dial with bright green California indexes and a grey sub dial. I want to give credit to Brinkers on how they designed their 3rd watch of their 3 part limited edition series. If you look closely, they added elements from their previous two watches into the most recent one. Each watch signifies the different stages of their jewelry business so it’s only fitting that the 3rd one represents a blend of their entire history.
The limited edition Nomos 50 Brinkers is the 3rd watch in the last 3 years that both brands have collaborated on and the watch community is starting to take notice. It’s important to note that Nomos has allowed Brinkers to have an exclusive design element that none of the other Club Campus watches have, which is a tegimented case. That unique design feature combined with the beautiful color combinations and highly sought after and are available in such limited quantities. So much so that it’s not uncommon to see the Brinkers Nomos watches command prices over retail on the pre-owned market.
One of the most interesting features of the limited edition Nomos 50 is the case finishing. What Brinkers and Nomos decided to do for this watch was improve the hardness of the stainless steel through a tegimentation process. Essentially what this means is that the case finishing went through a complicated hardening process, which provides extreme resistance to scratching and swirls to the case. When you think about it, a tegimented case just makes so much sense. It’s hard to believe that more watches do not possess this same quality.
Powering the newest Nomos limited edition is the in-house Alpha movement. According to the Nomos website, the Alpha movement has developed to chronometer specifications, which means that it is highly accurate. The Alpha movement is manual wound and has a power reserve of 43 hours. To have a movement of this quality in a watch that is priced like the Nomos 50 Brinkers is incredible. There is so much value to be had with this watch and the Alpha movement contributes to much of that.
Nomos Glashütte Club Sport Neomatik 37
In watchmaking, as in life, it is tricky to get every single detail right on the first go. The key, of course, is to be able to recognize what can be improved and then go about making those refinements.
Take the NOMOS Glasshütte Club Sport neomatik, for example. When the first, understated edition launched in 2019 – with its deep-black dial, quick-set date, and 42mm steel case featuring 300-meter water resistance and a newly-developed bracelet – it was generally well received, especially among larger-wristed watch aficionados.
However, that rectangular-link, non-integrated bracelet – which looked great on the brand’s more Bauhaus-heavy Tangente Sport neomatik – didn’t quite do the business on the sportier-looking Club Sport neomatik. Likewise, the jet-black dial was perhaps a bit too sober, especially for a watch that is part of NOMOS’ more youthful, color-tinged Club family.
On top of that, the Club Sport neomatik’s 52.3mm lug-to-lug distance was simply too large for some wrists.
Then, last fall, the Saxon watchmaker went some way to bettering that first Nomos Club Sport neomatik when it launched a second 42mm date edition with a blue dial and a reworked, integrated bracelet.
Not only did the navy dial, with its sun-brushed surface, burst with life, but the three-link bracelet – with satinized outer links and polished central links and clasp – was a far more coherent complement to the overall sporty aesthetic. Now, even the black dialed edition comes with this bracelet upgrade. Now, building on those black and blue 42mm time-and-date editions, today NOMOS Glashütte has added two new time-only Club Sport neomatiks to the Club family, both carrying further design tweaks.
The general look, including the updated three-link bracelet, may remain the same; however, today’s new releases not only boast fresh, dynamic dial tones – polar blue and petrol green – but also a slimmer, more universally wearable 37mm case.
“Demand for Club Sport with this diameter was more than obvious,” says Sven Schönberger of the NOMOS Product Management team. “It simply fits the times.”
While the new case is 5mm slimmer than previous Club Sports, at 8.4mm in height, it is also 1.8mm thinner. Its water-resistance, meanwhile, is a little less – 200 meters rather than 300 meters – but it can still be worn with confidence in and under water. The smaller case diameter makes the bezel appear a tad plumper but not excessively so.
The new “unisex” case dimensions are possible thanks to a switch of movement on the inside.
The Nomos Sport neomatik 42 date featured NOMOS’ sizeable in-house, automatic DUW 6101 calibre, which allowed for a harmoniously positioned date along the periphery of the dial. But the two new models use the far more compact, time-only DUW 3001 calibre.
Of course, it still features all that in-house mechanical goodness that NOMOS is known for, such as its “swing system” regulating organ with tempered blue hairspring, plus a stop-seconds mechanism, so never fear.
The decoration is also as we would expect from the independent brand, with Glashütte ribbing and NOMOS perlage on the rhodium-treated surfaces, gilded engravings on the bidirectional winding rotor and three-quarter plate, and screws blued by tempering.
While the back of the watch is certainly worth checking out occasionally, it is, of course, the fresh faces of these two novelties that we’re most interested in here.
Building on the success of the blue-dialed Club Sport last time out, NOMOS has chosen even lighter dial colors – polar blue and petrol green – for these 37mm versions. And in tandem with the sun-brushed finishing, these hues lend each watch face a subtle zing and vivacity. The hands and numerals, meanwhile, are treated with lume to deliver legibility at night or underwater. The hour numerals, in particular, are recessed so as to accommodate a significant amount of luminescent material to ensure a durable glow.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente 38 120 Jahre Depperich
Nomos’s gesture of support for Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders in English, is an international humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation of French origin best known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases. Concerned with the world hunger increasing by the day, a situation that is being aggravated by the war in Ukraine, the maison lends a helping hand by making a generous gesture with the contribution of EUR 100 for every watch of the novel model that is sold—while inspiring others to do the same.
What is interesting is that the novelty is a variation of the Tangente 38 Ref.165 with the special feature of the 12 in red, and yet with a retail price which is retained at EUR 1,620. The donation to MSF is thus taken out of Nomos’ own pockets, and they give us the assurance that the full amount goes “directly and without deductions to the organization.” Impressive for a small brand to take NOMOS Glashütte Tangente 38 this leadership.
The iconic NOMOS twelve in striking red: the mark of watches that lend a hand. And, red has been the color of Doctors Without Borders for half a century.
As touched on, the new watch is a derivative of the regular Tangente 38, itself a highly beautiful and desirable watch and is given the Ref. 165.50. The watch is equipped with a hand wound movement – the Caliber Alpha which is designed and manufactured in-house in Glashütte.
Adversity is growing. Already 800 million people worldwide are starving. A combination of various crises have exacerbated an already difficult situation in many regions of the world: local conflicts, the pandemic, droughts and crop failures, the death of livestock, and now the war in Ukraine. The latter is also causing food prices for countries in the global south to soar to almost incalculable levels. “In one week alone, we admitted almost 1,000 children to our outpatient therapeutic feeding program. Thirty per cent of them were suffering from severe acute malnutrition,” reports Bakri Abubakr, Doctors Without Borders’ program manager in Somalia.
You can support by getting directly involved—for example, as a doctor, nurse or logistician with Doctors Without Borders. With a donation. Or with a truly unique emergency aid model: NOMOS Glashütte Tangente 38 – 50 ans de Médecins Sans Frontières from NOMOS Glashütte. A wristwatch based on the brand’s most popular model, Tangente. It has the classic and very harmonious diameter of 38 millimeters. It is limited. 100 euros per unit sold goes directly and without deductions to the Nobel Prize winning organization, Doctors Without Borders, and yet the watch costs no more than the standard model. The dial bears the red twelve, which indicates emergency aid: red has also been the color of Doctors Without Borders for half a century.
With this timepiece from NOMOS Glashütte, everyone can provide emergency aid for a better future, and model it too: The red twelve is also intended to raise aid awareness, encouraging even more people to provide support. Helping has quite possibly never been more important than now and with this watch: The limited model is a classic for life and provides for better times ahead. For the wearer, but going beyond that for others—for people in need.
Nomos Glashütte Ahoi Neomatik Atlantik
The year is 2013, and Nomos is still a relatively small and unknown brand outside of the true Nomos Glashütte Ahoi Neomatik Atlantik watch-enthusiast circle. All the models we know them for now were around – from the Club to the Tangente, but Nomos sought to create a dive-capable watch. Now, when a brand normally does this, it often follows a simple formula – diving bezel, screw-down crown / caseback and circular lume plots for visibility. Nomos had to do things the Nomos way, however. Rather than slapping a dive bezel onto the Tangente and doubling it in thickness, they said “how about we don’t do that?” The result was the Nomos Ahoi, clearly borrowing some design styles from the Tangente, though without compromising on the suave and slim nature of the brand. Going through many iterations and some movement updates in its almost 10 year lifespan, the latest version of the Nomos Ahoi Atlantik is what we’ve got for you today.
I’m definitely on board with the concept the Nomos is going for here. While the case profile never really settled on my wrist, it was a comfortable experience that may work even better on a differently shaped appendage. I’d call the Ahoi more of a dive-capable watch due to it lacking a rotating bezel and relatively poor legibility when comparing to purpose-built divers. It isn’t a case of confused identity however, it’s the ultimate, unassuming sleeper, which shows what Nomos can do when they max out the specs of an everyday watch.
Ahoy, landlubbers! For those of you who love the ocean and all things inspired by it but prefer not to venture beneath its surface in a professional capacity, the NOMOS Glashütte Ahoi is the watch for you. Released in 2013 as the Saxon darling’s “dive watch”, the Ahoi has gone on to become a design favorite. Bulkier and more resilient than the Tangente model that made the brand famous, the Ahoi lacks some of the typical “dive watch” specifications but treks far enough along the trail blazed by genuine dive tools to wind up as the perfect beach watch for both fashion and fun.
As a “dive-inspired” watch, the Ahoi’s most notable carryover is its water resistance. Good for 200 meters beneath the surface, this one extremely over-engineered aspect of the design is a game-changer for the brand and a life-saver for the concept. Beyond that water resistance, the subtle but useful crown guards flanking a screw-down crown, and the quick-drying woven strap (and now bracelet), the Ahoi isn’t really much of a diver at all. And yet, somehow, perhaps because of the clever use of color and NOMOS Glashütte’s typically accomplished way of telling a story with its press images, the watch definitely seems to yearn for the sea (or at least the pool). While it isn’t a tool of any sort, it is perhaps the most suitable NOMOS for daily wear.
My favorite Ahoi model ever remains reference 567. That’s the very first Atlantic Blue neomatik from 2017. It benefits from the RAL 2005 hand, RAL 2005 neomatik text, and the rose gold hands and numerals that add an inviting sense of warmth to proceedings. Of the new models released today, I would take the 567. It has the same proportions and functionality as the 561 but can argue its superiority on the back of those awesome luminous numerals.
I’ve long been a fan of NOMOS watches; they have an instantly recognizable design language, unparalleled feel for color, interesting and attractive in-house movements, and a reasonable price point. Plus, they hail from the German watchmaking mecca of Glashütte, so that gives them some bonus marks, in my book. That being said, I’ve yet to buy a NOMOS, and this is the first chance I’ve had to spend some extended quality time with one on my wrist. The reason I’ve never pulled the trigger on a NOMOS mostly comes down to thinking that, although I love their designs, the watches are just a bit too dressy for my lifestyle, which consists of a disproportionately high amount of time spent outdoors and a disproportionately low amount of time dressed up.
I’d always suspected if there was one NOMOS that would work for me, it would be the Ahoi. And work it most certainly does. The sizing is great, and the watch is comfortable to wear anytime, with the added assurance that it’s plenty tough enough to stand up to my daily outdoor adventures. But one criticism that’s always been leveled at NOMOS and other brands that embrace the Bauhaus school of design is that, if done poorly, simplicity can be boring — beautiful and functional, but lacking the visual interest to motivate you to pick it up and strap it on every day. The Ahoi, to my eye, is anything but boring. This largely comes down to complex color choices married together in a harmonious design. Despite a watch box full of more complex watches, I kept coming back to the Ahoi, over and over, simply because it was a pleasure to see on my wrist and I knew it would work with anything I chose to do or wear.
Nomos Glashütte Ahoi Atlantic
Those who have witnessed the meteoric rise of Nomos Glashütte over the past years, know that the German watch manufacture is always up for a good surprise. Right in time for summer summer season, it launches three new sports timepieces under the Ahoi flag. Water resistant to 200 meters and equipped with robust features as well as the characteristic understated Nomos style, the Ahoi Atlantic models are intended to be versatile “24/7 all-rounders” for all kinds of settings, according to the brand. They are distinguished by a deep blue dial that makes for a nice background for the contrasting white Arabic numerals and hour indices. The hour and minute hands are filled with white Superluminova and emit a green glow green in the dark. The watch face is protected by a sapphire crystal with a blue anti-reflective coating on both sides, which highlights the intense blue colorway aptly called “Atlantic” and allows for best readability.
Two of them, the Ahoi Atlantic and Ahoi Date Atlantic, are driven by the self-winding manufacture calibers DUW 5001 and DUW 5101 with date indication. Both have a diameter of 40.3mm and a height of 10.6mm. The smaller Ahoi Neomatik Atlantic (36.3mm by 9.6mm) boasts the self-winding yet very slim Neomatik caliber DUW 3001. All three sport a screw-down crown with a guard and a sixfold screwed exhibition case back that allows an unobstructed view onto the finely finished and Glashütte style decorated movements.
Ahoy, landlubbers! For those of you who love the ocean and all things inspired by it but prefer not to venture beneath its surface in a professional capacity, the NOMOS Glashütte Ahoi is the watch for you. Released in 2013 as the Saxon darling’s “dive watch”, the Ahoi has gone on to become a design favorite. Bulkier and more resilient than the Tangente model that made the brand famous, the Ahoi lacks some of the typical “dive watch” specifications but treks far enough along the trail blazed by genuine dive tools to wind up as the perfect beach watch for both fashion and fun.
As a “dive-inspired” watch, the Ahoi’s most notable carryover is its water resistance. Good for 200 meters beneath the surface, this one extremely over-engineered aspect of the design is a game-changer for the brand and a life-saver for the concept. Beyond that water resistance, the subtle but useful crown guards flanking a screw-down crown, and the quick-drying woven strap (and now bracelet), the Ahoi isn’t really much of a diver at all. And yet, somehow, perhaps because of the clever use of color and NOMOS Glashütte’s typically accomplished way of telling a story with its press images, the watch definitely seems to yearn for the sea (or at least the pool). While it isn’t a tool of any sort, it is perhaps the most suitable NOMOS for daily wear.
So, where do I come down on this new capsule? The 2022 Atlantic Blue updates are certainly welcome additions to the collection. Having each reference available with a closed case back is a nice touch. It not only gives you an option aesthetically but also presents the opportunity to reduce the price slightly. Models with closed case backs tend to retail for around €200 less. I’d personally take the open case back (always) because NOMOS does such a nice job with its movements. But maybe money is a concern. Maybe, ideologically, you prefer a “dive” watch with a closed back. Perhaps you are sensitive to movement sounds and want as quiet a watch as possible. All of those reasons would support the closed-back option. My favorite Ahoi model ever remains reference 561. That’s the very first Atlantic Blue neomatik from 2017. It benefits from the RAL 2005 hand, RAL 2005 neomatik text, and the rose gold hands and numerals that add an inviting sense of warmth to proceedings. Of the new models released today, I would take the 567. It has the same proportions and functionality as the 561 but can argue its superiority on the back of those awesome luminous numerals.
Nomos Glashütte Club Campus Neomatik 39 Greece
From the time it was announced two years ago, the Nomos Club Campus line from NOMOS has been about finding younger mechanical watch buyers, and in particular, recent graduates. Today we have three new references in the line to introduce. All of these new releases come with the self-winding NOMOS Caliber DUW 3001, a first for the Club Campus line. The DUW 3001 is a sturdy yet thin caliber that has already proven itself in several of the brand’s lines. With prices roughly twice that of the first Club Campuses, which still feature NOMOS’s hand-wound Alpha caliber, these new automatics are a higher-end offering with the same familiar case shape and California-style dial. Two of the new additions to Nomos Club Campus also have NOMOS’s first ever stainless steel bracelets. And as with the first Club Campus watches from two years ago, these new models have closed stainless steel backs rather than open views of the movements inside. The idea here was to leave room for engraving and personalization.
Bringing its higher-end automatic movement, which also come with an proprietary escapement called the Swing System, feels like a logical progression for NOMOS’s Club Campus. Nomos has been rolling its in house automatic movements into more and more of its collections in recent years. The simple hand-wound versions of the Club are still there to provide a value-oriented way to get into to the company’s catalog. But what really caught my eye is that two of these new watches are the first models from NOMOS to feature bracelets. I’m looking at press photos as I write this post and, I haven’t had the opportunity yet to see these watches in the metal, but these bracelets definitely look the part of a NOMOS bracelet, which is to say they are thin, appear to be well made, and have a “designy” look to them. They also come with a tool-free removal system, which should make transitioning from the bracelet to your favorite strap a simple enough undertaking. I’m interested to see how they look in person and whether other collections might soon have a bracelet as an option.
This limited-edition version of Club Campus neomatik 39 has been made to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Greece Watch Club. Its stainless steel case and deep blue dial with golden accents radiate robust elegance, while an extra-special engraving on the back pays tribute to the milestone occasion behind this watch. In the five years since its founding, GWC has grown to become Greece’s largest watch collectors’ community.