No matter how restrained the design of Nomos watches may be, it doesn't mean they are any less interesting from a technical standpoint. While it may not appeal to everyone, the clean, Bauhaus-inspired watches are simple, elegant, and often very attractive. The combination of design skills to know when enough is enough, along with traditional watchmaking capabilities, allows Nomos to offer quite an intriguing range of watches. An example of this is one of this year's novelties: the Nomos Tangente Neomatik 41 Update Midnight Blue.
The Tangente Neomatik model incorporates all the elements of previous Nomos models, but adds a playful touch for variety. Think of it as a greatest hits album from your favorite band, with a new song included as a bonus. The latest iteration of the Tangente Neomatik was introduced during the digital version of this year's Watches & Wonders exhibition.
Along with the Tangente Neomatik, an updated version of the Metro Neomatik 41 Update model was also introduced, which we have already discussed. Following the same principles - Nomos likes to simplify by calling these novelties “Update” - the Tangente Neomatik 41 Update received subtle touches. Instead of a traditional date indicator with a cut-out area at a specific point on the dial, the Tangente Neomatik 41 Update features a peripheral date indicator with a twist.
A light silver date scale is applied to the outermost edge of the dial. Small oval cutouts between each date serve to indicate the correct day of the month. Typically, a peripheral date indicator is marked by a central hand pointing to the date. Think, for example, of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date watch. Nomos, as in the Metro Neomatik 41 Update model, has hidden the date disc under the dial and used a (very!) contrasting color to mark the date, “framing” it on both sides.
Upon taking the watch in hand, I found this original system to be truly intuitive. Some might argue that it is distracting due to the neon green color, but I would say it draws attention in the best way. As a result, the date number can be read at a glance. This type of display is not new to Nomos, as I mentioned. It is also used in the Metro Neomatik model, albeit with a different color scheme, as in the Tangente Neomatik 41 Update model from 2018. In both cases, an orange/red color is used for contrast against the silver-white dial, while this model uses a trendy neon green tone. The date ring is also coated with Super-LumiNova, glowing in the dark from beneath the dial.
If we look at the rest of the dial, it's pretty standard “Nomos”. Not that it's a bad thing, but we've seen it before. The midnight blue tone is very pleasant, and the contrast with the rhodium-plated silver markers and hands is very good. The thin hands have a nice length, and the small seconds hand even reaches the tips of the sub-dial markers. The only other color used is a bronze tint for the “Neomatik” print on the dial. Although it's a very subtle touch, it gives the dial an extra flair.
However, what seemed odd to me is that Nomos decided to flip the date numbers halfway through. One would expect the vertical position to be maintained throughout the dial, meaning that the numbers at the bottom would be read upside down, but that's not the case.
From the 9th to the 22nd of the month, the orientation is flipped. While I can understand the reasoning behind this, the fact that all the numbers are flipped upside down is a bit distracting. This is especially noticeable when transitioning from the 8th to the 9th, when two days earlier it was the 6th. At a glance, it's very easy to confuse the 9th with the 6th. A minor detail, but still a detail.
Again, the case is what you expect from Nomos. A thin profile with a very narrow bezel looks very good and is polished throughout. The case diameter is 40.5 mm, although Nomos sells it as 41 (which we also saw on the Club Campus model), and the height is 7.8 mm. These dimensions mean that the watch will fit almost anyone. The thin angular lugs are nicely directed downward and are very comfortable on the wrist. In fact, the watch looks and wears a bit larger than it actually is. A thin knurled crown is used to set the time and date and for winding when necessary.
The Tangente Neomatik 41 Update Midnight Blue is equipped with the Nomos in-house DUW 6101 automatic movement. This caliber features a patented quick-set date function using a fairly large disc reaching the outer edge of the dial. The movement measures 35.2 mm in width and only 3.6 mm in thickness, which is about half of the overall thickness of the watch. The date ring is located around the movement, not on top. The caliber is designed to allow date setting in both directions, greatly facilitating its adjustment.
The movement also features a Nomos swing system escapement with a tempered blue balance spring. The three-quarter plate is decorated with Glashütte ribbing and equipped with thermally blued screws. The DUW 6101 movement runs at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) and can maintain a power reserve of up to 42 hours. The skeletonized and decorated rotor allows a good view of the entire mechanism.
The Nomos Tangente Neomatik 41 Update Midnight Blue comes on a black Horween Shell Cordovan leather strap with a polished stainless steel clasp. The watch will cost you 3,200 euros, which is not bad considering the in-house movement. However, it places it alongside several other strong competitors in the dress watch segment with date and time.
Truth be told, Nomos has created a theme within its collections that is easy to identify. The style is very Bauhaus, very German, emphasizing the idea of “form follows function.” Nevertheless, Nomos can offer a little more than that, often with whimsical details. In this case, it's the bright neon green date indication. It may not appeal to everyone, but it disrupts the otherwise restrained look of the Tangente Neomatik 41 Update Midnight Blue. And this largely constitutes its charm.
For more information, please visit Nomos-Glashütte.com
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - NOMOS TANGENTE NEOMATIK 41 UPDATE MIDNIGHT BLUE
Case: diameter 40.5 mm x height 7.9 mm - polished stainless steel case - sapphire crystal front and back - narrow angular lugs - water resistance 50 m
Dial: midnight blue dial - date ring with green luminescent Super-LumiNova coating - central rhodium-plated hour and minute hands - small seconds sub-dial at “6 o'clock”
Movement: Nomos DUW 6101 caliber, in-house - automatic winding - patented date mechanism - escapement with blued balance spring - 21,600 vph (3 Hz) - 32.5 mm x 3.6 mm - power reserve 42 h - hours, minutes, small seconds (hacking) and date (quick-set, bidirectional)
Strap: black Horween Shell Cordovan leather strap - stainless steel winged clasp
Price: 3,200 EUR