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It was June 29, 2010 when Tempus Fugit started with this post on the NOMOS Tangente - Where It All Begins

And believe me, given my current opinion of the communications/pr brain trust in Berlin by way of Glashütte, the irony of NOMOS being the very first post for Tempus Fugit is not lost on me ; )

While I had worked in the watch industry for some time, there was a lot to learn about how other brands and their teams worked.  I would say that for 8 years, the NOMOS media team were polite, and professional.  In the last 2 years?  Well, let's just say that the watch makers at NOMOS make a very fine watch. And the still fairly new Berlin based communications team and North American office?  
Probably the less said the better.

Tempus Fugit

Some Rare Nomos Tangente Goodness

While going through my copy of the NOMOS Glashutte - The Great Universal ENCYCLOPAEDIA this morning, I looked back upon some of the great limited edition Nomos models of the past.  And one that caught my eye was the NOMOS Tangente Heisse Liebe - Wempe 100.  My trusty Google Translate lists this as "Hot Love", but in fairness, German is not one of my main languages so I welcome anyone out there to correct this ; )

Courtesy of Club NOMOS

You will notice the window between 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock.  Rather than the traditional power reserve indicator, you will note the imagery of hearts.  If I have understood the briefing correctly, the hearts "fill" with red as the power reserve is increased.  Definitely a fun way to display that function, somewhat reminiscent of Alain Silberstein.

Going by the info found at the VERY GOOD Club NOMOS site, this was limited to 100 pieces and was released in 2005.

The Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date

From NOMOS -

Courtesy of NOMOS

This is the latest iteration of the Sport collection.  Water resistant to 1000 feet, the Tangente Sport neomatic measures (you guessed it) 42 mm in diameter.  The case is of stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter, with a height of 10.9 mm.

Courtesy of NOMOS

The movement is the NOMOS DUW 6101, automatic, with a power reserve of 42 hours.  

Courtesy of NOMOS

But what caught the attention of most folks at BaselWorld was the bracelet.  All too often, bracelets are more of an after thought than an actual design decision.  Not so with the new bracelets from NOMOS.  

Typically, we tend to think of Horween leather straps when we think about NOMOS. 

Add caption

Well, the only constant in life is change.  And in true NOMOS style, this change was carefully considered and mapped out.  The result is a bracelet that truly pairs with the now iconic NOMOS designs.  

Courtesy of NOMOS

The result is a bracelet that is sleek, well structured, and above all? Comfortable.

Here are the pertinents -

CASE

stainless steel, bipartite  
sapphire crystal glass back

GLASS

domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating inside and out

WINDING

automatic

DIMENSIONS

diameter 42.0 mm 
height 10.9 mm 

WATER RESISTANCE

30 atm (suitable for diving)

DIAL

galvanized, white silver-plated, hour indexes with sand-colored superluminova 
1000 ft inscription at six o’clock in red

HANDS

rhodium-plated, hour and minute hands with superluminova inlay in dark blue 

STRAP

sport bracelet

CALIBER

DUW 6101
automatic

MOVEMENT HEIGHT

3.6 mm

DIAMETER

15 ½ lines (35.2 mm)

POWER RESERVE

up to 42 hours

JEWELS

27

The Tangente neomatik 41 Update in Dark Platinum

From NOMOS-

Courtesy of NOMOS

This is a follow-up on the previous release in a new color version.

Courtesy of NOMOS

Here are the pertinents -

CASE:
stainless steel, bipartite sapphire crystal glass back
GLASS:
sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating on inner side
WINDING:
automatic
DIMENSIONS: 
diameter 40.5 mm height 7.9 mm
WATER RESISTANCE:
up to 5 atm (suitable for showering) 

DIAL:
galvanized, refined with ruthenium date ring
HANDS: 
rhodium-plated
STRAP:
Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan black, remborde 
lug width 20 mm
REFERENCE: 
181

 

CALIBER
DUW 6101—in-house built NOMOS neomatik caliber with automatic winding, neomatik date mechanism, and bidirectional quick correction feature
MOVEMENT HEIGHT: 
3.6 mm
DIAMETER:
15 1⁄2 lines (35.2 mm)
POWER RESERVE: 
up to 42 hours 

SPECIAL QUALITIES
NOMOS swing system tempered blue balance spring
NOMOS balance bridge, fixed by screws on both sides
stop-seconds mechanism bidirectional winding rotor with gold-plated embossing
Glashütte three-quarter plate
DUW regulation system adjusted in six positions 27 jewels
tempered blue screws rhodium-plated surfaces with Glashütte ribbing and NOMOS perlage golden engravings

 

The Tangente neomatik 41 - Updated

From NOMOS -

Courtesy of Nomos

It can be very daunting to try and make updates and / or improvements on things that have already been deemed classics.  And to this end, I do not envy the designers at NOMOS.  In many ways, trying to update a beloved watch is a thankless task.  The purists will argue that you have bastardized their beloved watch, and the poo-pooers/haters/trolls will simply give a thumbs down out of their own spiteful nature.  But I, for one, do appreciate the new Tangente neomatik .

Courtesy of NOMOS

What's new?  Well, plenty but one thing that can be identified right away is the date indication along the outer ring of the watch.  A rotating disc underneath the dial proper has two red indications that indicate the date by appearing on either side of the number.  In the case above?  It is the 27th.

Much more to come on the updated neomatik movement.  But that is a topic in and of itself.

For now, here are the pertinents for the watch -

Ref. 180 
 
Case: 
stainless steel, bipartite
sapphire crystal glass back 

Glass:
sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating 

Winding:
automatic 

Dimensions:
diameter 40.5 mm
height 7.9 mm
weight 58 g
 
Water resistance:
5 atm (suitable for showering)

The Tangente neomatik nachtblau

From NOMOS -

Courtesy of NOMOS

This is the second round of neomatik nachtblau offerings from NOMOS, this one in the form of the Tangente.

Courtesy of NOMOS

Again, the use of varying shades of blue is quite striking, but in a subtle, tasteful way.

Courtesy of NOMOS

Here are the pertinents -

The watch

Case: 

stainless steel, bipartite; sapphire crystal glass and sapphire crystal glass back; 

diameter 35.0 mm, height 6.9 mm

Dial: 

lacquered, midnight blue; green and silver-colored print

Hands: 

rhodium-plated; neon orange lacquered seconds hand

Water-resistant: 

to 3 atm

Strap: 

black Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan, remborde and hand-stitched, 

lug width 18 mm; NOMOS buckle clasp 

Reference number: 

177

The movement

DUW 3001—in-house built NOMOS caliber with automatic winding; NOMOS swing system with tempered blue bal- ance spring. (DUW stands for: NOMOS Glashütte Deutsche Uhrenwerke.)

Diameter: 

12 3⁄4 lines (28.8 mm) Movement height: 3.2 mm Power reserve: approx. 42 hours

Characteristics: 

decentralized seconds, stop-seconds mechanism, 

Glashütte three-quarter plate, NOMOS balance bridge, 

27 jewels, bidirectional winding rotor, Incabloc shock protection, 

DUW regulation system, adjusted in six positions, 

tempered blue screws, rhodium- plated surfaces with Glashütte ribbing 

and NOMOS perlage

Seven (plus) Days with the Stowa Back to Bauhaus

We ended up running a wee bit into extra time with the Back to Bauhaus but the kind folks at Stowa were understanding.  

As you will notice, Stowa is a supporter of Tempus Fugit so I will be tempering this with as much objectivity as I can.

The Back to Bauhaus is referred to as:  Antea b2b contemporary on Stowa's website. It is available if 3 different sizes and 2 different movement options:

Courtesy of Stowa

355 / 35.5 mm diameter with small second hand wound movement
ETA 7001 in Top version, without date

365 / 36.5 mm diameter with big second
ETA 2824-2 automatic movement in Top version, with or without date

390 / 39.0 mm diameter (shown in picture) automatic movement
ETA 2824-2 in Top version, with or without date 

Courtesy of Stowa

Knowing and appreciating my love of all things "bauhaus" the folks at Stowa sent a 355 in blue, or as I like to think of it, blueberry ; )

Obviously a lot of thoughts will immediately turn towards the Nomos Tangente.  But the thing to bear in mind is that the Stowa Antea in many ways "out Nomoses" Nomos when it comes to this watch.  In fact, it is based on a previous Stowa model from their fairly distant past -

Courtesy of Stowa

But this is not the only way in which the Back to Bauhaus (at least in my opinion) out-performs the Nomos Tangente.  Because ultimately it comes down to what I have come to call the Tempus Fugit Theory of "Dopeness".   Price, divided by number of days worn, multiplied by number of people who stop to ask you about the watch.  Needless to say, there are  LOT of people in the Santa Barbara county area with a new awareness of Stowa and the Back to Bauhaus watch.  And let's just say, it's DOPE!  (that means good).

In terms of the size and fit of the 355 - it is "just right".  The case measures 35.5 mm in diameter and is made of stainless steel.  

The finishing of the case is top notch.  Although there are some "sharp angles" every surface is smooth and pleasing to the touch.  In particular, the lugs are wonderfully done.  Owing to the attention paid in the finishing of the case, the Back to Bauhaus has been a true pleasure to wear.

Interestingly enough, the 35.5 mm is more than large enough for most average sized wrists -

This is a wonderful example of less is more.  Less bezel "girth", more visibility of the dial, more visual perception of "size".  This was similar to my experience with the Partitio.  But interestingly enough, I have found the Nomos Tangente to be a wee-bit "light" in feeling by comparison.  that might just be my impression.  But the Antea Back to Bauhaus seems to have a bit more to it, feeling that little bit more substantial.

In many ways it is reminiscent of the 1927 Stowa, but what I really like about this is that the seconds sub-dial does NOT obscure any of the nearby indices or numbers.  it is very pleasant to look at.  The blue is, well, soothing.  There is no other way to put it.  It is colorful and calming all at the same time.  

In addition, Stowa opted to use ALL of the numbers as opposed to 12, 3 and 9.  I have to say that I sort of prefer it.  And again, it is also consistent with the original.  But the addition of color to the dial and the strap give it that extra "what's it".  Of course, you can get white or black if you are not feeling so "daring" ; )

The movement is a Peseux 7001 which is a movement I have come to love.  It is "of a time" but yet timeless.  Clean, simple, practical and somewhat elegant in its way.  And provides some of the smoothest and most satisfying winding around.

A lot of this is aided by the crown. And this is another difference between the B2B and the Tangente from Nomos. The crown is that little bit more solid, more grippy, more substantial.

And this is one of those things that seems so obvious when you think about it.  It is a hand-wound watch.  Shouldn't it be easy to wind?

The time keeping was bang-on and the greatest deviation I experienced over 7 plus days was 12 seconds of "gain".  

The strap was wonderfully comfortable, and blue!  And secured by a Stowa stainless steel buckle -

It doesn't hurt that the B2B is priced at just south of 800 Euros.  But I think that for myself and others it is not about the price, that is just a happy coincidence.  The quality of finish, aesthetic detail and precision of timekeeping all are testimony to the work of Stowa.

I would highly recommend the Back to Bauhaus, like other Bauhaus themed watches, it is not for everyone.  But if it is in your "wheelhouse", I don't think you'll be disappointed.

What's Wrong with Esquire's Big Black Book - 2015

So I gave it a bit more thought, and I thought about some of the watches that made Esquire's list and thought about a watch that was "not on steroids", had some real horological "bona fides", and because this is Tempus Fugit, and because I own 3thirty3 - there had to be an angle for giving!

So this is from the very, very good people at NOMOS Glashütte -

This is the Tangente 38 for Doctors Without Borders -

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

So the watch stuff first -

Casestainless steel, bipartite; diameter 37.5 mm; sapphire crystal glass back, height 6.75 mm 

Dialgalvanized, white silver-plated 

Handssteel, black oxidized 

StrapHorween Genuine Shell Cordovan black, lug width 19 mm 

Reference number
164.S2

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

Movement 

α (Alpha)—NOMOS caliber with manual winding

Diameter10 ½ lines (23.3 mm) 

Movement height2.6 mm 

Power reserveca. 43 hours

CharacteristicsDecentralized seconds, stop-seconds mechanism, Glashütte three-quarter plate, 17 ruby bearings, Glashütte stopwork, Incabloc shock protection, balance spring from Nivarox 1A, adjusted in six positions, tempered blue screws, rhodium-plated movement surfaces with Glashütte ribbing and NOMOS perlage, ratchet and crown wheel with Glashütte sunburst

And now the "WARM FUZZY" -

A limited editon Tangente 38 in support of Doctors Without Borders is also available in the United States: This timepiece alludes to the aid organization with its red twelve, the inscription “Doctors Without Borders” under the six, and a special engraving on the back. 100 dollars for each watch sold will go towards emergency aid—and so helping the helpers.

Pretty cool, huh?

So Esquire, when you're done scratching the backs of your advertisers, do some reporting on some really cool watches that your readers might actually be interested in - like this one!

A Hat Trick for Nomos

Here's the scoop, straight from the source -


Three wins for NOMOS Glashütte in the public vote for the Goldene Unruh
Metro, Lambda deep blue, and Tangomat from NOMOS Glashütte are among the best and most beautiful watches in the world—and from the only brand in the public vote for the Goldene Unruh to win in three categories
Berlin/Glashütte, February 2015. As was revealed on Thursday evening in Munich, the NOMOS models Metro, Lambda deep blue, and Tangomat count among the best and most beautiful watches in the world. NOMOS Glashütte finished first three times and by far from all the other top brands in the vote for the Goldene Unruh: Metro was first placed in the category up to 5,000 euro, Lambda deep blue in the group up to 25,000 euro, and Tangomat as well in the up to 2,500 euro category. This is a premiere in the history of the seventeen-year-old public vote competition: No other brand came first place three times at once before.
“Design, design, and once again design,” explains Thomas Wanka, editor-in-chief of the renowned German Uhren-Magazin—that is the quintessence of the watchmaking company from Glashütte. “With its minimalistic, clear design, NOMOS Glashütte creates a very high level of brand recognition.” Another important reason is the extremely high amount of in-house production, which is, according to Wanka, “outstanding for a watchmaking company this size.”

NOMOS CEO Uwe Ahrendt, who was lately announced “Entrepreneur of the Year,” is stunned: “Three first wins at one go—that’s amazing. Watch aficionados obviously seem to like our combination of timeless design and best Glashütte craftsmanship. And the fact that we’re completely producing all our movements on-site in our Glashütte workshops—we’re the watchmaking company that always gives a hundred percent.”
The publications Focus, Focus Online, and Uhren-Magazin organized the public vote, one of the most important in the watch industry, as they do every year. Since November, 20,846 readers had voted, 351 mechanical timepieces had been submitted in total. But 2015 has not only now started successfully for NOMOS Glashütte: Metro has already received the Good Design Award and the iF Product Design Award in the first weeks of the year.
Since 1998, the Goldene Unruh has been one of the most renowned awards in the German watch industry. Watches from NOMOS Glashütte have repeatedly impressed readers from Uhren-Magazin and Focus in past years—and have won a total of 24 times.
Watches from the brand have already been honored with more than 120 prizes and awards in the past. Uwe Ahrendt attributes this to all the hard work of the NOMOS employees: “Watchmakers and toolmakers, draftsmen, and the designers in Berlin: We have a fantastic team.”

Why NOMOS Matters - More and More

I am, for better or worse, a prisoner of my emotions.

So one of the crazy things about leaving a full-time job in the watch industry and starting a blog - even one as small as this one - is that you suddenly have access.  You get to meet some really interesting people and you get to see some really, REALLY cool watches - first hand.

As this is the start of 2014, and I started this little exercise four years ago - I thought it about time to thank some of the people who helped make it happen.

And first on the list is NOMOS.  Now, I am under instructions to refer to them as NOMOS Glashütte, and I get that, but I need for you (and them) to understand that I have followed them since way back when - back in the earlier part of this century ; ), when they were NOMOS.  As my auntie and sisters still call me Jim, well, I will use NOMOS.

I still remember the email that I sent - essentially saying "I want to write this blog, and can I write about you?"  Well, the answer was yes, but (in fairness) "who the hell are you?"  Well, it wasn't quite that extreme, but in fairness - who the hell was I?  What the HELL was TEMPUS FUGIT?

Well, to their credit, the good folks at NOMOS were the first people to jump on board and take this ride with me, and I think (although selfishly)  that this deserves a big thank you.  I could go on and on about movements, unique designs, etc. - but for those of you who read this regularly (perhaps likely when you can't sleep and need a soporific), you know that beyond technological wizardry, I value people first and foremost - and as it is ultimately about people, thank you NOMOS for your people.  They are what make you special, and they are truly why NOMOS matters.

Screw Black Friday - Make it RED Everyday!

NOMOS - NOMOS is putting their money where their mouth is.

Courtesy of NOMOS

A Few Minutes with Uwe Ahrendt

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

Tempus Fugit - What was your first watch?  Was it a gift?  Is there a story behind it?

Uwe Ahrendt - Right after university, on the day I received my Diploma, I bought myself an IWC Ingenieur timepiece; I had written my thesis at IWC.  I still like it, even though it stays in a drawer in my bedside table these days.

TF - When you were a boy, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?

UA - I didn’t necessarily want to become a watchmaker—and, in that sense, I was an exception in Glashütte. But I always answered “something with technology” when I was asked as a child. That, at least, was somewhat free from ideology in the GDR years.

TF - Where did you go to school?  What did you study?

UA - In Glashütte: I attended elementary school, graduating in 10^th grade, before heading to the notable (and notorious) Engineering College, also in Glashütte—we used to have some wild parties there! After that, I completed a joint degree in Mittweida: Business Administration and Engineering.

TF - How did you get involved in the watch industry in the first place?

UA - My great grandfather, grandfather, and father: they were all watchmakers. They all tick-tocked. 

TF - What brought you to NOMOS in the first place?

UA - My wife, Heike. She got to know Roland in 1994/95, after approaching him with: “You’re the one with the beautiful watches, aren’t you?” Heike introduced us in 1996; and then in 2000 I started at NOMOS.

TF - What is special about NOMOS?

UA - The very high added value and the great degree of in-house production, but also the fact that an independent watchmaking company is able to produce beautiful timepieces at affordable prices. And, of course, the combination of Glashütte and Berlin: we construct the watches in Glashütte—this is the best place to do it, as this is where the experts are. And we bring them to the rest of the world via Berlin, as Berlin is the European capital for art and design. People there are simply more internationally minded: this is why our design and marketing is done there, around 200 kilometers north of Glashütte. 

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

TF - I realize that it might be difficult, but what is your favorite NOMOS?

UA - Right now, my favorite watch to wear is Ahoi Datum—but Lambda Weissgold has also caught my eye, so I may have to change allegiance at some point.  

TF - What is the biggest market for NOMOS Glashütte?

UA - It’s still Germany at the moment. But our global market is growing: we are seeing more and more demand from overseas, more retailers, media attention, interest… we’re expanding!

TF - What are some of the biggest challenges facing NOMOS?

UA - We want to hold our ground in an industry that is increasingly run by corporations. We don’t want to grow too quickly, but rather in a consistent, controlled manner. We also want to continue increasing the degree of in-house production for our key price range of up to 2000 EUR—and offer our customers top quality watches for very fair prices. Since we do everything from A to Z ourselves, we are able to ensure quality at every stage—but that’s not always the cheapest option…

TF - What is a typical day in the life of Uwe Ahrendt?

UA - Get up, make sure the kids eat breakfast, into the office for 7:30am, back home around 7pm (doing the sort of things Managing Directors usually get up to in between). Drink a beer in the evenings, annoy the family and head to bed. (And missing out on sport again!)

TF - Up to this point, what has been the greatest achievement for NOMOS?

UA - That we’re still here—and growing, in fact: flooding, 9/11, global economic crisis. None of this affected us, apparently. We survived it all and in 2005, at the half-way point, we started constructing our own movements in-house. Now we are producing haute horologie models, have expanded the number of employees, are in rude health financially—and are still very much enjoying what we’re doing. We’re continuously evolving and aiming for ‘The Three Es’; that is, Ethics, Enthusiasm, and Excellence. I don’t think there’s anything I’d rather be doing than working for NOMOS Glashütte with my colleagues. 

TF - What do you like to do in your spare time?

UA - I have three kids. And of course, they’re the ones I want to spend my free time with.  That said, the pile of books I’ve either started or not got round to yet is threatening to tip over soon…

TF - If you weren't doing this, what do you think you might be doing?

UA - I’d probably be working for one of our competitors—maybe I’d still be at Lange & Söhne, as I was before I started at NOMOS Glashütte.

TF - What advice do you have for future watch company leaders?

UA - Be patient, keep things realistic, be passionate about your work. But you should also never forget that there are more important things in life than watches. 

NOMOS Lambda Roségold

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashutte 

And Now for Something Completely Different - Lux Weißgold

This just announced from NOMOS Glashütte -

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashutte 

I WANT ONE!

A Tangente You Might Have Missed

Courtesy of NOMOS