Founded by Roland Schwertner in 1990, NOMOS Glashütte is the largest manufacturer of mechanical timepieces in Germany, but it's the brand's design philosophy that garners the most attention. Noted for its Bauhaus-inspired design, NOMOS watches are minimalist, perfectly executed and offer some of the best value around.
While the brand does produce some more complicated pieces, it's the dress watches in particular that are arguably among the best value in the world. These classic designs embody NOMOS' brand values: premium quality components with minimal, timeless aesthetics. Plus, each of them features a mechanical movement developed and manufactured in-house.
Keen to add a NOMOS watch to your collection, but don't know where to start? We've got you sorted, with our pick of the best value NOMOS watches you can buy now. They're stylish, made to last, and best of all, priced at well under £2000. You're welcome.
The Tangente model embodies what NOMOS watches are about like no other style: the now-renowned typography, classic and refined, is a masterpiece of simplicity. Tempered blue hands settle on a white silver-plated dial that features five numerals in bauhaus-style font. Classic and easy to read, Tangente is an inconspicuous yet confident design.
Orion is the personal favourite of many of the designers at NOMOS Glashütte thanks to its minimalistic, neat layout. Its dial is reduced to the essentials, exemplifying the best of the Deutscher Werkbund and Bauhaus traditions. This self-winding version features gold indices and contrasting blue hands against a white silver-plated dial.
Ludwig is an old-fashioned watch, but we say that as a compliment. This is a wristwatch for connoisseurs: smart, traditional and sleek. True watch lovers will enjoy the ritual of winding this timepiece every morning before admiring the slim hands, classic railroad minute markers and roman numerals. With a case size of just 35mm, Ludwig is one of the sleekest watches that NOMOS offers.
NOMOS' Club Campus blue purple is an all-occasion watch that's simultaneously striking and refined. Despite its sleek appearance, the hand-wound timepiece boasts ultimate functionality. A sturdy steel case boasts water resistance up to 100 meters, with superluminova-coated numerals, hands and hour markers that glow blue in the dark and underwater. When adventure beckons, simply swap out the leather velour strap for a steel sport bracelet.
NOMOS' Metro model exudes pared-back perfection, proving that simplicity is often best when it comes to accessorising. The refined white silver-plated dial was designed by award-winning designer Mark Braun, and features delicate hands and minute markers. Despite its hard-working mechanisms, the Metro boasts a super-slender side profile, making it easy to slip under a shirt or jacket cuff.
This classically-styled square watch from NOMOS exudes old-school elegance thanks to its gold-plated hands and dial and velvety leather strap. The handcrafted and manually wound Alpha caliber is ultra-precise and only needs to be wound once every two days. Style it with anything from jeans and Chelsea boots to an office-ready ensemble of Oxford shirt and blazer.
Another Orion, but this particular model was commissioned for the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, in 1989. It features golden indexes and hands against the sleek grey of the dial. The sapphire crystal glass back offers an unhindered view of NOMOS manual caliber Alpha and its cogs and wheels at work. Pure artistry.
From world-timers to power reserve indicators, NOMOS Glashütte manufactures a range of more complicated models if your budget allows. Check out its key models below.
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