The German boutique watchmaking company NOMOS Glashütte, just announced two new models the Lux and Lambda, both powered by in-house developed calibers.

They are born from the collaboration of Zurich-based Studio Hannes Wettstein who designed the gold case; Prof. Axel Kufus, Michael Paul and the team from the NOMOS design office Berlinerblau in Berlin, who drew up the fine dials, hands, and the cambered straps from fine Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan.

Lux

Let’s start by taking a look at the Lux, a tonneau shaped watch, with white gold case. It comes in two versions the Lux Weißgold with a light blue dial and the Lux Weißgold hell with its off-white dial.

Call me old-school, but between the two, I prefer the Lux Weißgold hell with it’s pure off-white dial. While the light blue dial of the Lux Weißgold might bring more cheer to the show, I just feel it’s an unnecessary addition. Even if 2013 is the year of blue watches, NOMOS has a strong identity and I don’t think they have to jump on the blue watch bandwagon.

The DUW 2002 caliber

The twin mainspring barrels in DUW 2002 ensure that this watch only needs to be wound once every 84 hours, or twice a week. Further special features include the swan neck fine adjustment and the screw balance in the hand-engraved balance cock (which reads “Mit Liebe in Glashütte gefertigt”, meaning “lovingly produced in Glashütte”), the fine sunbeam polishing developed by NOMOS Glashütte and the five screwed gold chatons that, rather unusually, are positioned in a line across the movement: everything about this caliber radiates the joy with which it was constructed. And DUW? It stands for “Deutsche Uhrenwerke NOMOS Glashütte” and for the fact that this small, fine watchmaking company produces its own calibers. Such as this one, from the workshops of NOMOS Glashütte.

Technical specifications

The watch

Lux Weißgold — Reference number: 920
Lux Weißgold hell — Reference number: 921

Case
white gold 18 kt, tripartite; size 40.5 mm by 36 mm; sapphire crystal glass; sapphire crystal glass back, height 8.95 mm

Dial:
Lux Weißgold: galvanized, white silver-plated, light blue printed
Lux Weißgold hell: galvanized, white silver-plated

Hands:
rhodium-plated

Water resistant:
to 3 atm

Strap:
Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan black, hand stitched; solid white gold 18 kt buckle clasp

The movement

DUW 2002—in-house built
NOMOS caliber with manual winding

Dimensions:
32.6 mm by 28.8 mm

Movement height:
3.6 mm

Power reserve:
approx. 84 hours

Characteristics:
23 jewels, of which five in polished and screwed gold chatons, twin mainspring barrels, hand-engraved balance cock, screw balance, 21 600 a/h, adjusted in six positions (equivalent to chronometer standards), balance spring Nivarox 1A, swan neck fine adjustment, rhodium-plated threequarter plate with fine sunbeam polish, angled and polished edges.

Lambda

NOMOS is proposing two models for the Lambda, one in rose gold and the other one in white gold. In both models you’ll find an elegant simplicity, I would say a nobility that doesn’t need diamonds and whistles to prove its virtue.

Half a week, or precisely 84 hours, is how long this watch runs before rewinding is required, and the generous power reserve indicator displays the remaining time—down to the very hour, which is quite rare.

The DUW 1001 caliber

At work in the Lambda model from NOMOS Glashütte is a fine motor by the name of DUW 1001—as the latest hand-wound caliber from Deutsche Uhrenwerke NOMOS Glashütte (DUW) is known. With this designation, NOMOS Glashütte is underlining that its calibers are crafted fully in-house, in the Glashütte workshops of the company. Screwed gold chatons, a hand-engraved balance cock, fine sunbeam polishing (which is only to be found in this particular style at NOMOS Glashütte), a swan neck fine adjustment and edges angled by hand are only some of the features of these new watches, produced in very small batches in NOMOS’ workshops—like before, but still better than ever.

Technical specifications

The watch
Lambda Roségold — Reference number: 930
Lambda Weißgold — Reference number: 931

Case:
rose gold 18 kt or white gold 18 kt, tripartite; diameter 42 mm; sapphire crystal glass; sapphire crystal glass back, height 8.9 mm

Dial:
white silver-plated by granulation
galvanized, white silver-plated

Hands:
gold-plated or rhodium-plated

Water resistant:
to 3 atm

Strap:
Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan dark brown, hand stitched; solid rose gold or white gold 18 kt buckle clasp.

The movement

DUW 1001 in-house built NOMOS caliber with manual winding and power reserve indicator

Diameter:
14 ¼ lines (32 mm)

Movement height:
3.6 mm

Power reserve:
approx. 84 hours

Characteristics:
29 jewels, of which six in polished and screwed gold chatons, twin mainspring barrels, hand-engraved balance cock, screw balance, 21 600 a/h, adjusted in six positions (equivalent to chronometer standards), balance spring Nivarox 1A, swan neck fine adjustment, rhodium-plated three-quarter plate with fine sunbeam polishing, angled and polished edges.

Conclusions

NOMOS has done it again, let me quote their General Manager Uwe Ahrendt:

We wanted to create works of watchmaking art, individual pieces which demonstrate what we can do. Watches that will stay beautiful over decades to come — and with a value that will continue to grow.

You certainly succeeded in your quest, both from the design and the technical point of view these watches are outstanding. I can only congratulate NOMOS for making them and also those that will prove their good taste by wearing these masterpieces.

Are you one of them? You can purchase these beauties directly from the NOMOS website: http://www.nomos-store.com/en/Gold-Collection