Nomos is the brand of entry level luxury Bauhaus design. Typically offering decluttered dials, no nonsense design and some of the best value in the luxury watch world.
So is the Nomos Tangente power reserve the German watch for you?
Case
The Nomos Tangente power reserve features a stainless steel case, 35mm in circumference and only 6.6mm thick. The case itself takes an interesting shape having a raised band of steel around the center of its construction leaving depressions above and below the mid case.
This offers some visual interest to what is already a remarkably slim and slender watch. The model weighing only 40grams including the supplied leather strap, offers the wearer the opportunity to constantly forget that it’s on their wrist.
The stainless steel is finished to a high polish on all sides. There is the presence of a typically industrial and lets face it, German no nonsense crown, which features deep cuts for easy manipulation.
Everything about the case on this watch screams German watch design, nothing is overdone, nothing is unnecessary or flamboyant. That is, until you see the lugs.
The lugs are a strong statement in design from the Glashutte manufacturer. They protrude from the case and drop sharply at 45 degrees. They give the watch a much longer stance than the 35mm case size would suggest. Because of this design choice the watch wears 44mm lug to lug.
When on the wrist I found the face of the watch appears about 2mm too small for the lugs. Although this phenomena is not new for Nomos and if it hasn’t bothered you before, it certainly wont now.
Movement
Housed within the aforementioned case is Nomos’ own calibre DUW 4301. An entirely in house manually wound movement boasting a respectable 43 hour power reserve.
And boy what a movement.
Glashutte striping, 17 jewels, Fire blued screws, Pocket watch inspired click spring and to top it all off, this calibre also features hand finishing to achieve the double spiral effect atop the ratchet wheel.
Nomos continue to show their watchmaking prowess in their in house movements. The company even making the hairsprings fitted to its DUW calibres.
Being hand wound a large portion of the users enjoyment of the piece comes from the interaction had when powering the mechanism. So it would be of no surprise that the Tangente has been designed with that in mind.
There is a satisfying action to winding the timepiece that comes from the synchronicity between the crown, click and ratchet wheel. The pocket watch era click, disengages from its housing during winding and is pulled along the ratchet wheel in one of the most satisfying winds at the price point.
Nomos has delivered an excellent and well decorated movement that users can enjoy daily through the sapphire caseback.
Dial and Hands
The dial on the Tangente power reserve is an almost cream coloured off white, despite the stark white dial depicted on Nomos’ marketing material for the piece.
The heat blued needle style hands are beautifully slim and definitely in keeping with the minimalist design of the watch. The legibility at a distance is fantastic and when the light catches them just right, they can be fascinating.
I can’t help but wish however, that they had achieved the sterile crispness of a white dial beneath these hands.
There is a small seconds register at 6 o’clock which features a concentric guilloche pattern, adding a little texture to the dial.
But the real show stopper here is that for which the watch is named. Nomos has implemented a power reserve indicator like no other. Between 1 and 2 o’clock, there is a sunken sub-register that displays the remaining power reserve. It functions with what is essentially a white disc chasing away the red indicator and circling the sub-dial. As you wind the watch, the entire disc rotates and the red is replaced gradually by the matte silver indicator. It’s an intriguing addition to the watch and one of the more interesting power reserve indications on the market
Strap
The watch comes on a supplied black Horween shell cordovan leather. It offers a sturdy and comfortable design with black stitching to match the main strap.
Nomos have received their fair share of praise for their leather straps, and this being their entry level offering, it does not disappoint.
Closing Thoughts
Nomos have produced a slim and modestly sized time piece that is in keeping with the brands Bauhaus philosophy. The watch offers a clean and modern aesthetic that feels right at home in a casual setting, and can be worn comfortably at a more formal occasion.
While the watch may feel a touch to delicate as an all day every day piece, it could certainly find its way into the collection for most enthusiasts. There is a slightly larger 38mm variant offered by the brand which features a date complication and the opportunity for those with slightly larger wrists to enjoy the complication on offer. This may also alleviate some of the issues I had encountered with the lug sizing.
The addition of the intriguing power reserve mechanism coupled with an expertly crafted movement, definitely make the Nomos Tangente power reserve a watch worth considering for your next purchase.
Nomos Tangente power reserve specification:
Case Diameter : 35.0 mm, thickness 6.6 mm
Dial: White (matte silver)
Case: High polish stainless steel
Movement: Nomos in house DUW 4301
Power Reserve: Approximately 43 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes with small hacking seconds. Power reserve.
Water Resistance: 3 Atm (splash proof)
Australian Retail Pricing : $3,770.00
Local Authorised Dealers :
- Brisbane – The Hour Glass
- Melbourne – The Hour Glass and Monards
- Sydney – The Hour Glass and Master watchmaking
