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The Petit Four series

Caution: if you are hungry don’t read this article.

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series Minimatikal
For Baselworld 2018, Nomos just unveiled their new delicacies: The Petit Four series. The Nomos classic Tetra in 4 new colors: Tetra Pearl, Tetra Azure, Tetra Matcha and Tetra Grenadine.

Tetra Pearl

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series MinimatikalThe Tetra Pearl features golden hands, the finishing touch to its powdery pink dial. They are accompanied by indexes in violet; “if this Tetra were placed in the window of a Parisian pâtisserie, it would be long gone” – according to Nomos. The slender case is featured with a velour leather strap.

Tetra Azure

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series MinimatikalThe blue “azure” color of the dial is supposed to remind you of a clear summer sky. An ode to the beautiful days that should come soon in Europe. A very contemporary and poetic model that features green hands and grey indexes.

Tetra Matcha

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series MinimatikalTetra Matcha is undoubtedly eye-catching. The light green dial adds a fresh touch to the watch. The watch features silver hands and deep blue indexes.

Tetra Grenadine

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series MinimatikalTetra Grenadine is inspired by pomegranates. The fruity bold red color of the dial makes it a noticeable watch. The watch is dressed with dark red indexes and golden hands.

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series MinimatikalWithin the four new versions of the NOMOS classic Tetra: the NOMOS hand-wound caliber Alpha. The Alpha caliber is NOMOS Glashütte’s highly acclaimed classic. It was their first movement and the one that ticks inside Tangente, Ludwig, Tetra, Orion, Club and all the watches in their 33 series.

Without falling in the trap of cliché, the Petit Four series seem to target a female audience, even if their style is versatile. We have to admit that we found these watches very sweet. The colors are quite entertaining and, of course, it looks delicious. Maybe we would have appreciated a smaller size than the classic 29.5mm square Tetra that would better fit the name and the atmosphere of the collection. In the end, Nomos proved once again their limitless creativity with these fresh new limited editions.

Stay tuned for other Baselworld novelties and bon appétit!

Baselworld 2018 Nomos novelties Petit Four series Minimatikal

More details (Tetra Pearl)

CASE
stainless steel, bipartite
sapphire crystal glass back
GLASS
sapphire crystal glass
WINDING
manual
DIMENSIONS
size 29.5 mm x 29.5 mm
height 6.5 mm
weight 36 g
WATER RESISTANCE
3 atm (splash-proof)
DIAL
rose
HANDS
gold-plated, seconds hand dark red
STRAP
Velour leather gray
lug width 18mm

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Another iF Design Award for NOMOS!

Nomos just won another iF Design Award this year, honoring the design of the Metro. Each year, iF International Forum Design GmbH organizes one of the world’s most celebrated design competitions: the iF Design Award. With over 5,000 submissions from 70 countries every year, the competition became a symbol of design excellence and Nomos can now add a prestigious 7th Award to their collection.

About the International Forum Design

The iF has been honoring outstanding achievements in design for over 60 years and is one of the oldest and most respected prizes in the industry.
In 1953, to overcome the bad effects of World War II, a group of industry representatives met with the Hannover Trade Fair company. Their aim was to draw attention to particularly well-designed industrial products. They wanted to communicate the importance of design and all it can achieve: for users, for brands and for societies.

Since 1953, iF is following six core principles:
– To identify, support and promote good design
– To raise awareness of design among the public and the role it plays in our lives
– To help companies integrate design into their long-term strategies
– To safeguard the role of professional designer and boost awareness for this job profile
– To effect social change through design
– To support talented young people and create a public platform for young designers

The red iF logo became afterwards a symbol of design excellence and great achievement for the brands and designers. The iF main project is the organization of their two competitions :
– The iF Design Award for professionals.
– The iF Design Talent Award for students, a free competition to support young designers.

iF Design Award Nomos Metro Mark Braun Minimatikal

The iF Design Award competition

The iF Design award enables professionals from all over the world to compete in 7 different disciplines :
1. Product
2. Packaging
3. Communication
4. Interior Architecture
5. Professional Concept
6. Service Design / UX
7. Architecture

Within every discipline can be found different categories. As for instance, 19 different categories are under “Product” including Watches & Jewelry.
Concerning the Jury and evaluation criteria, about 60 design-experts from over 20 countries evaluate according to 5 established criteria the award winners: Innovation and Elaboration, Functionality, Aesthetics, Responsibility and Positioning.

On 9 March 2018, the iF Design Award night was held at BMW Welt in Munich and the 75 best entries were rewarded with the iF gold award. 2,000 guests from 41 countries were there to celebrate the winners.
Regarding the benefits of the award winners, they can use the red iF label for as long as their award-winning product is on the market. They will also be featured in the iF World Design guide, on the iF design app and the award-winning design will be showcased in the iF design exhibition in Hamburg in March, June and October.

 

The Metro neomatik 39 silvercut design: 7th Award for Nomos!

NOMOS Glashütte has been honored once again for their watch design : an iF Design Award for the seventh time in succession for Metro neomatik 39 silvercut.
The expert jury selected this year the bestselling NOMOS timepiece, which is equipped with the proprietary automatic movement DUW 3001.

iF Design Award Nomos Metro Mark Braun MinimatikalIt’s also the celebration of the German designer Mark Braun, very proud of his achievement: “The tips of the hands resemble the Empire State Building in New York; the diamond knurling on the crown is a tribute to the watchmaking tools from Glashütte. The sapphire crystal glass is slightly curved, while the dial—brushed horizontally with an elegant, silver-gray finish—features fine detailing. Thanks to the in-house-built, automatic caliber DUW 3001, this timepiece is typically NOMOS: ultra thin and highly precise. ”.

Mark Braun is not a watch designer, he was noticed by the creative head of Nomos after having designing a collection of whisky bottles. Since then, the designer works closely with the brand on different projects in his Berlin-based studio.

iF Design Award Nomos Metro Mark Braun Minimatikal

NOMOS watches have received over 140 awards for design and quality, another one can be added on their list, proving once again their distinctive and successful approach on luxury timepieces.

Among the award- winning NOMOS watches: Tangente neomatik midnight blue won the famed prize last year; and before it, Minimatik in 2016. In the preceding years Metro (2015), Ahoi (2014), Tangomat GMT Plus (2013) and Zürich (2012) have been awarded the prize as well.

Nomos’ Awards wall
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Interview Felix Scholz

A coffee and small (watch)talk with Felix Scholz

Felix Scholz interview Nomos Minimatikal

Despite of his German sounding name and good level in French, Felix Scholz was born and raised in Australia. The Australian watchfreak has been writing about watches for over nine years, having written for Hodinkee and Revolution before becoming the editor of Time+Tide, a watch media group in Australia.

I met Felix for the first time in Geneva during the SIHH two years ago and worked with him as an intern at Time+Tide’s headquarters, in the most liveable city, Melbourne.
Felix is mostly interested in what draws people to watches, and how people express their style through their wrists. It was also easy to notice that Felix has a great interest in Nomos and we were very curious about his personal opinion on the German brand. So now, let’s talk about watches!

How did you get to know about Nomos?

I guess I’ve been paying attention to Nomos since about 2006, 2007? I found out about them quite early on in my own ‘watch journey’. When I started paying attention to watches I was really into a lot of smaller, more affordable German brands. To my mind these makers offered something a bit different to the Swiss, and were quite good value. Flieger-style watches were quite popular then, so first seeing the clear, clean lines of Nomos really made an impression. The more I learned, the more impressed I was!

Nomos in 3 words?

There’s two words I’m going to avoid — the ‘m’ word and the ‘b’ word. Minimal and Bauhaus. Just because they’re over-used and Nomos isn’t *really* Bauhaus. So. Three words. Clean, self-assured and playful.

What is your favorite Nomos watch and why?

Ah, it’s like picking your favourite movie or book — impossible! Having said that, I have a soft spot for the classic Clubs (see below). I really like the boldness of the Lux, the classicism of the Orion (doesn’t work on my wrist though, sadly), and the Ahoi — such an original take on a sports/dive watch.

Are you owning a Nomos watch? If so, which one(s) and what do you like about it/them?

I do own a Nomos! Only one, a Club Automat. I’m fond of this watch for a few reasons — but mostly because it arrived in the post the day before my son was born. For that reason it’s one of the few that I would never sell. Sentimental reasons aside, I like this version because I find the auto a bit more practical than a manual wind, and the larger size works well for me too. Design-wise it’s clean and dressy, but not overly formal.. I like the 100m of water resistance, oh and the bright orange highlights. I guess I like everything about it really.

Nomos Club watch Felix Scholz Minimatikal

Which Nomos watch would you like to acquire in the future and why?

Another tricky question! I go through phases, but the one I settle on the most is the Ahoi. It suits my lifestyle, and I like the new fabric straps. And while there’s a few options I think I’d go for thew new neomatik — that movement is such an impressive achievement. Perhaps the Atlantik dial, to provide contrast to the Club.

What do you expect from Nomos at Baselworld this year and what are you hoping for?

Well, I did not see the Club re-vamp coming last year — that was a real surprise for me, as was the super bold use of colour. they haven’t done too much with their core, collection recently, so maybe some new dials and movement upgrades there? I would like to see a new small complication? A new, simpler dual time would be super cool.

May all your wishes come true! The countdown until Baselworld 2018 has just started and everyone is impatient and excited to see what Nomos will unveil this year.
Minimatikal will be on the alert, stay tuned..! 

Felix Scholz Nomos Club Minimatikal
Felix’s Club Automat
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hands-on: the NOMOS Tetra Nachtijall

When Nomos lent us several watches to wear, I wanted to go with the most unconventional model. That’s why I chose the Tetra Nachtijall, a small and mysterious watch that I couldn’t wait to discover.

THE TETRA COLLECTION

The Tetra collection is probably the edgiest collection from NOMOS thanks to its square case form. Sometimes square watches simply look and feel better on the wrist. According to Nomos “Tetra is a fine Glashütte timepiece: straightforward, clear, and perhaps rather independent-minded”. The collection is mostly known as the square version of Tangente, but its typography is not identical. The numerals on the Tetra are slightly elongated, and more narrow than on the Tangente.

Within the Tetra family, there are three variations:

– The Tetra Neomatik: extra large (33x33mm), extra thin, with the automatic caliber DUW 3001.
– The Tetra with manual winding: entirely classic available in 27.5×27.5mm or 29.5×29.5mm.
– The Tetra Berlin set: best-known their boldly colored dials.

THE TETRA BERLIN SET

The Tetra Berlin set was released in 2014. Every member of the Berlin set highlights a significant symbol of Berlin and has gold-plated hands. A nice tribute to the German capital, and home to Nomos’ in-house design studio, Berlinerblau.
Four different models are included in the Tetra Berlin Set:

  • The Tetra GOLDELSE, inspired by the golden statue crowning Berlin’s Victory Column.

Tetra Goldelse Nomos Minimatikal

  • The Tetra KLEENE, “little one” in Berliner dialect, with an eye-catching turquoise dial and the hand-wound caliber DUW 4301.

Tetra Kleene Nomos Minimatikal

  • The Tetra CLÄRCHEN, a tribute to the renowned Clärchens Ballhaus (dancing hall) in central Berlin – featuring an audacious billiard green colored dial.

Tetra Claerchen Nomos Minimatikal

  • Last but not least, the intriguing Tetra NACHTIJALL.

Tetra Nachtijall Nomos Minimatikal

THE TETRA NACHTIJALL

In my opinion, the Tetra Nachtijall is the most poetic and mysterious watch of the Berlin set thanks to its deep midnight blue dial. The case size of the watch, a 29.5mm square, flatters small wrists.

However, I disagree with people saying that the watches in the Tetra Berlin set are the most feminine in the Nomos collection. I believe that a “small” square watch can also be a real statement piece for a man. Of course, the watch appears to be quite small comparing to the 40 to 44mm watches many men wear today, but the subtlety of this timepiece can be way more powerful than any other ostentatious, oversized watch. Sometimes, less is more.

Nomos Tetra Nachtijall Minimatikal
Nomos Tetra Nachtijall on Dale’s wrist

It is true that wearing a square watch is quite unusual. The sharpness of the case can be confusing at first. But the Tetra is incredibly thin and lightweight which makes it easy and comfortable to wear. The hands on the watch still move around in a circle; the Tetra functions the same way as a round watch would.The strap is soft and flexible and its neutral color creates a nice contrast with the deep blue dial. The Tetra Nachtijall adds a touch of originality to any outfit with its bold color and interesting form. Moreover, the gold hands and numerals make it easier to mix and match the watch with gold jewelry and accessories.

The Tetra Nachitjall is powered by the hand-wound Alpha movement- Nomos’ oldest caliber and most popular one. A short summary of the technical data: diameter 10½ lines, power reserve circa 43 hours. With stop-seconds mechanism, Glashütte three-quarter plate, Glashütte stopwork, Triovis fine adjustment regulator, and 17 jewels.

Tetra Nachtijall Nomos Minimatikal

One might wonder, where did the Tetra Nachtijall get its name? ‘Nachtijall’ translates to Nightingales in English. A Nightingale is a small passerine bird best known for its powerful and beautiful voice. The song of the nightingale has been described as one of the most beautiful sounds in nature, inspiring songs, fairy tales, opera, books, and a great deal of poetry. According to Nomos, there are more nightingales in Berlin than in any other city, as Berlin is on their migratory path.

Scientists from the Freie Universitat in Berlin discovered the mystery behind the nightingale’s beautiful song. Male birds sing complex notes to prove to females that they would be a good father to their children. Nomos has succeeded once again, in creating a seductive timepiece representing a perfect mix of traditional elements and modern design.

DETAILS OF THE WATCH:

REFERENCE 490
CASE stainless steel – bipartite – sapphire crystal glass – sapphire crystal glass back – fixed with four screws
WINDING manual
DIMENSIONS size 29.5 mm x 29.5 mm – height 6.5 mm – weight 36 g
WATER RESISTANCE 3 atm (splash-proof)
DIAL lacquered – blue
HANDS steel – gold-plated
STRAP Velour leather gray – lug width 18 mm
CALIBER Alpha – manual
MOVEMENT HEIGHT 2.6 mm
DIAMETER 10 ½ lines (23.3 mm)
POWER RESERVE up to 43 hours
JEWELS 17

The Tetra NACHTIJALL is available for purchase at www.AceJewelers.com.

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NOMOS accepted into the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie!

CONGRATS!

Good news for Nomos Glashütte this month:  have been accepted into the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) – and the timepieces of the German brand are now also available in Switzerland through prestigious retailer Bucherer.

What is the FHH?

The FHH was created in 2005 and founded by three partners: the Richemont Group, Audemars Piguet and Girard Perregaux. They decided to create a foundation to promote the values of Fine Watchmaking worldwide. There are now five permanent members, including a President, who set guidelines for the Cultural Council composed of 42 members working in different areas of expertise.

The FHH has four core missions:

  • Inform: Informing the public about fine watchmaking with exhibitions, publications, and on-line presence.
  • Train: Training watch professionals, not only the sales people, but also the artisans mastering the crafts that define Haute Horlogerie by delivering a full program of training, from beginner to expert level.
  • Recognize: Acting as a reference for the profession particularly with the help of the White Paper.
  • Organize: The FHH is the organizer of the renowned Salon de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), which takes place in Geneva every year, Waches & Wonders in Miami, Dubai Watch Week and more. All major events in the watchmaking industry.

Nomos just has been accepted into the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie, joining the most prestigious names in watchmaking.

Fabienne Lupo, Chairwomen of the FHH minimatikal White Paper Nomos
Fabienne Lupo, Chairwomen of the FHH – photo credit: lepoint.fr

The WHITE PAPER: What does fine watchmaking mean exactly?

At the creation of the FHH, a Manifesto was produced, detailing the principles of Fine Watchmaking. But it wasn’t as precise as it needed to be. In 2013, the FHH decided to neatly define Fine Watchmaking and give objective evaluation criteria for the brands. It took three years and the help of 46 international independent experts to finish this reference manual. To define the perimeter of Fine Watchmaking, the brands are selected according to 7 areas of expertise:

  • R&D, production and technical expertise
  • Style, design and artistic expertise
  • History and DNA
  • Distribution and after-sales service
  • Connoisseurs and collectors
  • Brand image and communication
  • Training

The brands are then classified into 4 fundamental Fine Watchmaking segments :

Historic Maisons: Watchmaking companies that perpetuate a tradition and a heritage.

Contemporary Brands: Brands which belong to the present day and are characteristic of modern times.

Luxury Brands: Multi-product luxury brands which invest in the art of technical and/or precious Fine Watchmaking with creativity, innovation and excellence.

Artisan-Creators: Independent watchmakers/creators who draw on specific expertise and who generally carry out the manufacturing, sale and after-sales service of their products.

For the first edition of the White Paper in 2016, 86 brands were evaluated and 64 entered the precious Perimeter of Fine Watchmaking. This evaluation will be repeated every 2 to 3 years to stay current with developments in the industry.

Regarding the evaluation method,: brands with a final score of above 6/10 are considered part of Fine Watchmaking (this practice lies on an objective evaluation per area of expertise, with a score from 1 to 10. In addition, an individual general appreciation with a subjective evaluation of the brand from 1 to 10). -> more info

In a nutshell, the White Paper aims to be a reference for the future and maintain the level of excellence in Fine Watchmaking by evaluating the coherence between what a brand says and what it does.

NOMOS AND THE FHH

Back in 2016, after the first publication of the White Paper, we were very surprised that Nomos wasn’t accepted in the perimeter of Fine Watchmaking. After a private talk with a permanent member of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, we found out that the brand had a great final score and was very close to be accepted. After a good talk about the evaluation method of the reference manual, the conversation had to start again one year later, when Nomos has finally been accepted into the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie as a perimeter brand (meaning not a sponsoring partner).

What caused this revaluation remains between NOMOS and the FHH;  the results are strictly confidential and not published or shared with third parties. We do however know that a delegation visited Glashütte in November of 2017 and was quite pleased with what they saw. “The spirit, the simplicity and the watches” convinced them all, and Nomos is now a well-deserved member of the perimeter of Haute Horlogerie under the category Contemporary Brands. Biggest congratulations from Team Minimatikal!

The launch in Switzerland with Bucherer

As good news never come alone, Nomos just revealed that their timepieces are now available with Bucherer Jewellers in Switzerland. Following Bucherer’s locations in Germany, Bucherer Switzerland is now launching the innovative brand in Jelmoli on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse.

Uwe Ahrendt Nomos CEO minimatikal white paper

Uwe Ahrendt is delighted: “It is a real recognition of our brand, since Switzerland is considered to be watchmaking’s ‘large canton’.”

Bucherer is a renowned watch and jewellery store that was founded in 1888 by Carl-Friedrich Bucherer in Luzerne, Switzerland. 16 Bucherer stores are located across Switzerland. A great opportunity for the German brand that only had 6 official retailers in Switzerland before this announcement.