Nomos launched two new mini collections in the Autumn of 2017: the ‘At Work’ series, and the 33 series- in champagne. The new models were a bit more subtle and dressy in contrast to the Baselworld novelties. While I have yet to get my hands on any of the ’33 series- in champagne’, my favorite from the ‘At Work’ series is undoubtedly the Metro Neomatik 39 At Work in rose gold, ref. 1180.
I’ve always adored the Metro, no matter the reference. The dials are beautifully designed no matter the finish on the dial; from the Silvercut to the Champagner, they’re all exquisitely beautiful. The hour and minute hands are long and thin, stepping down to a narrow point at the end. The hands seemingly resemble the Empire State Building, bringing me back to the seven years I spent living in New York City.
The minutes and hours are dotted in varying sized dots. The color palette of the 1180 is what won me over to pick it as my favorite Metro. I love cool tones- my entire house is decorated using black, white and shades of grey. The dial on 1180 is subtly silver plated. The hour markers alternate between shades of grey and size at nine, twelve and three o’clock. There is also a dotted index for every minute, and every fifth minute is marked with Arabic numerals, in yes, another shade of grey. The seconds sub-dial is located at six o’clock, with a thin index mimicking the design of the thin pair of hands. This harmonious dial is fitted inside the 39mm 18 karat rose gold case, topped with a domed sapphire crystal, adding just a touch of warmth to the look of the watch.
Ticking away at the heart of 1180 is the DUW3001, the in-house automatic movement, equipped with the Nomos Swing System and with a 43 hour power reserve. One can admire the movement through the exhibition caseback. The watch is delivered on a brown Genuine Shell Cordovan strap, and an 18 karat gold winged clasp as found on the Lambda and Lux models. What sets the 1180 apart from all the other gold watches in the Nomos collection however, is the price. Ref. 1180 retails for EUR7.200 including VAT, while the Lux and Lambda start at EUR13.800/EUR12.800 including VAT (prices subject to change). Sure, the difference in price has to do with the movements found in the other models- DUW2002 and DUW1001 respectively, which are both elaborately finished manual wound movements featuring a twin mainspring barrel ensuring an 80+ hour power reserve. In my opinion, the difference in the movement design and finish is not such bad trade off when saving upwards of EUR4.000. When money is no object- choosing between the Lambda and Metro Neomatik 1180, is sure to be a difficult decision.
The Metro Neomatik 39 At Work reference 1180 is available for purchase at Ace Jewelers.