NOMOS Glashütte & The Hour Glass Singapore - Zurich Weltzeit Collaboration

Back in 2016, NOMOS and The Hour Glass announced their collaboration and behind the scene, a group of collectors floated the idea of a Singapore special edition. And the fine folks at The Hour Glass started the journey of developing the Zurich Weltzeit Singapore Limited Edition.

And what a beauty was unveiled one year on...

The NOMOS Zurich Weltzeit (World Time) Singapore Limited Edition was unveiled with two variants - a Salmon and White dial versions. The Salmon dial was limited to 15 examples while the White, to 35 pieces. 50 in total.

I took to liking the Salmon dial version immediately. Based on press releases, the colour of the dial was a pinky hue and as described, salmon pink. But the final version was anything but.

In most World Time timepieces, the city in feature "by default" is almost always Hong Kong. The Singapore Limited Edition replaced the city to be Singapore. But the Singapore Limited Edition went one step further - the island state is also known to many as "The Little Red Dot". Instead of the "home" symbol on the regular Weltzeit, they replaced the "home" with a little red dot! Brilliant!

And to keep the theme consistent, the Singapore and the little red dot is, of course, in red! Whether it is a coincidence or by design (pun intended), NOMOS has been awarded several "Red Dot Design Awards". I hope the "Little Red Dot" edition wins a "Red Dot Design Award". What an outcome it would be!

When you look at the timepiece itself, the colour of the dial and the texture changes from angle to angle. The dial has a kind of sandy texture. Not only is the dial having a sandy texture, the salmon hue is the first time NOMOS is using this colour.

The way the dial colour comes across to the owner is a vintage feel - lighter in the centre then slowly getting darker as it radiates outwards.

The colour actually looks more bronze than salmon pink, not that I am complaining. The colour combination with the red dot and red Singapore is a stand out. Great job guys!

I intentionally darken the contrast to bring out the sandy grain and the colour graduation of the dial. Note the lighter hue in the centre of the dial and the darkening effects as it graduates outwards.

The steel case is shy of 40mm - a good size case for a World Time.

The crown is signed and the pusher at the 2 o'clock turns the world city ring. The pusher is firm and exact - exactly what I had expected from the folks at NOMOS. On the case back, one can clearly see the words "NOMOS Glashütte Zurich Weltzeit - Singapore Limited Edition" with the limitation number engraved as the bottom of the case.

Now for the movement - the in-house automatic DUW5201 calibre. The DUW 5201 is the first automatic caliber with the in-house NOMOS swing system which I had written about earlier on my NOMOS Metro.

DUW stands for NOMOS Glashütte Deutsche Uhrenwerke and the power reserve on this piece is approximately 42 hours.

Finishing on this piece is as one would expect - finishing worthy of the timepiece.

A close up of the automatic rotor with Glashütte ribbing.

List price on this piece is S$8,560 for both variants which makes it great value.

I believe all the 50 pieces have been accounted for - not surprising really. And with this first piece, I hope that the folks at The Hour Glass will continue with a few more of the same salmon (bronze) dial versions of other NOMOS models. Perhaps the Metro, Tangente or even Tetra... Count me in for the next release!

An Interview with NOMOS around The Metro and Calibre DUW4401

The NOMOS Metro is putting the Glashütte based manufacture in the forefront of in-house developed movements.

With ETA announcing that they will reduce supply to non-Swatch brands, many watch houses have been eagerly developing their own movements. Nomos has been exceptional in this respect having started out with their Alpha movements. Every single NOMOS timepiece is powered by an in-house produced movement and, since 2005, the company has developed ten proprietary calibers. Impressive for a company with such a short history in the world of watchmaking.

So I got my hands on the NOMOS Metro earlier on this year and I have to say that I like the timepiece a lot. Having worn the watch, I wrote to the good folks at NOMOS and made some enquiries. The following are their response.

1. What is the Swing System?

The NOMOS swing system is our proprietary escapement—that is, the complex system of balance, balance spring, and pallet that comprises the heart of every mechanical movement. As the decisive part of every watch movement, the escapement significantly determines the robustness and durability of a watch.

After seven years of research and development in cooperation with the Technical University of Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute, we now have our own in-house version. Until now, it was quite impossible for small watchmaking companies to produce their own escapement as it was too difficult, too complicated, and too expensive. The only option was to craft parts by hand at immense cost—ten or one hundred pieces, but not affordable series production. This is why nearly all brands source their systems from the same few specialized producers in Switzerland. After all, the pallet, escape wheel, and balance (and the other tiny parts that also belong to the swing system) do not only have to be perfect in themselves, exact down to the mu, but also an extremely well functioning team.

When we first presented the NOMOS swing system in DUW 4401 at Baselworld 2014, it caused a storm in the media—and with customers alike. (And we can see why!)

2. And why is it called the "Swing System“

The name of this part refers to how this caliber part moves—namely, with swing! The pallet moves back and forth, releasing a minute amount of energy each time.

3. How do you number your Calibre DUW 4401

Because our extremely high levels of in-house production in Glashütte are anything other than ordinary in the watchmaking industry, we also have a new name: “NOMOS Glashütte Deutsche Uhrenwerke” or DUW, for short. This new name underlines our ability to produce fine calibers in-house—and ensures the very best quality, made in Glashütte, Germany. NOMOS Glashütte Deutsche Uhrenwerke emphasizes the in-house movement production of NOMOS in Glashütte.

4. Was the calibre developed ground up i.e. started totally new?

NOMOS Glashütte has its own research and development department dedicated to bringing new innovations and improvements to our calibers. It was the NOMOS R&D department, for example, that developed our own gear wheel train—and the NOMOS swing system, of course. DUW 4401 is the start of a new series of calibers from NOMOS Glashütte, because movements featuring our proprietary escapement boast an incredibly high level of accuracy, which is comparable with chronometer standards.

5. Why novel way of changing date? I find it rather inconvenient to change date.

We still think that it is fairly simple to change the date on Metro. The NOMOS rapid set date function allows you to set the date by winding the hour hand between eight and one o’clock. Start by simply setting the watch to one o’clock the next day, which will change the date. Then wind the hands anticlockwise to around eight thirty in the evening. Now you can wind clockwise to one o’clock, which will change the date again. When you are setting the time afterwards, please check whether you are setting it to ten o’clock in the evening or the morning—as if you get it wrong, the date will change at midday instead of midnight.

6. Will the movement be used (as base) for future watches?

Yes, we are in the process of equipping our entire range of timepieces with DUW calibers featuring the NOMOS swing system. The introduction of our DUW calibers will take place gradually; but the aim is that in the future, each and every NOMOS watch will be powered by a caliber featuring our proprietary escapement. Not only does the NOMOS swing system ensure chronometer-standard accuracy for the timepieces it powers, it also ensures independence and growth for NOMOS Glashütte as a company.

A rather handsome timepiece I must say...

7. How long did it take you to develop the Metro from time of conception to actual serial production?

Like all our watches, the Metro model took a long time to design, develop, and prepare for series production. At NOMOS Glashütte, it can often take years from when the first drafts are drawn up before the watches are ready for the market, and to be sent out into the world. And that may be the most important lesson: Those who build watches need patience and time. And the occasional coffee break.

Small details like the crown etc. are well developed (pardon the dirt)...

8. When did it start and when was it commercially released?

Our first Metro model was introduced to the public and press for the first time at Baselworld 2014. Since then, we have added two new versions to the Metro family—Metro 38 Datum and Metro 38 Datum urban gray. In Metro’s first year on the market, it has won numerous design prizes; including the Red Dot Award, the German Design Award, the Good Design Award, the iF Product Design Award, and the Goldene Unruh. The enthusiasm from the design community has been shared by customers too — as Metro has become one of NOMOS’ bestselling models. In fact, Metro still has long waiting lists with many retailers, despite NOMOS Glashütte tripling its planned production.

The response from NOMOS Glashütte/SA came courtesy of Ms. Katrin Bosse - many thanks Ms Bosse. We are equally excited about NOMOS making an "official" entry into the Singapore market. Watches of Switzerland (The Hourglass) is the authorised agent for NOMOS timepieces. Head down to the Vivo City outlet where they carry the NOMOS range.

Metro - The All Important Nomos

With the unveiling of the Nomos Metro, the Glashutte manufacture has created another stir! In-house developed and manufactured escapement they call - The Swing System.

Four of us managed to get our hands on this beauty - so excited I am that I want to share the first images with you.

Truly Nomos! A 37mm case and ultra-thin too.

And the case back featuring the in-house movement and in-house escapement. The calibre is DUW4401.

One more look at the all new Nomos Metro!

I am loving it! More report to come. Stay tuned!