german - Nomos

W R I S T A C T I O N
G EERN GMI NAE ENR I N G
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BY
S I M—
O N
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M I L L S
This issue we look at
the successful world of
German watchmaking,
with its minimalist
designs, scratchresistant technologies
and bomb-proof
construction…
N O MOS
M ET RO
WATC H
Nomos is best known for its simple and architecturally-influenced, brutalist chic watch faces.
Establishing itself back in 1990, Glashutte-based Nomo has now become a cult brand producing intricate
movements and designs that appeal to minimalist collectors. Designed by Mark Braun, Nomos’ Head of 3D Design
for Berlinerblau, their internal brand management and design agency, the Metro Watch, is minty cool and features
the marque’s new innovative in-house ‘Swing System’ movement. This is a watch for design freaks; a railway clock
aesthetic complete with wire lugs, red and pale green accents. Wear with a black Hugo Boss suit.
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W R I S T A C T I O N
SI N N 14 4 ST S J U BI L E E
L I M I T E D E DI T IO N
A N N I V E R SA R Y
In 1961, German pilot Helmut Sinn began making watches made for aviators, after becoming frustrated by the high cost of
specialist aviation timepieces. Sinn’s primary mission was building quality watches at affordable prices, with the marque
having the time to innovate with the Diapal, the first watch escapement made with no lubricant.
Last year, to mark the 40th anniversary of one of its series – the broodingly butch 144 – Sinn produced a limited edition of
300 sports chronographs as the ‘St S Jubilee’ limited editions, complete with Black Hard Coating. This latest chronograph
combines several modern Sinn technologies; the surface of the bead-blasted and PVD coated, stainless-steel case has been
hardened using Tegiment Technology, making it super scratch-resistant, while the model also employs state-of-the-art
Dehumidifying Technology, ensuring a much greater functional reliability and freedom from fogging during long flights in
one’s Messerschmitt.
s i n n .d e
M U H L E
G L A SH U T T E
R A SM US 2 0 0 0
DI V I NG WATC H
J U NG H A N S
M E IST E R
K A L E N DA R
Developed in collaboration with
professional research divers, the Muhle
Glashutte Rasmus 2000 is a stylish chunk
of sports utility horology. Powered by a
Sellita SW200 automatic movement, this
anti-magnetic watch case with a screw
down crown has a 3.5mm thick, domed and
AR-coated sapphire crystal, to help make
it waterproof to a depth of 2,000 metres.
It comes in three versions, all with bright
and highly legible metallic dials decorated
with luminescent – your regular dive watch
aesthetic, basically, with added Teutonic
reliability and bomb-proof construction.
You can choose from a bracelet or, the more
authentic rubber strap, each fitted with a
deployant that includes a diver’s extension
so it can be worn over a wet suit.
WATC H
Founded in 1861 by Erhard Junghans and for a while, during the 1950s, the third largest producer of chronometers in the world,
Junghans classic models include the now iconic Max Bill series and the first ever radio-controlled watch. The golden era of
Junghans watches, between the 1930s and 1960s, was presided over by the creative control of product designer Anton Ziegler
and current lines hark back to the master horologist’s best work. The Meister line – clear, simple and classically Teutonic – is
based on the historic design for the Meister watches of the early 20th century, adding a calendar function of day, date, month
and moon phase to the über-clean design.
j u n g h a n s .d e
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W R I S T A C T I O N
G L A SH U T T E OR IG I N A L
PA NOLU N A RT OU R BI L LO N
Recently purchased by the Swiss behemoth that is the Swatch Group, the Glashutte Original brand remains resolutely
German, with every one of the 5,000 watches it manufactures annually running off in-house movements, as well as 95% of
components also being made in house. Off centre, asymmetric design is part of the marque’s DNA. This PanoLunarTourbillon
(yep, that’s all one word), part of Glashutte Original’s ‘Pano’ line, debuted at Basel World back in 2013 and includes gold
applied indexes and matching hour and minute hands, inlaid with Super-LumiNova. The off-centre, open-worked rotor allows
the wearer to admire the fine detail of the interior.
g l a s h u e t t e - o r i g i n a l .c o m
A . L A NG E &
SÖ H N E L A NG E
1 T OU R BI L LO N
PE R PET U A L
C A L E N DA R
H A N DW E R K SK U N ST
After a protracted hiatus of some 145 years A. Lange
& Söhne opened up for business again in 1990, and, in
terms of craft, quality and desirability, it was like they’d
never been away. Based in the tiny village of Glashutte,
Lange & Söhne has spent the last 25 years since its revival
winning back customers with calibres that it produces
in-house, with its watches – just 5,000 a year – designed
and manufactured in Germany alone.
Just 15 editions of this super-complicated, superelaborate white gold and platinum Handwerkskunst
tourbillon were made. The dial is painstakingly hand
decorated, using a delicate combination of tremblage and
relief engraving techniques.
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