St Enodoc

Klokker NOMOS_St Enodoc 30.11.14 13.48 Side 1
GREAT WATCHES
Renaissance
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall
and the reunification of
Germany, the town of
Glashütte has enjoyed a
renaissance, becoming
increasingly known
as a centre of
excellence for fine
watchmaking.
An interesting
example of this
resurgence in
German horology is the
relatively young brand,
NOMOS Glashütte.
By Angus Davies,
www.escapementmagazine.com,
photo Nomos
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GREAT WATCHES
R
egular readers of Great Golf Magazine may
assume that I only ever write about Swiss
watches and that these are the only fine
timepieces in existence. However, there is a
wonderful array of high-end watches being
made in other parts of the world, including Germany.
Since the reunification of Germany, the country’s
watchmaking industry has experienced a renaissance. At
the epicentre of this resurgence is the town of Glashütte.
Located about 30 minutes' drive from Dresden, in former
East Germany, the town can trace its history of
watchmaking back to 1845 when Ferdinand A. Lange
established a workshop there.
The decision of Lange to set up business in Glashütte
must have subsequently caused him some concern. The
local population lacked the necessary skills and Lange had
to expend much energy bringing the workforce up to
standard.
Ultimately, this watchmaking concern became known
as A. Lange & Söhne and earned an excellent reputation
for its pilots' watches. However, towards the latter stages
of World War II, the factory was bombed and virtually
destroyed. In 1948, the company was nationalised under
the Soviet regime.
After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and Germany was
reunified, Walter Lange, the great grandson of Ferdinand
A. Lange, and Günter Blümlein established a watch
manufacturing business in Glashütte.
THE BIRTH OF NOMOS GLASHÜTTE. Shortly after
reunification, the skill base within the small town led to
other watchmaking businesses making Glashütte home.
A particularly interesting brand which chose to establish
its operations in the town is NOMOS Glashütte, founded
in 1990 by a resident of the former West Germany,
Roland Schwertner.
Unusually, Schwertner had no background in
watchmaking, previously working as a photographer and
business consultant. His dream of making his own
mechanical watches may have seemed naive. However,
since its foundation, Schwertner’s decision has been
vindicated, with NOMOS Glashütte experiencing
successive years of growth.
Between 2011 and 2013, the company managed to
double its turnover and this rate of growth shows no signs
of abating. The success of this brand is no fluke, with an
array of attributes that make their watches an attractive
proposition to shrewd purchasers.
IN-HOUSE CAPABILLITY. It may surprise readers to learn
that many watches from rival brands contain movements
produced by third parties. This in itself is no bad thing
given that movements are supplied by a handful of
specialist Swiss companies and are therefore tried and
tested. However, a watch which contains an in-house
movement, sometimes referred to as a “manufacture”
movement, denotes a rare degree of expertise. Typically,
these watches occupy the elevated strata of horology, often
with prices to match.
NOMOS Glashütte produced its first in-house
movement in 2005 and has since greatly expanded its
product catalogue. Despite this degree of vertical
integration, the brand’s products remain relatively
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GREAT WATCHES
accessible, with models available for less than £1500.
It is the finishing of a fine watch which often has a
major influence on its final selling price. Despite the
affordable pricing of many NOMOS Glashütte watches, the
brand’s movements show no signs of penny-pinching, with an
attention to detail which would put some models costing twice
as much to shame. Whilst the brand uses modern
manufacturing, such as CNC machines, it also employs
traditional watchmaking techniques such as chamfering and
polishing, expertly practised by hand.
A movement typically consists of a mainplate, effectively a
chassis which various movement components are attached to.
Often, wheels, pinions and levers are held between the
mainplate and a series of metal plates referred to as bridges.
However, within the Glashütte region, rather than use
numerous bridges, a “three-quarter plate” is often used instead.
Although it is more difficult for the watchmaker to install
accurately, the outcome grants a more stable movement
construction and a cleaner appearance.
SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL. Many of the NOMOS Glashütte
models feature a sapphire crystal on the case back of the watch,
allowing much of the expert finishing within to be seen. The
sight of small overlapping circles, referred to as “perlage”, and
a sunburst motif adorning the ratchet and crown wheel is
beautiful. A series of straight lines, called “Glashütte ribbing”
grace the movement, imbuing it with a sense of quality.
In 2013, the brand showed it had aspirations to make more
luxurious watches, delivered in a choice of white or rose gold.
The Lambda and Lux models feature a higher degree of
finishing, typically only found on the finest watches. For
example, one component, the balance cock, is hand-engraved
with the words “Mit Liebe in Glashütte gefertigt”, meaning
“lovingly produced in Glashütte”. Prospective purchasers can
choose from round or barrel-shaped cases, featuring relatively
restrained white dials. Alternatively, one of the company’s
brightly coloured offerings, each with its own unique character,
can be selected.
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Earlier in 2014,
the brand announced
that it was making its
own escapement, or
“Swing System” to use the
German brand’s terminology. The
escapement is a small collection of parts
which ultimately set the pace of the hands to
ensure accurate timekeeping. Historically, the knowhow to create an escapement has been the preserve of a few
specialist companies in Switzerland which have supplied the
watchmaking industry. The fact that NOMOS Glashütte has
chosen to invest in its own capability is remarkable and reaffirms
the ambitions of the German brand.
DESIGN PROWESS. Despite Glashütte once being synonymous
with observation or pilots' watches, NOMOS Glashütte has
always sought its own course when it comes to design. The
company is a member of the Deutscher Werkbund, a precursor
of the Bauhaus movement, with the aspiration to deliver high
quality products that are affordable to many.
Notable attributes of the design language are clean lines and
highly legible displays. Several models feature slender hands in
an eye-catching shade of blue. This not only enhances the
watch's visual appeal, it also serves a practical purpose. The
unusual shade results from an industrial process known as
'bluing', which protects the steel hands from rust.
Sometimes, watches littered with extra dial details can
appear cluttered. However, those NOMOS Glashütte watches
equipped with additional features masterfully exploit design,
position and scale to ensure ease of interpretation despite added
functionality.
For example, the NOMOS Glashütte Zürich Weltzeit is a
world timer. This type of watch allows the wearer to see the
time in one of 24 cities around the globe as well as at home.
Simply pressing the push piece at 2 o’clock moves a city disc,
placing the reference city below noon. The relevant hour in this
city is then displayed at 3 o’clock. While some watches
equipped with this facility can appear cluttered, NOMOS
Glashütte manages to deliver a simple layout which proves
intuitive to use.
NOMOS Glashütte watches are contemporary, but offer
a timelessness which should ensure a lasting appeal,
irrespective of changing tastes in fashion. With a choice of
steel or gold models, different case shapes, dial colours and
designs, the would-be buyer is indulged with a breathtaking
choice. Indeed, the future of German watchmaking has never
looked so bright.
GGM