REVOLUTION_International_Vol 56

VALLEY OF TIME
A special-edition NOMOS Ludwig celebrates 175 years of Glashütte watchmaking.
Words Stephen Watson
What does it take for an
industry to flourish?
Infrastructure and capital,
certainly, but don’t discount the value
of local resources. In eastern Germany,
in a valley where the rivers Müglitz
and Priessnitz merge, the unique
geography and resident ingenuity
of Glashütte has provided the right
elements for watchmaking to thrive for
more than 175 years. Traditions have
been revered and upheld, fostering
a unique environment, creating
something singular: a town of less than
10,000 that’s home to nearly a dozen
makers of mechanical fine watches.
To celebrate this fascinating
anniversary, one of those watchmakers,
NOMOS Glashütte, is paying tribute
with a limited-edition series of
its classic model, the Ludwig.
So it goes without saying that
NOMOS takes immense pride in its
Saxon heritage. Inside, the brand’s
movements are decorated in the
Glashütte tradition, and assembled with
a level of care befitting the town’s legacy.
But NOMOS isn’t afraid to mix those
longstanding German watchmaking
codes with updated (and award-winning)
contemporary styling. And it’s with these
cool, Bauhaus-inspired designs — like
those of the Ludwig — where NOMOS
differentiates itself from its neighbors.
For this new Ludwig Glashütte
limited edition, though, NOMOS has
taken a surprising turn. Instead of
its usual sophisticated modernism,
the brand has borrowed motifs from
vintage pocket watches, incorporating
old-school elements into the Ludwig’s
super-clean lines. The result is a
series of timepieces that appear
more refined, at least by traditional
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE
LUDWIG NEOMATIK 39 – 175 YEARS OF
WATCHMAKING GLASHÜTTE
MOVEMENT Self-winding chronometer-standard
caliber DUW 3001; hours and minutes; subsidiary
seconds; 43-hour power reserve
CASE 38.5mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan
black leather
PRICE USD 3,800
hand-wound model; all three pieces
are engraved with “Limited Edition
Ludwig – 175 Years Watchmaking
Glashütte” on the caseback. And,
as a special feature, all three models
are also regulated chronometers.
Callbacks to vintage German pocket
watches abound, but do not overwhelm.
Distinctive Roman numerals combine
with simple indexes to denote the hours,
alongside railroad minute markers
to enhance the readability. Roman
numerals appear in the date window of
the Ludwig neomatik 41 Date, standing in
for the usual Arabic numerals, a first for
the NOMOS brand. Leaf-shaped hands
replace the typical straight indicators and
are blued, nodding to a local Glashütte
detail. (While the lacquer dial is referred
to as “enamel-white,” this remarks on
the crisp white color of the dial, rather
than the technique of manufacturing.)
These cues are an unexpected twist
for NOMOS, which was founded in
1990, making it a relative youngster
compared to some of its Glashütte
siblings. But it speaks to the mentality
of the brand as a whole: Proud of its
remarkable achievements, yet humbled
by each success, and ultimately
aware that it’s one part of a larger
watchmaking tradition. A high tide raises
all boats, and by acknowledging the
accomplishments of the entire Glashütte
region, NOMOS finds its stepping
one foot closer to the spotlight.
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE
LUDWIG NEOMATIK 41 DATE –
175 YEARS OF WATCHMAKING
GLASHÜTTE
MOVEMENT Self-winding
chronometer-standard caliber
DUW 6101; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; date;
42-hour power reserve
CASE 40.5mm; stainless steel;
water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Horween Genuine Shell
Cordovan black leather
PRICE USD 4,200
standards, adapted seamlessly to the
forward-looking NOMOS aesthetic.
Each of these special watches
reimagines the Ludwig in very subtle
ways, each elevating its smart details
with careful thought and nuance. There
are three models in total, and all of them
feature in-house crafted movements.
The flagship piece, called Ludwig – 175
Years Watchmaking Glashütte, uses
the acclaimed NOMOS Alpha handwound
caliber. Meanwhile, the other
two versions, the Ludwig neomatik 39
and the Ludwig neomatik 41 Date, are
offered with automatic movements.
Power reserve is 43 hours for the former
watch, and 42 hours for the latter. Water
resistance is rated at 50 meters for the
automatic models and 30 meters for the
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE
LUDWIG – 175 YEARS OF WATCHMAKING GLASHÜTTE
MOVEMENT Manual-winding chronometer-standard Alpha caliber; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; 43-hour power reserve
CASE 35mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 30m
STRAP Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan black leather
PRICE USD 2,260
28 PRIME TIME
PRIME TIME 29
28-29 USA Prime Time - NOMOS D.indd 28 15/8/20 3:32 AM
RM57539_Issue103_028
075833 Mon, Aug 17, 2020
28-29 USA Prime Time - NOMOS D.indd 29 15/8/20 2:29 AM
RM57539_Issue103_029
075834 Mon, Aug 17, 2020