NOMOS Glashütte has carved a distinct niche for itself within the German watchmaking landscape. Known for clean designs often influenced by the Bauhaus school and a steadfast commitment to developing its own movements, the brand appeals to those seeking functional, well-crafted timepieces without excessive ornamentation. Nestled in the historic watchmaking town of Glashütte,
Nomos has steadily built a reputation for quality and mechanical ingenuity since its founding shortly after German reunification.
The story of NOMOS Glashütte is intertwined with the resurgence of German watchmaking itself. Established in 1990 by Roland Schwertner, the company set out to revive the spirit of precision watchmaking in Glashütte, a town with a rich horological heritage dating back to the mid-19th century. From the outset, NOMOS focused on creating mechanical watches with a clear, minimalist aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the Deutscher Werkbund and Bauhaus movements, where form follows function. This design philosophy remains central to the brand's identity today.
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A defining characteristic of NOMOS has been its progressive move towards becoming a true manufacture, meaning it designs and produces its own movements in-house. This journey began with modifications of existing base calibers but culminated in the development of entirely proprietary movements. The introduction of their own escapement, the NOMOS Swing System, in 2014 marked a significant milestone, granting the company a high degree of independence in production and cementing its status as a serious player in mechanical watchmaking.
Within the broader NOMOS catalog, the Club collection represents a sportier, more robust offering compared to the dressier Tangente or Orion lines. The Club watches often feature slightly larger cases, increased water resistance, and bolder dial elements like numerals and luminous markings, positioning them as versatile timepieces suitable for more active lifestyles while still retaining the core NOMOS design DNA. They are designed to be durable companions for daily wear.
Expanding on this theme of robust versatility, NOMOS introduced the Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer. This model takes the practical, sporty foundation of the Club Sport and incorporates a highly useful complication for the modern interconnected world: the worldtimer. It’s a logical extension of the line, catering to individuals who travel frequently, work across different time zones, or simply appreciate the technical sophistication of tracking global times from their wrist.
The worldtimer complication, at its core, allows the wearer to view the current time in multiple time zones simultaneously, typically representing 24 major cities or regions around the globe. This is achieved through a rotating city disk coordinated with a 24-hour indicator. For travelers, it simplifies keeping track of both local time and home time. For those coordinating with colleagues or family abroad, it provides an immediate reference point, eliminating mental calculations or reliance on other devices.
At the heart of the Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer beats the newly developed in-house caliber DUW 3202. This movement is a significant addition to the NOMOS neomatik series, which is characterized by its slim profile, automatic winding, and high efficiency. The DUW 3202 specifically integrates a worldtime function, demonstrating NOMOS's capability in developing complex yet user-friendly mechanisms. The "DUW" designation stands for "Deutsche Uhrenwerke NOMOS Glashütte," signifying its origin and in-house status.
Delving into the technical specifics, the DUW 3202 is an automatic movement measuring a remarkably slender 4.8 millimeters in height and 31 millimeters (13lines) in diameter. This thinness is a hallmark of the neomatik series and allows the resulting watch case to maintain wearable proportions despite the added complexity. The movement provides a power reserve of up to 42 hours when fully wound and operates with 37 jewel bearings to minimize friction and wear. A visually appealing detail visible through the sapphire case back is the rotor, which features an embossed globe finished in gold.
Courtesy of NOMOS
NOMOS engineers rethought the worldtime mechanism for the DUW 3202. A key innovation lies in how the complication is integrated directly into the gear train, rather than being a separate module placed on top of a base movement. This integrated design is crucial for achieving the caliber's slim profile. Furthermore, the movement features a novel 24-hour second time display utilizing a single hand, simplifying the visual readout compared to some other worldtimer designs.
The case housing this sophisticated movement is crafted from stainless steel and features a tripartite construction (bezel, mid-case, and case back). It measures a contemporary 40.0 millimeters in diameter, striking a balance that suits a wide range of wrist sizes. Consistent with the Club Sport line's robust nature, it includes a screw-down crown, which is essential for ensuring water resistance. The case back is made of sapphire crystal, allowing an unobstructed view of the DUW 3202 movement within.
Despite containing an automatic movement and a worldtimer complication, the Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer boasts a case height of just 9.9 millimeters. This slimness is noteworthy for a watch with these features and contributes significantly to its comfortable wearability. The lug-to-lug measurement is 48.0 millimeters, influencing how the watch sits across the wrist. Importantly, the watch offers a water resistance rating of 10 atm (equivalent to 100 meters), making it suitable for swimming and surface water activities, reinforcing its sporty credentials. A practical detail is a red warning ring visible on the crown stem when the crown is unscrewed, serving as a visual reminder to secure it before water exposure.
The main production models are offered with either a galvanic blue or a silver-plated white dial, both featuring a subtle sunburst finish that adds depth and plays with light. The overall layout prioritizes clarity. Applied hour numerals and indexes are filled with white Superluminova, ensuring legibility in low-light conditions. The characteristic NOMOS typography is clean and modern, contributing to the watch's uncluttered appearance. The blue dial version (Reference 790) offers a deep, versatile color, while the silver dial (Reference 791) provides a brighter, classic look.
Functionally, the worldtime display is intuitively arranged. An outer ring, the city disk, carries the names or codes representing 24 different time zones. A small red marker positioned just above the 12 o'clock index points to the city code corresponding to the currently selected local time zone. Adjusting the local time when traveling is straightforward: pressing the pusher located at the 2 o'clock position advances the city disk and the central hour hand in one-hour increments, allowing the wearer to cycle through the time zones effortlessly.
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Complementing the worldtime function is a distinct second time zone display housed in a subdial at 3 o'clock. This display uses a single hand moving across a 24-hour scale, making it easy to track a "home" time or any other preferred time zone. Cleverly, this 24-hour subdial is divided into light and dark colored sections (often white/light gray and blue/dark gray depending on the model) to visually differentiate between daytime and nighttime hours in the second time zone. The dial also incorporates a minute scale that subtly indicates the hour difference between the selected city on the outer ring and the primary local time.
The hands maintain the watch's functional aesthetic. The central hour and minute hands are rhodium-plated for a bright, corrosion-resistant finish and feature inlays of white Superluminova, matching the hour markers. Protecting the dial is a domed sapphire crystal, known for its exceptional scratch resistance. NOMOS applies an anti-reflective coating to both the inner and outer surfaces of the crystal, minimizing glare and maximizing clarity from various viewing angles.
These Worldtimer models come fitted with the NOMOS Bracelet Club Sport. This stainless steel bracelet is designed to integrate seamlessly with the case. It features links with an alternating finish – fine satin brushing on the broad surfaces and high polishing on the connecting elements – creating a dynamic look. The bracelet utilizes quick-change spring bars, allowing the owner to easily swap it for a strap without needing special tools. It's designed for individual length adjustment to ensure a comfortable fit. The specific lug width for attaching straps or the bracelet is not explicitly stated in the provided information.
Beyond the two standard production models, NOMOS released six limited-edition versions, each drawing inspiration from natural phenomena and landscapes, adding vibrant color to the Worldtimer concept. Each of these versions is limited to just 175 pieces worldwide, making them more exclusive collectibles. They share the same 40mm case, DUW 3202 movement, and core functionality as the standard models, differing primarily in their unique dial color schemes.
The Volcano edition (Reference 790.S1) takes cues from volcanic rock. Its dial features deep anthracite and black tones, accented with touches of blue, red, and silver, meant to represent the diverse minerals found within cooled lava. This version presents a darker, more subdued take on the Worldtimer, yet retains legibility through its contrasting accents.
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The Jungle edition (Reference 790.S2) evokes a dense rainforest. It showcases a dark green city disk and an olive green main dial. The marker indicating the selected time zone at 12 o'clock is highlighted in pink. Further accents in orchid pink and water blue provide contrast against the lush green backdrop, inspired by tropical foliage and flowers.
Inspired by arid landscapes, the Canyon edition (Reference 790.S3) uses warm earth tones. Ochre and bright terracotta dominate the design, suggesting the colors of the outback or desert canyons. Contrasting elements in light blue (representing the sky) and darker shades (representing gorges) add depth to this adventurous colorway.
The Glacier edition (Reference 790.S4) captures the cool clarity of icy landscapes. The design employs cool blue and gray tones as the primary palette. These are contrasted with accents of orange, black, and beige, intended to evoke the dramatic colors of sunrise and sunset reflecting off glacial ice.
Embodying fiery energy, the Magma edition (Reference 790.S5) features vibrant red tones reminiscent of molten rock. This passionate color scheme is punctuated by an accent in a cooling light blue, offering a stark contrast like a patch of clear sky visible after an eruption.
Finally, the Dune edition (Reference 790.S6) is characterized by a golden beige dial, suggesting the resilience and shifting sands of the desert. Warm sunset orange accents are framed by two semicircles in cool blue tones, creating a visual interplay meant to evoke the vast horizons and mirages of desert landscapes.
Visually, all versions of the Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer present a balanced and legible dial despite the amount of information displayed. The sunburst finish catches light dynamically. The distinct subdial at 3 o'clock for the second time zone is well-proportioned, and the outer city ring is clearly marked. The combination of polished bezel and predominantly brushed surfaces on the case and bracelet gives the watch a tool-like yet refined appearance. The use of Superluminova ensures practicality in various lighting conditions.
Courtesy of NOMOS
NOMOS packages these watches thoughtfully. Each timepiece comes protected in a black case made of fine leather. This case not only ensures safety during shipping but is also compact enough to be easily included in luggage, serving as a practical travel accessory for the watch.
Regarding availability and cost, both the standard production Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer blue (Ref 790) and silver (Ref 791) models are priced at 4,720 USD. The six limited-edition colorways – Volcano (790.S1), Jungle (790.S2), Canyon (790.S3), Glacier (790.S4), Magma (790.S5), and Dune (790.S6) – share the same price point of 4,720 USD. However, potential buyers should note that availability for the limited editions is restricted to 175 pieces per colorway worldwide, making them considerably harder to acquire than the standard production models.
Case: Stainless steel, tripartite construction. Diameter 40.0 mm, height 9.9 mm, lug-to-lug 48.0 mm. Screwed sapphire crystal glass back, screw-down crown with red warning ring. Domed sapphire crystal front with anti-reflective coating inside and out. Water resistance 10 atm (suitable for swimming).
Movement: NOMOS in-house manufacture caliber DUW 3202. Automatic winding (neomatik). Integrated worldtime mechanism, 24-hour second time zone display (single hand, day/night indication). Height 4.8 mm, diameter 31 mm (13lines). Power reserve up to 42 hours, 37 jewels. Gold globe detail on rotor.
Dial: Galvanic blue (Ref 790) or silver-plated white (Ref 791) sunburst finish standard; various colors for limited editions. Outer city disk for worldtime function. 24-hour subdial at 3 o'clock. Hour numerals and indexes with white Superluminova. Rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with white Superluminova inlay.
Strap: Bracelet Club Sport in stainless steel with alternating fine satin and highly polished finish. Equipped with quick-change spring bars. Lug width not specified.
Price: 4,720 USD (for all standard and limited edition models).
Reference Number: 790 (Blue), 791 (Silver), 790.S1-S6 (Limited Editions).
Notes: Features a user-friendly worldtime adjustment via pusher at 2 o'clock. Remarkably thin case profile (9.9mm) for an automatic worldtimer. Six limited edition versions (175 pieces each) available with unique nature-inspired color themes.