Explore the Legacy of Prominent Family Nomos Roland Schwertner
Key Highlights
- Nomos Glashütte, founded by Roland Schwertner, is renowned for its Bauhaus-inspired design, in-house calibers, and accessible luxury.
- The brand emerged from the rich watchmaking heritage of Glashütte, a town in Germany famed for its precision timepieces.
- Nomos watches are celebrated for their clean aesthetics, innovative movements like the Nomos swing system, and exceptional craftsmanship.
- From the iconic Tangente to the sporty Ahoi, Nomos offers a diverse range of collections to suit different tastes.
- Committed to ethical practices, Nomos prioritizes local manufacturing, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility.
Introduction
Nomos Glashütte is a special watch brand that many fans love. It combines simple design, smart mechanics, and luxury that is easy to enjoy. The brand started with Roland Schwertner, who wanted to bring back the great tradition of German watchmaking. Notably, the Ludwig collection quickly became well-known and received praise for its carefully made watches. Let’s take a look at the story of Nomos, its beginnings, its unique features, and how it has touched the world of watchmaking.
The Origins of Nomos and Roland Schwertner
The story of Nomos is closely tied to the small town of Glashütte. This town is located in the beautiful eastern Ore Mountains of Germany. For many years, Glashütte has been known as a center for fine watchmaking. It is famous for its skilled craftsmen who focus on precision. However, the challenges of World War II and the division of Germany created difficulties for the town’s watchmaking history.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was a significant moment for Germany and Glashütte’s watchmaking. In this time of reunification and hope, Roland Schwertner, a creative entrepreneur, started Nomos in 1990. With great respect for Glashütte’s rich history, he wanted to create a watch brand that mixed tradition with modern designs.
The founding story: A leap into watchmaking
Roland Schwertner was a skilled photographer who had a great sense of design. He wanted to make watches that looked good and worked perfectly. After starting Nomos, Schwertner looked for talented watchmakers and designers who shared his love for quality. He knew it was key to mix old craftsmanship with modern technology. This way, the watches would last a long time.
The first Nomos watch, known as the Tangente, came out in 1992. It quickly became popular among watch lovers around the world. The Tangente draws inspiration from the Bauhaus movement and A Lange & Söhne. It shows Nomos’s focus on simple lines, practical design, and quiet elegance. Its classic look features a clean dial, slim lugs, and unique typography, making it a symbol of the Nomos brand.
Schwertner’s strong commitment to quality and creativity helped Nomos rise in the watch-making field as a recognized maker of certified chronometers. Starting from a small space in a former train station, Nomos has become a well-respected maker of various timepieces that still delight watch fans worldwide.
The influence of Roland Schwertner on Nomos
Roland Schwertner’s impact on Nomos goes well beyond just starting the brand. His strong belief in making watches in-house led to the opening of Nomos’s own caliber production area in 2005. This key moment helped the brand depend less on outside suppliers. It also allowed Nomos to control more parts of its watchmaking.
With Schwertner leading the way, Nomos made great advances in watch innovation. One example is the creation of the Nomos swing system, which includes their very own balance springs. This is their special escapement system that was introduced in 2014. The swing system includes a tempered blue balance spring. It shows how much Nomos values improving mechanical watches.
Schwertner’s influence is linked closely with Nomos’s success. His strong dedication to quality and his respect for Glashütte’s watchmaking history have transformed Nomos into a top watch brand today. His vision inspires new watchmakers at Nomos, helping the brand stay strong in German watchmaking.
Signature Features of Nomos Watches
Nomos watches stand out because of their clear design. They take inspiration from Bauhaus style, featuring simple dials, thin cases, and a unique font seen on their watches. This design focus values usefulness and clarity, giving their pieces a classic beauty. This has earned the brand many awards.
But Nomos watches are not only pretty. They are known for their amazing mechanical skills. The brand uses their own movements, including the clever swing system. This shows they care deeply about watchmaking innovation. Each movement is created and finished with great detail, showing the high standards of German watchmaking.
The art of the Glashütte three-quarter plate
One important feature of Nomos watches, like many from Glashütte, is the use of the three-quarter plate. This big, single plate covers most parts of the movement. It gives great stability and a nice look to the caliber. The three-quarter plate has been part of Glashütte watchmaking since the 19th century and shows the area’s rich history in this craft.
Unlike typical Swiss movements that use many bridges to hold the parts in place, the Glashütte three-quarter plate simplifies the movement’s design. This makes the watch stronger and more accurate while keeping track of your home time as well. It also allows for detailed finishing that you can see through the sapphire casebacks on many Nomos models.
The three-quarter plate in Nomos watches shows how the brand cares about keeping traditional watchmaking alive while also adopting new improvements. This mix of old and new shows in every part of Nomos’s approach to watchmaking, from its carefully designed movements to its beautifully crafted timepieces.
Innovations: Glashütte stopwork and pallet escapement
Nomos has always shown its creative side by adding special features to its watch movements. The Glashütte stopwork is a great example of this. It shows how much the brand cares about precise engineering. This feature makes sure the mainspring is wound correctly. It stops overwinding and helps improve the clock’s accuracy.
Additionally, Nomos uses a special pallet escapement system. This system is carefully adjusted to provide amazing timing. The pallet escapement is important for controlling energy flow in a watch. It shows that Nomos pays close attention to detail and strives for top-quality watchmaking.
These smart innovations are often hidden in the simple designs of Nomos watches, particularly their world time watch. They emphasize how committed the brand is to smart mechanical design. By mixing old watchmaking methods with new technology, Nomos has become a key player in modern German watchmaking.
Aesthetic appeal: Blued screws and Sunburst decoration
The beauty of Nomos watches goes beyond their simple designs. The brand focuses closely on every detail, showing this through the small but elegant decorations on its timepieces. Here are some of these unique features:
- Blued screws: These screws are carefully heated to get their special blue color. They not only work well but also make the movement look more interesting. The way they treat screws shows how much Nomos cares about quality and the smallest details.
- Sunburst decoration: Nomos often uses sunburst decoration on the dials and movements of their watches. This creates a beautiful effect of light and shadow. The careful brushing adds depth and makes the timepiece look more attractive.
Nomos perfectly combines these subtle decorations with its simple designs. The appeal of Nomos watches comes from their quiet elegance, making them both beautiful and technically impressive.
Collections That Define Nomos
Nomos has a wide range of watches, each reflecting the brand’s focus on Bauhaus design and high-quality craftsmanship. Their first watch was the famous Tangente. They also offer the sporty Ahoi and the stylish Orion, providing options for different styles and lifestyles.
Each collection shows that Nomos aims to make watches that look good and work well. The Tangente has clear lines, the Orion is classic and elegant, and the Ahoi is sturdy and appealing. Wearing a Nomos watch tells others that you have great taste and value fine workmanship.
Tangente: The icon of simplicity
The Tangente is the first watch from Nomos. It has become a symbol of the brand’s style inspired by Bauhaus design. The watch features a simple dial with thin markers, a small second hand on a subdial, and a special font. This shows the beauty of practical elegance.
Since it came out in 1992, the Tangente reflects the goals of the Bauhaus movement. This movement focused on clean lines, shapes, and a good mix of form and function. The design of Tangente has mostly stayed the same since it first launched, which shows its lasting charm and timeless look.
The watch has a special typeface as well. Its unique numbers and letters give character to the simple dial. The Tangente’s thin lugs connect the case to the strap nicely, which highlights its elegant design. Many people love the Tangente for its simple elegance and timeless look.
Orion: Timeless elegance revisited
The Orion collection shows how Nomos thinks about classic style. Its curved case, thin lugs, and simple dial give the Orion a timeless appeal that goes beyond changing trends.
Launched soon after the Tangente, the Orion has some design features from its sibling but looks a bit more traditional. It often has elegant Roman numeral hour markers, adding a touch of classic watchmaking to its simple design.
The Orion’s thin bezel makes the dial easy to read and adds a refined look. It comes in different sizes and styles, including options with a date display and a power reserve indicator. The Orion collection has a timepiece perfect for every occasion.
Metro: Modernity meets tradition
The Metro collection shows how Nomos’s design has changed over time. It mixes modern style with the brand’s Bauhaus roots.
This collection is designed by the famous industrial designer Mark Braun. The Metro has a unique dial design with big numbers, a clear power reserve indicator, and a small seconds subdial. Its case has special articulated lugs that make it look even more modern.
You can find the Metro collection in many colors and materials, such as classic stainless steel and trendy anthracite. This collection is perfect for people who love modern design and still want the great watch-making quality that Nomos is known for.
Ahoi: Durability and design in harmony
The Ahoi collection adds to Nomos’s range of strong and sporty watches. It does this while keeping the beautiful design Nomos is known for. The Ahoi is ready for adventure with its great water resistance, strong textile strap, and unique look.
This watch can handle water up to 200 meters deep. It is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and other water activities. Its crown is protected with guards and screws down tight to keep water out. The sturdy case is made to handle whatever your active life throws at it.
The Ahoi still looks like a Nomos watch, featuring clean lines, a simple dial, and unique typography. Its sporty side shows with bright hands and markers to make it easy to read, even in low light.
The Craftsmanship Behind Nomos Watches
Nomos Glashütte is proud of its strong focus on craftsmanship. They follow the best standards of German watchmaking. Each watch that comes from Nomos shows their care for detail and their drive for high-quality work.
From the first design to the final assembly and checks, every step is done carefully. The skilled watchmakers at Nomos are trained in the traditions of Glashütte watchmaking, including techniques celebrated by the Sternwarte Glashütte (observatory). They hand-assemble and finish each movement, making sure it is of great quality and will last a long time.
Handcrafted precision: From design to assembly
Nomos Glashütte shows its promise for precise handmade watches in every part of making its timepieces. This reveals the brand’s strong link to the rich history of watchmaking in Glashütte. Making a Nomos watch starts with skilled designers. They carefully sketch and improve each piece, making sure it looks good and works well.
After the design is done, it goes to the talented master watchmakers in Glashütte, Glashutte. These expert artisans carefully bring the design to life. They shape and put together every part with great skill. From the detailed gears and springs of the movement to the fine hands and markers on the dial, every part gets special care and focus.
Nomos uses traditional watchmaking methods. These techniques have been passed down through many generations of watchmakers in Glashütte. This commitment to classic methods, along with new manufacturing technologies, confirms that each Nomos watch represents the strong tradition of German watchmaking.
The quest for accuracy: Calibration and testing
At Nomos Glashütte, accuracy is very important. Every movement goes through detailed calibration and testing to meet the brand’s high standards. Nomos’s in-house movements, especially those with the Swing System, are known for their great precision and dependability.
The calibration process focuses on adjusting the balance spring. This part is vital for a mechanical watch’s timekeeping. The length of the spring is set carefully because it affects how fast it oscillates and how accurate the watch is. Nomos watchmakers use special tools to fine-tune the balance spring. They achieve outstanding precision while following strict guidelines.
After calibration, each movement is carefully tested. This ensures accuracy in different positions and temperatures. This thorough checking helps catch and fix even small timekeeping problems. This way, every Nomos watch meets the brand’s high standards of quality.
The Impact of Nomos Beyond Watchmaking
Nomos Glashütte’s influence goes beyond just making watches. The brand cares about being ethical. It knows it has a duty to its workers, its community, and the environment. Nomos focuses on making things locally. Most of its parts and materials come from Germany. This helps the local economy and decreases its carbon footprint.
Nomos also uses eco-friendly methods in its work. It aims to cut down on waste and lower energy use. The brand shows its commitment to social responsibility by enforcing fair labor practices. This ensures a safe and fair workplace for its employees.
Contributions to the local economy and watchmaking tradition
Nomos Glashütte has been very important in bringing back the watchmaking tradition in Glashütte, a town located outside of Dresden in the eastern state of Saxony, Germany. This town is known for its rich history in making watches. When Nomos set up its factory in Glashütte in 1990, it gave the local economy a boost. It created jobs and drew skilled watchmakers to the area.
Nomos focuses on local manufacturing. The brand buys many of its parts and materials from suppliers close to Glashütte. This practice helps the local economy and supports businesses. It also helps keep the traditional skills that define watchmaking in Glashütte alive.
Nomos also involves itself in programs that help keep the watchmaking tradition going. The brand supports schools and training for watchmakers. This ensures that future generations learn the skills and knowledge needed for this craft. Nomos’s strong support for its hometown has made it a key part of the Glashütte community.
Environmental sustainability and social responsibility
Nomos Glashütte cares a lot about environmental sustainability and social responsibility. The brand includes ethical practices in its work and mindset. They know they affect the environment and want to lessen their impact with various actions.
Nomos focuses on using sustainable materials in watchmaking. They choose recycled metals and responsibly made leather whenever they can. The brand also aims to cut down waste and emissions in how they make and package their products. They keep looking for new ways to lessen their environmental effects.
On top of that, Nomos is committed to creating a good and fair work environment. They treat their employees with respect and fairness. They provide good pay, helpful benefits, and safe workplaces. Nomos’s dedication to social responsibility goes beyond just their staff. They take part in charity work and support local community projects.
Nomos in the Global Market
Nomos Glashütte is known for making great watches with a unique style. Its German background has helped the brand become strong in the world watch market. Many collectors and fans around the world really want Nomos watches. They like how the designs are inspired by Bauhaus style, how well they are made, and that they offer luxury at a fair price.
Nomos started out selling mostly in Germany. Now, it has grown and is doing well in big watch markets like the United States, Japan, and Switzerland. The brand focuses on quality and new ideas. It also follows good ethical practices. This has helped them connect with careful buyers everywhere, making Nomos a strong name in watchmaking.
Expansion from Germany to the United States
Nomos started off strong in Germany. Soon, it became popular beyond its borders, especially in the United States, which is an important market for luxury watches. Watch lovers and collectors in the U.S. welcomed Nomos. They liked the brand’s unique Bauhaus-inspired look, its own mechanical movements, and good pricing.
When Nomos entered the U.S. market, it focused on teaming up with trusted watch retailers and shops. This made sure its watches were available for people who appreciate quality. The brand also put effort into marketing and building good relationships with collectors and media.
Nomos’s growth in the U.S. has been very successful. It has become a well-known watch brand around the world. American buyers are drawn to Nomos’s simple designs, watch-making skills, and its focus on making watches ethically.
Understanding the appeal: Why collectors cherish Nomos
Nomos Glashütte watches have captured the hearts of collectors worldwide, captivating them with a blend of compelling attributes that contribute to their desirability and enduring value.
| Feature | Description |
| Bauhaus Design | Nomos’s minimalist design ethos, rooted in the principles of the Bauhaus movement, prioritizes functionality, legibility, and timeless elegance. |
| In-House Movements | The brand’s commitment to producing its own mechanical movements, including the innovative Swing System, ensures exceptional quality and exclusivity. |
| Accessible Luxury | Nomos offers a compelling value proposition, providing high-quality, meticulously crafted timepieces at a relatively accessible price point compared to many Swiss counterparts. |
| German Watchmaking Heritage | Nomos upholds the rich watchmaking tradition of Glashütte, Germany, a town renowned for its horological expertise and dedication to craftsmanship. |
| Ethical Practices | The brand’s commitment to local manufacturing, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility aligns with the values of many discerning collectors. |
These factors, interwoven into the very fabric of the Nomos brand, have cemented their reputation as highly coveted timepieces among collectors. The enduring appeal of Nomos watches lies in their unique blend of horological mastery, minimalist design, and ethical values, solidifying their status as cherished possessions and sound investments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the story of Nomos and Roland Schwertner shows how important creativity, accuracy, and skillful work are in watchmaking. From their start in this field to their famous collections like Tangente and Metro, Nomos watches mix old and new styles perfectly. The careful craftsmanship, unique features like the Glashütte three-quarter plate, and the brand’s focus on being eco-friendly make Nomos stand out in the luxury watch world. Nomos’s influence goes beyond making watches; it also helps local economies and cares for the environment. Explore the charm of Nomos watches and join collectors around the world who love the art and history each timepiece represents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Nomos watches considered a good investment?
Nomos watches are seen as a smart choice for investment due to the value of a watch. This is because they are very durable, have a classic design, and are from a well-known brand. Made from top-quality materials with great care, Nomos watches are designed to last. They also tend to keep their value well over the years.
How does Nomos maintain its quality over time?
Nomos keeps its high quality by using a mix of handcrafting skills, strict quality checks, and parts made in-house. This includes their special balance springs.
Can you trace the history and heritage in current collections?
Nomos blends its Glashütte roots with its watchmaking history in its latest collections, including the innovative Autobahn collection. It does this through design inspired by Bauhaus, old finishing methods, and a focus on crafting everything in-house.
What makes Nomos stand out in the crowded luxury watch market?
Nomos is a watch brand that shines in the luxury watch market, offering high-lux pieces that combine Bauhaus design with great in-house mechanics. Plus, their prices are more accessible than other luxury brands. This dedication to their style and quality has earned them worldwide praise and many loyal fans.
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https://nomoswatchclub.com/blog/f/nomos-tangente-lange-dial-%E2%80%93-all-you-need-to-know
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