Ostensibly celebrating 175 years of German watchmaking in Glashütte, Nomos has released four limited edition colorways of the Nomos Tetra Neomatik.
The Release
The Nomos Tetra Neomatik 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte models all feature the same case as the rest of the Tetra line. The square 33mm case is just 7.3mm thick with a lug-to-lug of 45.3mm. The case is fully polished, including the stepped 20mm drilled lugs. The thin bezel is rounded, while the sides are flat. The square sapphire crystal is flat and there is a small pull-out crown at 3 o’clock; the watch offers 30m of water resistance. The display caseback has a round sapphire crystal; the caseback features “Limited Edition” text. The watch is powered by the in-house automatic DUW 3001, which features 27 jewels, Nomos’ Swing system (a fully in-house balance and escapement), and a 43-hour power reserve.
The dials of the new Tetra Neomatiks all have a glossy finish and come in off-white, red, blue, or black. The dials feature gold bauhaus markings in Nomos’ signature style, except for the off-white dial where the numerals are blue. At 6 o’clock is a sunken subdial displaying running seconds. The hands are simple white batons without lume, matching the odd hour markings; the seconds hand of the white and black dials is red. On the periphery is a minute track with 5-minute numbering. The watches all come with a brown shell cordovan strap.
Our Thoughts
Colors are very on trend, but Nomos is no stranger to them, having used a wide variety of pastels and even champagne in the past. The Tetra line is arguably the brand’s most distinct offering, with its square case and stepped lugs. It’s those lugs, in my opinion, that really set it apart. Nomos is well known for its simple, geometric designs, these lugs harken back to Art Deco. That period has proven to be a wellspring of inspiration for watch designers, but these are the only lugs from Nomos with any sort of clear styling. The Tetra is also where the brand seems to have fun with color, with dials ranging from purple to red to green, and everything in between.
These new offerings distinguish themselves not just by being limited, but by adding glossy dials to Nomos’ typically matte lineup. The brand describes the glassy finish as “similar to enamel” in how it intensely reflects light. While there’s an immediate appeal with the white dial with blue markings, it’s the black and red with gold that really click for me. The extra pop of the red is exotic in a way, and there’s something timeless and elegant about the black and gold.
Availability
The Nomos Tetra Neomatik 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte models are limited to 175 pieces each and priced at $3,860. They are available now directly from Nomos.