Nomos Glashütte

Nomos Glashütte is the youngest major brand in German watchmaking—and perhaps its most design-forward. Founded in 1990 just months after German reunification, Nomos brought Bauhaus minimalism to mechanical watches, creating timepieces that feel distinctly modern while honoring Glashütte's centuries-old traditions.

A Post-Wall Beginning (1990)

Roland Schwertner founded Nomos in July 1990, mere months after the Berlin Wall fell. The timing was audacious: East Germany's economy was collapsing, and Glashütte's watchmaking infrastructure had been nationalized for 45 years under communist rule.

But Schwertner saw opportunity. The skilled workforce remained, property was inexpensive, and the Glashütte name still carried weight. He established Nomos (Greek for "law" or "custom") with a vision: create beautifully designed mechanical watches at accessible prices.

The Bauhaus Connection

Nomos's design language draws heavily from Bauhaus principles: form follows function, clean lines, no unnecessary ornamentation. The Tangente, launched in 1992, became the brand's icon—a perfectly proportioned dress watch with a white dial, blued hands, and minimalist indices that could have been designed at the Bauhaus school itself.

This wasn't nostalgia; it was philosophy. Nomos believed (and believes) that good design is timeless, that simplicity is sophisticated, and that a watch should be readable first and decorative second.

The In-House Journey

Nomos initially used purchased movements—standard practice for small brands. But in 2005, the company began developing its own calibres. By 2014, Nomos had achieved full manufacture status with the Swing System, an in-house escapement assembly.

This was significant: the escapement is the most difficult component to manufacture, and producing it in-house places Nomos among a small elite of true manufactures. All Nomos movements now feature this in-house escapement, finished to Glashütte standards with striping, perlage, and blued screws.

The Collections

Nomos organizes its watches into distinct design families:

• Tangente: The original icon—pure Bauhaus minimalism in a rectangular case
• Orion: Round case with similar minimalist aesthetic
• Ludwig: Classical Roman numerals, more traditional
• Tetra: Square case, distinctly geometric
• Club: Sportier, more robust, entry-level pricing
• Ahoi: Water-resistant sports watches
• Metro: Contemporary design with date complication
• Lambda: High-end dress watches with hand-wound movements

Accessibility Philosophy

Unlike many German luxury brands, Nomos deliberately prices its watches accessibly. Entry-level Club models start around $1,500; even complicated pieces rarely exceed $10,000. The philosophy: exceptional design and in-house movements shouldn't require extraordinary wealth.

This positioning has earned Nomos a devoted following among design-conscious buyers who appreciate quality but reject conspicuous consumption.

Glashütte Standards

Despite its modern aesthetic, Nomos adheres to traditional Glashütte finishing standards. Movements feature three-quarter plates in German silver, hand-engraved balance cocks, blued screws, Glashütte ribbing, and sunburst finishing. The brand takes pride in doing everything possible in Glashütte itself.

Today's Nomos

Nomos remains independent and family-influenced, producing approximately 20,000 watches annually. The brand has expanded internationally while maintaining its design-first philosophy. Recent innovations include the ultra-thin DUW 3001 automatic movement and the sportier Ahoi collection for those wanting Nomos design with water resistance.

For those who believe a watch should be a quiet statement of taste rather than a loud declaration of wealth, Nomos represents the ideal: German engineering, Bauhaus design, manufacture quality, accessible pricing.