Established in 1990, Nomos Glashütte is situated in the eponymous, idyllic town known as the birthplace of German watchmaking. Glashütte has nurtured watchmaking for nearly two centuries and evolved into a renowned hub of craftsmanship for horology. The town’s distinguished pedigree traces its genesis to a royal mandate in 1845, when King August II deployed a master watchmaker, Ferdinand Adolph Langea, to pass on his horological expertise to the people of Glashütte, with the objective of revitalising the mining sector. Accompanied by skilled engineers, manufacturers, and toolmakers, Langea established a production system based on division of labor to create a watchmaking industry on a par with Swiss standards. Despite the setbacks of two world wars and the German Democratic Republic regime, Glashütte’s inhabitants preserved their watchmaking knowledge and skills over the years.
The name “Nomos” stems from the Greek adjective for both “law” and “order.” Its second name, Glashütte, grounds the watchmaking company with venerable roots and standards. Glashütte and its strict quality standards represent a potent and well-known symbol of appreciation for horological excellence. To qualify for the town name in their brand, watch manufacturers must produce more than 50% of the caliber used in their watches in Glashütte. At Nomos, around 95% of calibers are in-house made.
Nomos specializes in creating manually winding and automatic mechanical watches. Its designs evidence the influence of purist Bauhaus aesthetics, emphasizing a blend of form and function for a modernist, polished look. Nomos converges industrial and handcrafted production methods, with a focus on manual labor. The company launched its initial collection in 1992, beginning with four fundamental models: Tangente, Orion, Ludwig, and Tetra. Starting with Swiss-made mechanics, the brand gradually expanded its spectrum of watches to include 13 different models with varying options.
Nomos has garnered a challenging reputation among watch enthusiasts worldwide over the years. It has grown into the largest producer of mechanical watches in Germany, crafting over 20,000 pieces annually since 2005 with in-house movements. In 2014, the company demonstrated its independence from Swiss manufacturers altogether by introducing its own in-house escapement, the Nomos Swing System, an act of supreme confidence and an aspiration towards independence. Watchmakers generally acknowledge full independent production as a feat almost unattainable by majority watch manufacturers as the secrets of watchmaking knowledge remain guarded by a minority of craftspeople and manufacturing companies.
Nomos, in collaboration with the Technical University of Dresden, focused its efforts on pursuit of a new in-house escapement mechanism to claim complete independence. Despite obstacles, such as the intricate design and microscopic dimensions of escapement components, the company overcame the obstacles through years of intense study, experimentation, and trial-and-error, finally succeeding in 2014. To date, Nomos produces eleven different caliber movements with multiple patents, including an in-house date mechanism, a swing system, and a power reserve indicator. The company’s calibers manifest excellence in quality, lightness, and thin design. The manufacture of virtually all components is artisanal and precise, from milling plates and bridges to wheels and bluing screws to the Nomo calibers themselves. The process from the initial design draft to final product can take years, illustrating Nomos’ unwavering commitment to precision, quality, and intricate detailing.
Nomos has achieved many distinguished awards over the years, signifying the caliber of their work’s excellence, such as the iF Design Award, the red dot Design Award, the German Design award, and the Good Design Award. In 2018, it was the second non-Swiss brand in history to take home the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), the most prestigious international competition in watchmaking.
