A Watch Test: The Nomos Glashütte Orion Neomatik 39
In 2020, Nomos commemorated the 175th anniversary of watchmaking in the town of Glashütte, Germany. Nomos marked the occasion by launching the brand’s first special edition under the name “175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte.” A few years have come and gone since then, but this watch brand continues to celebrate the horological achievements of its hometown with special models in limited editions of 175 timepieces each. The latest example is the Orion Neomatik 39 – 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte, which was recently introduced in a trio of watches along with a 36.4-mm version and a 40.5-mm model with a date window.
Elegant Appearance
We chose the midsized model for our test because it has a moderate diameter for a men’s watch (38.5 mm) and has a dial that makes a very symmetrical and well-balanced impression thanks to the absence of a date display. This look assures that the watch is equally ideal for elegant occasions, gala events or as a high-quality but understated accessory to accompany everyday business attire.
On all such occasions, this stainless-steel watch, which is only 8.7-mm tall and also tapers toward the wrist, slips neatly under a shirt cuff and, thanks to its smooth contours, never snags the cuff of even the most delicate wool sweater. The Orion can be interpreted as the elegant highlight of Nomos’s collection, although this line has always been a bit overshadowed by the classic Tangente and the sporty, boldly styled Club.
A design innovation in the Orion family is the subdial for the seconds, which for the first time is no longer recessed. The new presentation without a circularly grooved subdial is technically simpler and more elegant. It goes very well with the silver-plated dial, which has an attractive, lightly grained surface. Nomos enhances the face with applied, gold-colored hour indexes, but omits the shorter 5-minute strokes from the circle of minute markings. Thermally blued hands, which naturally look very dark, rotate above the light and tidy dial. The high-contrast hands are instantly visible at all times, but they clash somewhat with the otherwise thoroughgoing lightness of the design.
Pleasant Company
While you chat with fellow guests at parties or business dinners, the watchmaking technology of this new Orion makes you feel like you’re in the best company. This model is not only attractively designed and comfortable to wear, but also proves to be a reliable companion thanks to its precise timekeeping. Nomos regulates its watches according to chronometer-worthy standards and does so in rather than only five positions. According to our electronic timing machine, our test watch ran with a very good average daily gain of +1.5 seconds and only a small difference of 5 seconds per day among the several positions. In a wearing test lasting several weeks, the watch usually gained 3 seconds per day, which is still a good and accurate value.
Setting the time is also convenient: The crown can be easily extracted and rotated thanks to the shape of the case, which tapers toward the wrist. A stop-seconds function, which halts the small second hand when the crown is withdrawn, goes without saying for self-winding manufacture Caliber DUW 3001, which also offers several other advantages. The escapement assembly, which Nomos developed in-house and calls the “Nomos Swing System,” is sturdily mounted under a bridge instead of below a cock attached on only one side. The skeletonized rotor swings atop a three-quarter plate. Glashütte waves, thermally blued screws, gold-filled engravings and beveled edges make the movement look very handsome. The elegance is further enhanced by the slimness of the caliber, which is only 3.2 mm tall.
The only shortcoming that we could find with this caliber is the simple regulation: Instead of a real fine adjustment mechanism, the regulator itself must be moved by a watchmaker to alter the active length of the hairspring and thus adjust the oscillating speed of the balance. However, the good rates of the test watch proved that high precision is indeed possible, even without eccentric or adjusting screws.
Modest Character
Like the movement inside it, the case has many advantages and few disadvantages. It upholds modern standards of quality with meticulous polishing, a domed sapphire crystal that has been anti-reflectively treated on its underside, and a second sapphire crystal in the back. However, both the back of the case and the bezel are only pressed on to the middle part of case. Telltale signs of this are the small gaps on the side at the 9 to accommodate the tip of a tool with which the case can be pried open. On the other hand, the simple construction suits the modest character of the watch, which doesn’t pretend to be more than it is. And it is indeed quite a lot: namely, a dress watch that is visually successful, very comfortable to wear, easy to operate and encases a handsome, highly precise manufacture movement made in Glashütte.
SPECS
Nomos Glashütte Orion Neomatik 39 – 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte
Manufacturer:
Nomos Glashütte/SA Roland Schwertner KG, Ferdinand-Adolph-Lange-Platz 2, 01768 Glashütte, Germany
Reference number: 345.S1
Functions: Hours, minutes, subdial for the seconds
Movement:
Manufacture Caliber DUW 3001, automatic, 21,600 vph, 27 jewels, stop-seconds function, Incabloc shock protection, regulation via index, 42-hour power reserve, diameter = 28.8 mm, height = 3.2 mm
Case:
Stainless steel, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on its underside; bezel and caseback are only pressed on; pane of sapphire crystal in back; water resistant to 50 m
Wristband and clasp:
Horween strap with stainless-steel pin buckle
Rate results:
Deviation in seconds per 24 hours
- Dial up: +4
- Dial down: +2
- Crown up: +1
- Crown down: +2
- Crown left: +1
- Crown right: -1
- Greatest deviation: 5
- Average deviation: +1.5
- Average amplitude:
- Flat positions: 283°
- Hanging positions: 259°
Dimensions:
Diameter = 38.5 mm, height = 8.7 mm, weight = 51 g
Variations:
With 36.4-mm case ($3,580); with 40.5-mm case with date window ($4,200)
Price:
$3,920
SCORES
Nomos Glashütte
Orion Neomatik 39 – 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): 7
The well-made clasp and the handsome leatherwork are impressive, but the horsehide begins to show traces of wear after just a few days.
Case (10): 7
The elegant stainless-steel case is polished all around and has two sapphire crystals — above the dial and in the back — but the bezel and the back of the case are only pressed on.
Dial and hands (10): 8
The dial seems very simple at first glance, but closer inspection shows attractive details, such as the slight curve around the edge, galvanic silver plating and applied indexes.
Design (15): 12
The silver-plated dial with its slightly grained look is the highlight of the elegant overall appearance. The dark hands look somewhat heavy against the light-colored background.
Legibility (5): 4
The hands are clearly visible, but the pale hour markers and small minute strokes require a closer look. Luminous material has (wisely) not been used, in keeping with the elegant appearance of the face.
Operation (5): 5
The crown is easy to grip thanks to the case’s tapered back. The crown has only one extracted position, which further increases the ease of operating it.
Wearing comfort (5): 5
This slim and lightweight (51 grams) watch is a real pleasure to touch and to wear.
Movement (20): 14
Automatic Caliber DUW 3001 with Nomos’s own escapement is slim and attractively decorated and the balance is stably mounted under a bridge. The only drawback is the simple index to fine adjust the rate.
Rate results (10): 9
The daily deviation is almost perfect at +1.5 seconds and the maximum difference among the several positions is small at 5 seconds.
Overall value (10): 8
For an elegant manufacture watch with many advantages and few disadvantages, $3,920 is a good price.
Total:
79 POINTS
To learn more visit Nomos Glashütte, here.
This article was originally published in the November / December 2023 print issue. To subscribe to WatchTime Magazine, click here.
