Watch Test: The Nomos Ahoi Date Atlantic

The Nomos Ahoi is the sporty sibling of the classic and dressy Tangente. The version we tested, the Nomos Ahoi Date Atlantic, has a dark blue colored dial, which is referenced by the word “Atlantic” in its name. This model’s design was revised in 2022, when white hour markers replaced the formerly gold-colored ones, rhodium plating supplanted the gold plating that had previously covered the hands, and the color of the luminous material in the hour markers was changed to dark yellow from dark blue. All of these modifications gave an even sportier look to an already sporty-looking timepiece. But to assure that Nomos’s typically elegant touch was not lost in the redesign, the Glashüttebased company also changed the color of the luminous material in the hands to neutral white from light blue.

High-quality Features

It’s remarkable to see the dramatic effects that can be achieved by changing a few seemingly insignificant details. For example, the domed sapphire crystal not only gives the Ahoi a higher-quality appearance than Nomos models with flat crystals, but also acts as a miracle cure against fingerprints. In addition, the crown protector, which may seem incidental, makes the Ahoi look much more complex than the other elegantly classic watches from Nomos, like the Tangente and its related models.

From a qualitative perspective rather than a design point of view, the Ahoi Atlantic has a screw-down caseback instead of one that’s merely pressed onto the case. Together with the threaded crown, this boosts the water resistance to 200 meters from the usual 50 meters. And while the textile strap is admittedly thin, it’s well made, water resistant and, unlike the typical Nomos horsehide straps, not prone to showing signs of wear or suffering kinks from the clasp.

Last but not least, the luminescent hands and especially the luminous hour markers are two features of the Ahoi Atlantic that are absent from the elegant Nomos models. The rectangular hour markers around the edge of the dial are made of highly domed, dark yellow luminous material and are framed by slim, light green lines. You may wonder what state of expanded consciousness the designers were experiencing when they came up with this combination of yellow, green and dark blue for the dial. But whatever the source of their inspiration, the result looks surprisingly harmonious and offers those little extra touches that one might expect from Nomos’s bolder models like the Ahoi or the Autobahn.

A Manufacture Movement with Sophistication

Automatic manufacture Caliber DUW 5101 ticks beneath the handsome new dial. The three-letter acronym DUW stands for “Deutsche Uhrenwerke,” which means “German Watch factories” in English, and has been used by Nomos since the introduction of its own escapement assembly called the Nomos-Swing-System in 2014. This movement also powers the Tangomat Date model. It was known as the Zeta back when Nomos still relied on a Swiss escapement.

The movement is a modularly designed, automatic caliber. It has a diameter of 31 mm and a height of 4.3 mm, so Nomos usually encases it in the brand’s bulkier models — although “bulky” should be considered here in relation to the always moderate sizes of Nomos’s classic models. That said, the Ahoi fits quite comfortably on the wrist. Its diameter is a stately 40.3 mm and its height is 10.6 mm, but it weighs only 70 grams.

One of the special features of the DUW 5101 is the date ring that runs around the movement, which does not add to the movement’s height but allows for larger numerals on the date display. This display, which Nomos calls a “television date,” is inarguably advantageous for the wearer. We also liked the elaborate Glashütte-style decorative patterns and engravings, the openwork rotor, and the two small alternating gears in the bidirectionally effective winding system. (These gears can be seen between the balance and the rotor in the photo of the movement on the preceding spread.)

In contrast to the very slim DUW automatic calibers with heights as low as 3.2 mm, the 4.3-mm-high DUW 5101 can be more effectively regulated thanks to an adjustment screw, which allows a watchmaker to more finely alter the active length of the hairspring and thus adjust the rate by raising or lowering the frequency of the balance’s oscillations.

Many Advantages and Only One Inconvenience

There is just one thing the Ahoi’s manufacture caliber doesn’t offer: a quick-reset mechanism for the date display. To manually change the date, the wearer must pull the crown out to its only extracted position, turn the winding button in one direction to advance the hands from 9 p.m. to beyond 3 a.m., turn the crown in the other direction to bring the hands back to 9 p.m., and then continue repeating this forward-backward action until the correct date appears in the window at the 6. Although Nomos remedied this longstanding flaw in Caliber DUW 6101, which was launched in 2018, it continues to tolerate the shortcoming in its older calibers.

With regard to our test watch, we recommend that watch fans follow Nomos’s lead and accept this minor deficiency. In return, you’ll get an all-around high-quality watch with a harmonious design, good legibility, a high degree of wearing comfort and a handsomely decorated manufacture caliber. Those who can, do. And this new Nomos certainly does!

Specs

Nomos Glashütte Ahoi Date Atlantic

Manufacturer:
Nomos Glashütte/SA Roland Schwertner KG, Ferdinand-Adolph-Lange-Platz 2, 01768 Glashütte, Germany

Reference Number:
558

Functions:

• Hour, minutes, small seconds, date

Movement:

• Manufacture Caliber DUW 5101, automatic
• Frequency: 21,600 vph
• Jewels: 26
• Features: Stop-seconds function, Incabloc shock absorption
• Adjustment: Index and screw for fine rate adjustments
• Power Reserve: 42 hours
• Dimensions: Diameter = 31 mm, Height = 4.3 mm

Case:

• Stainless-steel case
• Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
• Caseback secured with 6 screws
• Sapphire crystal window on the back
• Water resistance: 200 m

Strap and Clasp:

• Textile strap with stainless-steel pin buckle

Dimensions:

• Diameter: 40.3 mm
• Height: 10.6 mm
• Weight: 70 g

Variations:

• With opaque stainless-steel back (Ref. 548, $4,320)

Price: $4,660

Scores

Strap and Clasp (Max. 10 Points): The strap is thin but of high quality, and it doesn’t cover the back of the case as standard NATO straps do. The winged clasp is individually designed and well-made.
Score: 8

Case (Max. 10 Points): With a curved crystal, crown protector, and screw-down back, the case is more complex and of higher quality than typical Nomos cases.
Score: 8

Dial and Hands (Max. 10 Points): The dial’s design is not extremely elaborate, but the finishing is impeccable.
Score: 8

Design (Max. 15 Points): The blue of the dial and strap, the crown protector, and the raised luminous indexes with green frames make the new Ahoi Atlantic something special.
Score: 13

Legibility (Max. 5 Points): The dial is very easy to read both day and night.
Score: 5

Operation (Max. 5 Points): The high degree of user-friendliness is only slightly reduced by the absence of a quick-reset mechanism for the date display.
Score: 4

Wearing Comfort (Max. 5 Points): The slim case, light weight, and supple wristband add up to perfect wearing comfort.
Score: 5

Movement (Max. 20 Points): Automatic Caliber DUW 5101 with the brand’s own escapement called the Nomos-Swing-System offers interesting views of its interior and features attractive decorations. A plus is the extra-large numerals on the date display, made possible by a broad date ring that runs around the movement.
Score: 15

Rate Results (Max. 10 Points): The timing machine detected a very small gain of just 1 second per day, and the maximum deviation among several positions was 9 seconds, staying within acceptable limits.
Score: 8

Overall Value (Max. 10 Points): For a manufacture watch that’s built to take hard knocks, $4,660 is a reasonable price.
Score: 8

Total Score: 82 Points

This article is from the WatchTime Archives and was originally published in the January / February 2023 Issue. To subscribe to WatchTime Magazine, click here.

And to learn more, visit Nomos, here.