NOMOS Glashütte is presenting Lux & Lambda

Transcendent timepieces

NOMOS Glashütte is presenting two uncompromisingly beautiful watches—high-end timepieces produced in very small numbers. With the designation “Deutsche Uhrenwerke NOMOS Glashütte”, the boutique watchmaking firm is underlining its status as a caliber manufacturer.

Glashütte, October 2013. NOMOS Glashütte is unveiling two new watches in October, in which both the attention to detail and the effort involved in production and watchmaking has been brought to perfection. Lux and Lambda are the names of the two new hand-wound models “Made in Glashütte, Germany”. These two exquisite watches will be available in white gold. The Lambda model also comes in rose gold—and with a dial that is silver-plated by granulation.

The timepieces, which will be produced in very small numbers, combine Glashütte fine watchmaking with NOMOS characteristics and simply timeless design. NOMOS General Manager Uwe Ahrendt, 44: “We wanted to create works of watchmaking art, individual pieces which demonstrate what we can do. Watches that will stay beautiful over decades to come— and with a value that will continue to grow.”

The Lambda model is round, while Lux has a classic Tonneau shape. The light-colored dials under the curved sapphire crystals are refined, understated and as fine as pencil drawings: the Lambda model is cream, while the Lux model comes in blue and off-white. The caliber side, which is visible in both cases through the generous back, is more refined than ever: featuring a swan neck fine adjustment, rhodium-plated three-quarter plate, edges angled and polished by hand, and fine sunbeam polishing, which is only to be found in this particular style at NOMOS Glashütte. As well as screwed gold chatons, a screw balance and hand-engraved balance cock that reads “Mit Liebe in Glashütte gefertigt” (lovingly produced in Glashütte).

The calibers at work within these flat watches are the fine hand-wound movements DUW 1001 (Lambda) and DUW 2002 (Lux). Constructed in-house in the NOMOS atelier, where they are also mounted and adjusted in six positions, equivalent to chronometer standards. DUW stands for “Deutsche Uhrenwerke NOMOS Glashütte”—a new name, with which the boutique watchmaking firm is presenting its credentials as a producer of in-house built move- ments to a wider audience. Thanks to the twin mainspring barrels, both DUW 1001 and DUW 2002 have a power reserve of 84 hours—in DUW 1001 this is shown sweeping across the dial, while Lux manages with only three hands.

The design of the watches has also been paid an exceptionally high degree of attention; a high quality team was engaged in the task over the course of three years. Designers from the Zurich-based Studio Hannes Wettstein drafted the flat and wrist-flattering gold case, while Prof. Axel Kufus, Michael Paul and the team from the NOMOS design office Berlinerblau in Berlin drew up the fine dials, hands, and the cambered straps from fine

Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan. The result: an elegance that does not have much to do with tradition, but all the same—or perhaps because of this—is classic, timeless.

The watchmaking company is therefore taking another significant step on its journey with these new watches. Since 1990, NOMOS has been building prize-winning timepieces in Glashütte, watches that have long been recognized as classics—namely Tangente, Tangomat, and Ahoi, Orion, Tetra, Ludwig, Zürich, and Club. Lux and Lambda with DUW 1001 and

DUW 2002 are now emblematic of this progression, which took place over the course of many years: the quintessence of those already firm favorites. Uwe Ahrendt explains this develop- ment: “Our watches until now have been from seventh heaven; Lux and Lambda are simply being produced a cloud higher. NOMOS Glashütte was ready for this.”

The two golden watches and their calibers will be presented to the public for the first time at Munichtime at the beginning of November—and sold from then onwards in selected retailers worldwide.

Lux Weißgold: Lux is Latin for light and luster—and is now the name of this wonderful new watch. With a hint of Berlin to it, this model may just be the boldest, most impressive watch in the new selection from NOMOS Glashütte. The dial is light blue, like the sky over the city on fair days, and graced with fine detailing on its white face. It is certainly not something that is going to go unnoticed, even in the blur of today’s fast-paced consumer world, and it is not a watch that you can forget in a hurry. Notable, above all, is the watch’s form: the Tourneau case flatters the wrist, giving the caliber plenty of room—and so more than measuring up to the more usual round form.

Lux Weißgold hell: This new NOMOS model presents not only the time—hour for hour—but also its wearer with a gentle, peaceful and sage air. And the harmonious face of this watch offers even more: a hint of what is hiding underneath. Experts believe that it can be counted among the very best of what is currently available under the designation “Glashütte”. A product distinct in both its value and honesty. And in its uniqueness: neither in Glashütte, nor in Switzerland is there anything that could come close to being compared to this watch. Which is rare indeed in the consumer world.

The Movement: DUW 2002: The twin mainspring barrels in DUW 2002 ensure that this watch only needs to be wound once every 84 hours, or twice a week. Further special features include the swan neck fine adjustment and the screw balance in the hand-engraved balance cock (which reads “Mit Liebe in Glashütte gefertigt”, meaning “lovingly produced in Glashütte”), the fine sunbeam polishing developed by NOMOS Glashütte and the five screwed gold chatons that, rather unusually, are positioned in a line across the movement: everything about this caliber radiates the joy with which it was constructed. And DUW? It stands for “Deutsche Uhrenwerke NOMOS Glashütte” and for the fact that this small, fine watchmaking company produces its own calibers. Such as this one, from the workshops of NOMOS Glashütte.

Lambda Roségold: In mathematics, the Greek letter Lambda is a symbol for intrinsic values. At NOMOS Glashütte, it is the name of a highly precise instrument, constructed according to the rules of science and those of the watchmaking craft in the NOMOS workshops. For all this logic and reason, it remains a timepiece that calls forth the highest emotions. In white gold or, as shown here, a tick warmer in rose gold: a fine choice between two watches, both exempli- fying handicraft of the very best kind.

Lambda Weißgold: Picture perfect—and the quintessence of what NOMOS Glashütte can do: the new model Lambda in white gold. Fine as if lightly drawn on hand-made paper and still more modern than anything else that has shown the time before; this is the harmonious effect of the numbers, indices, and lines, combining on the rounded silver-plated dial to create an instrument of the highest precision. Half a week, or precisely 84 hours, is how long this watch runs before rewinding is required, and the generous power reserve indicator displays the remaining time—down to the very hour, which is rare indeed.

The Movement: DUW 1001: Lambda’s caliber differentiates it in many ways from all other (equally fine) watches. The rubies of the movement, in which the staffs of the wheels turn, are held in polished gold chatons (18 karat), which are in turn screwed to the three-quarter plate with two or three blued screws. The edges of all the cocks and plates are angled and polished by hand. And the three-quarter plate is decorated with a stripe polish that catches the light beauti- fully, which is only to be found in this particular style at NOMOS Glashütte: the fine sunbeam polishing. Twin mainspring barrels ensure an extra power reserve—this extremely precise watch only requires winding twice a week. This is displayed on the dial side in the most aesthetically pleasing way: DUW 1001 has a 84-hour power reserve indicator.