Nomos Club Review
The Nomos Club collection that includes the Nomos Club Campus and Nomos Club Neomatik have been under the radar for some time but now they are making their way into the light. Nomos, being a German watchmaking organization, are known for their craftsmanship, minimalist designs, and in-house movements. During our research for our Nomos Club review we found, in our opinion, that the Club collection provides extreme horological value and a price point that doesn’t make sense (in a good way). We’ll get into specs, features, and pricing later in our Nomos Club review but first I think it’s important to start with why we are writing this article.
Recently I had an exclusive opportunity to get hands on with some very rare watches within the Nomos Club collection. This was not my first introduction to the Nomos brand but it was my first experience getting hands on with this niche brand. My knowledge of Nomos and the Nomos Club collection was very limited prior to this event. What I knew prior was that Nomos is a smaller brand and they make their own movements out of Germany. What I learned & saw next is what got me really excited as a watch enthusiast and it hardly had anything to do with the watch itself.
For a video review, discover our youtube video for our full hands on review of the Nomos Club Campus.
We’ve all had experiences in life where we just trust what others say or do because their conviction or confidence engulfs our own. When I sat down and went through some of the limited editions of the Nomos Club collection it was with a certified watchmaker. Now this isn’t the first time I’ve talked watches with a watchmaker but it was the first time that I saw one get enthralled with a watch like the one sitting across the table from me. There was something about Nomos and specifically the Nomos Club collection that got him excited. This fueled me to want to learn more.
In our Nomos Club review we’ll cover the in-house movements, colorful dials, case design, & the value that the Nomos Club watches provide to the market.
Nomos Neomatik & Other In-House Movements
Maybe the most impressive feature of not only the Nomos Club watches but all Nomos watches are their in-house movements, which all started with the Alpha Caliber. All Nomos Club watches are housed with in-house movements but not all are equal. As the brand has grown they have had the ability to invest into their product and they smartly put it where it matters, their movements. You’ll see on the Nomos website there are Neomatik versions of the Club collection. These watches are housed with the new mechanical movements which translates from German to English “New Automatic”.
The specific caliber in the Nomos Club Neomatik is DUW 3001. It’s not only special that an in-house caliber can be manufactured and sold at the price point Nomos provides but the movement is thoughtfully engineered. With a height of only 3.2 millimeters, accuracy ratings, and functional efficiency, this makes the DUW 3001 something truly special. Let’s dive into some of the specs.
- Movement: Automatic
- Height: 3.2mm
- Diameter: 28.8mm
- Power Reserve: 43hrs
- Jewels: 27
- Efficiency Rating: 94.2%
Colorful Dials
There is no doubt that Nomos wanted to make the Club collection youthful and fun. The best way to do that is have plenty of color options for the dials. If you are tradition or a minimalist Nomos enthusiasts, the Nomos Club Campus and Neomatik references still come with the basic white and black so don’t worry!
What I really appreciate about these dials is that they are executed to perfection. It’s obvious once you take a look at the entire collection, the colors where thoughtfully chosen and blend perfectly with the watch’s design and the target audience who will be buying them.
Personally, my favorite is the Nomos Club Brinkers 48 Limited Edition.
Case
If you are a fan of smaller to mid size watches, you’ll be a fan of the Nomos Club. The sizes that these watches are produced in vary but scale up nicely from smaller wrists to even larger. The following case diameter are the following; 36mm, 37mm, 38mm, 41.5mm, and 42mm. Although case sizes go up to 42mm, most are produced at the 38mm size.
All Nomos Club watches come with a thing smooth bezel that are finely polished except for one. The Brinkers 48 Nomos Club limited edition case has a sand blasted finish which is both amazing and really cool. If you haven’t figured it out yet, the watch that I got hands on with was the Brinkers 48 limited edition. The design of the watch, quality of the manufacturing, and the excitement of the watchmaker is what lead us to write this Nomos Club review.
3 Things You Should Know About Nomos Club Watches
Possibly The Best Value For Entry Level Luxury Watches
Let’s point out what this watch provides and then touch on it’s price point.
- Quality in-house movements
- Excellent finishings
- Unique designs
- Manufactured by German watchmakers
- High degree of quality and control
- Global manufacture support
Now combine all those into a watch that cost roughly $3,000 and you’ll get the Nomos Club Neomatik and the Nomos Club Campus for roughly $1,500. That is an amazing package priced at the entry level watch price point. It wouldn’t be hard to point to larger more established brands that are selling watches for 4x that amount that do not even house their own movement (which is inferior to the DUW 3001.
Today I’m not going to make the case to go upstream with these watches, even though the case can be made for them. Instead I want you to focus on what the Nomos Club watches bring to the table against other entry level luxury watches. Pound for pound or part for part it will be pretty difficult to find a better alternative. This is the reason why I believe Nomos is quickly getting the attention of many first time luxury watch buyers. These groups either see the monetary value in the Nomos Club collection or the horological value that this watch brings the the table.
Watch Enthusiasts Are Getting Into The Brand & The Collection
The reason why experienced watch buyers and enthusiasts are supports of the Nomos Club collection and the brand overall is because of the horological value that these watches provide. To many, price doesn’t control the value and appreciation of a watch. If this person sees watch A that sells for 2x as much as the Nomos Club but doesn’t match up horologically, well watch A isn’t getting purchased even though the buyer has the money. From my research on forums and comments across the internet, it appears many buyers are lured to Nomos for this reason. It’s price point is just bonus points, they are really interested in it’s quality, manufacturing, and horological expertise.
This Collection Is Perfect For Limited Editions
The range and versatility of this collection is immense. Already Nomos Club watches come standard with a wide variety of different dial colors, numerals, straps, and case sizes. With these many variable comes with almost limitless opportunities to create limited edition Nomos Club watches that users are sure to enjoy and be part of an exclusive group.
Nomos Club Pricing & Availability
What makes Nomos watches special is that they combine both engineering quality and design at a price point that doesn’t make sense. You can purchase watches within the Nomos Club collections starting at $1,500 and all the way up to $4,060. The Nomos Club Campus watches are priced in the $1,500 tier and the Nomos Club Neomatik are priced at $3,160.
These watches are readily available to purchase except the limited edition reference I got hands on with. There were only 50 pieces produced, which have all been sold. Traditionally the Nomos Club collections sells at a discount pre-owned but the Brinkers 48 Limited Edition can be seen being sold for over MSRP online.
