Introducing the Nomos Tangente in Midnight Blue

Nomos has released a new variant of the Tangente, which they’re positioning as a holiday special of sorts, festive and perfect for gift giving. The brand had a similar release last year, using the Orion as a base for their stunning midnight blue dial. This season, they’ve moved on to the Tangente, perhaps the most well known Nomos design, and the whole package comes together really nicely.

Nomos Tangente Midnight Blue 

• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Dial: Midnight blue 
• Dimensions: 35 x 6.2mm & 37.5 x 6.7
• Crystal: Sapphire  
• Water Resistance: 3 atm  
• Crown: Push/pull   
• Movement: Alpha caliber
• Strap/bracelet: Velour leather 
• Price: $1900 (35mm with closed caseback), $2030 (38mm with closed case caseback)
• Reference Number: 132 & 166
• Expected Release: Available now 

What we have here are two Tangentes in different sizes and with slightly different characters. The larger of the two, the Tangente 38 (which actually measures 37.5mm), is very much the standard Nomos Tangente, but with their midnight blue dial. The typography and handset are silver, giving the watch, perhaps, a slightly more formal appearance. This is something that could easily be worn with a dark suit. The standard Tangente could as well, of course, but the darker tones and subtle bling give this one a bit of a different vibe.

Then we have the 35mm version. Now, I’m a fan of the larger Tangente. It’s a great size, and because of the nature of the way the lugs are constructed, it really does fit a variety of wrist sizes. But the 35mm is a sleeper hit. This is a size that often gets overlooked in the current marketplace, and Nomos themselves have marketed it as a unisex watch (which it absolutely is). But I’m here to tell you: guys with wrists of all sizes can pull this one off. Again, it’s the lugs. They’re long and straight, and take up enough wrist real estate to keep things looking proportional. And with a dial that’s expansive by design, all Tangentes wear bigger than the stated dimensions. Besides, as a dressier watch, it’s supposed to be small, discreet, and comfortable. Wrist presence is the opposite of what you’re after with this type of watch.

The best part of the 35mm version, though, is the use of gold highlights, as opposed to silver. Whereas the 38mm has a sleekness to it, the smaller version’s gold accents lend it a distinct warmth. Blue and gold are a natural combination (again, last year’s midnight blue Orions used gold accents to great effect), and Nomos, as is typical for the brand, have executed everything really well here. 

Powering the Tangentes seen here is the venerable Alpha caliber, Nomos’ hand wound, in-house movement. It’s certainly been said by many before me, but there’s a ton of value in this movement. The decoration is great for the money, and the Alpha has proven to be quite reliable over the years.

The Tangente is a really interesting design object, and means a lot to Nomos as a brand. You get the feeling that everything else in the catalog could be cancelled, but the Tangente will always be a part of Nomos — it truly is iconic in that sense. It’s always interesting to see what kinds of new spins they can put on it, and some of them work better than others. These editions, in midnight blue, work pretty well. Nomos

Thoughts on the new Nomos Tangente in midnight blue? Let us know by dropping a comment below.