Latest Review
June 15, 2021 
The devil, as they say, is in the details. In engineering a clean, contemporary sense of style, every detail matters. German watch manufacturer, NOMOS, have proven themselves masters at maintaining a perfect balance between form and function by way of enticing details. Nowhere is this more evident than the new Metro neomatik 41 Update. Join us as we elevate urban exploration with this simple addition to the wardrobe.
The neomatik 41 Update resides within the iconic Metro family of watches from NOMOS. The Metro family ushers Glashütte watchmaking toward the future, with sophistication, precision, and a flair for style. These are trendsetting watches that articulate the NOMOS ethos with a deft hand. It’s the perfect home for the expressive neomatik 41 Update.
The Watch
The Metro neomatik 41 Update is deceptively simple, and undeniably charming. There are details you notice, and there are details you discover, and this Metro has both in spades. From the sophisticated color palette, to the sparse layout of the dial, this watch embodies the NOMOS visual identity and adds a creative layer of complexity all while increasing practicality. This is a time and date watch, representing the hours and minutes via the centrally mounted hands, the running seconds in a subsidiary dial, and finally the date, which is pushed to the periphery and represented in a burst of color to serve as the main conceit.
The 41mm case fades into the background thanks to the minimal bezel and wire lug design, placing all emphasis on the canvas of the dial. Slender syringe hands track against a series of dots that appear in varying weights to represent the hours and minutes. The cardinal hours receive slightly larger dots, but are rendered in a lighter shade of grey to balance out their size against the smaller hour markers. This seemingly random detail is a discovery sure to bring a smile to your face upon reflection, and will remain with you with each glance at the time.
Sitting between the poetic hour markers and the minute track sit sans-serif Arabic numerals counting off each 5 minute segment. Proportions here are again kept in check, appearing in scale to their relative importance to the function of the watch. They are simple, beautiful, and easy to understand all while never calling too much attention to themselves. They guard the date ring which is represented by a series of pill shaped apertures running the perimeter of the dial, leaving a pair of bright orange signifiers to frame the date, and bring a sense of levity to the design as a whole.
A watch is nothing if not practical, and here, the Metro neomatik 41 Update is up to the task. It is easy to use when you need it, but never interferes with free and easy motion. Blending style with functionality intelligently and effectively. Just how intelligently? That all comes down to the ingenious movement powering the watch.
The Movement
Creating the movement which powers the Metro neomatik 41 Update required a solution that prioritized wearability, practicality, and of course, visual continuity. The NOMOS caliber DUW 6101 was engineered to meet exactly these demands, and its designer, Theodor Prenzel was up for the challenge.
The DUW 6101 comprises 188 parts, including a brilliant quick-set date mechanism, and yet measures a remarkably slim 3.6mm in height. How was this possible? As Mr. Prenzel explains: “We redesigned the winding system from start to finish as well. And to save space, we let the double click gear, duplex wheel, and rotor intermediate wheel take over the function of the stopwork.” The design allows the fully assembled watch to measure just 9.1mm in thickness, making for an elegant, and effortless wearing experience.
The date mechanism is a truly special execution of something we often take for granted. The date can be set via the crown both forward and backward. The mechanism also contains Mr. Prenzel’s favorite components of the movement, “The program disk, a triangle with rounded edges. It allows us to save a great deal of space within the caliber; we could place a smaller date wheel at ten o’clock. It only changes the date forward once a day, but it turns four times within 24 hours. Thanks to this disk, there is a program at the heart of this watch that will never need an update—as it’s completely mechanical.”
Elsewhere, the DUW 6101 ensures precision through the NOMOS swing system, a proprietary escapement featuring a tempered blue balance spring. The balance is the heart of the movement, but the plates and bridges have been beautifully and thoughtfully finished with wide pearlage, blued screws, red rubies, and embossed gold lettering. Thankfully, it’s on full display through the open caseback.
In total, the DUW 6101 offers much to appreciate, without ever feeling overwhelmed or needlessly complex. “This has never existed before.” Says NOMOS CEO (himself an engineer); “Perhaps at first glance one sees simply a new caliber with a date function. But take a second look and you realize that this innovation surpasses anything else available on the market”.
The Look
Inspired by the clean lines, subtle tones, and pops of personality, the NOMOS Metro neotmatic 41 Update pairs perfectly with this look provided by San Francisco based Taylor Stitch. These are modern clothes made to look as good as they perform. Like the NOMOS, the form is aided by the function, and the two live in perfect harmony here.
The Metro neomatik 41 Update has the unique ability to elevate a well organized outfit, and is practical enough to span from formal to informal with ease. Living and working in Brooklyn, such a skill is essential, and it’s here that the NOMOS design language and philosophy truly comes to life. Put it to work for yourself by visiting NOMOS and their Metro collection.
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