NOMOS Is Listening To Its Fanbase — Introducing the NOMOS Watch Club 36
NOMOS Glashütte is well known for its great designs at attainable price levels. Christopher Waluga, founder of the NOMOS Watch Club, set out to go one better on both of those qualities. And he succeeded. Introducing the NOMOS Watch Club 36 ref. 703.S4.
Fan input
The watch came about through a collaborative design process with NOMOS Watch Club, an online fan base of NOMOS owners and admirers. In a less direct process compared to the recent Airain, fans were asked for input on the design. The ideas were collected and formed the foundation for the design we see here.
The result is a very attractive watch carrying quite an apt name — Watch Club 36. It is based on the NOMOS Club, but it’s quite different in several aspects.
Bauhaus roots
NOMOS is strongly associated with the Bauhaus design philosophy to begin with. Waluga, however, is a trained architect and graduate of the Bauhaus Weimar University. He aimed to have the Bauhaus theme present here. An NWC Facebook group member suggested a red accent color inspired by sketches of Bauhaus master Annie Albers. The seconds hand, as well as the minute markings, are executed in this bright tone.
NOMOS Watch Club 36 — A new color-palette
The “Albers red” is not the only color change made to the NOMOS Club that is the base of this new watch. The dial is executed in a color Waluga describes as “sketch paper”. It is an attractive tone of off-white.
The Watch Club also differs from the regular Club in being the only version with a contrasting sub-dial. Like the numerals, it is executed in grayish olive green. This provides the watch with a very cool “cyclops panda” aesthetic. Both the sketch paper and olive green are quite subtle. I suspect that the watch will really come alive when handled in person, a pleasure I have unfortunately not had the chance to experience yet.
The aesthetic differences are not limited to color only. You will find the crown is signed NWC, for NOMOS Watch Club. There is also a “Special Edition Watch Club” marking on the case back.
NOMOS swing system
This special edition is powered by the brand’s in-house-manufactured Alpha caliber. However, most entry-level NOMOS watches are fitted with an externally sourced escapement. NOMOS went through the herculean task of developing its own escapement from scratch. It is called the NOMOS swing system, and the brand has been phasing it in since 2014.
The swing system, however, has not yet made it to the regular 36mm Club. To find it in this watch, then, is quite cool indeed.
Price and availability of the NOMOS Watch Club 36
Waluga also made a point of keeping this special edition accessible. In fact, it is a Bauhaus creed that good design should be accessible to anyone. The NOMOS Watch Club 36 comes in at €1,100. That is right about the same as the regular Club Campus models, but these have the sapphire case back and swing system. Kudos to NOMOS for not putting a big premium on this watch just for being a special edition.
The order window is open until June 12th, 2022. Anyone who submits an order before the 12th will get one. It can be ordered through the NOMOS Watch Club website.
