Sunday Morning Showdown: Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39 Vs. Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026

Oh yes, indeed, it is already Sunday again! Time flies, doesn’t it? The one upside of life rushing by is that it is already time for another Sunday Morning Showdown, our weekly highlight. This week, Thomas and Daan throw two minimalist, design-first dress watches into the ring. Thomas puts forward the classic Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39. Daan, meanwhile, counters with the latest Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026.

Both watches lean into minimalist aesthetics, and both feature automatic calibers. The Nomos costs €3,180, while the Oris comes in at €3,800. So, which is the king of minimal? Let’s find out!

But first, last week’s results

As always, though, we commence with a review of last week’s results. Jorg and Mike pitted the Breitling Chronomat B01 Chronograph 42 against the Zenith Chronomaster Original. You watch-loving lot voted, and, boy, you were in harmonious agreement. The Zenith took the win with a whopping 75% of the votes.

Scrolling down to the comments to unearth your motivations, we saw a clear reflection of the numbers. The Zenith was deemed more historically significant, better proportioned, and more beautiful. It seems that it doesn’t really matter whether you prioritize design, wearability, horological prowess, or execution; the Zenith was favored across all categories.

Let’s see if today’s contestants are more closely matched. Take it away, boys!

Thomas: The Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39 over the Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026

Good morning, Fratelli! And good morning, Daan! Today’s battle should be interesting because these are two watches that you might consider slightly out of left field. That said, I think one of them can be considered highly influential, and that is the Nomos Tangente.

Why is it influential? Not because of originality, that’s for sure. Introduced in the early 1990s, the Tangente is a direct homage to 1940s watches by A. Lange & Söhne. Those watches stemmed directly from the Bauhaus school of design, and that’s where the significance lies. We have to consider the Nomos Tangente as a flag-bearer of sorts. It didn’t pioneer this design, but it carries it forward and represents it in a world that has since moved on.

Bauhaus is still massively influential, and you can even see it echoed in the Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition. If I were spending my money, I would rather have a watch that is truly part of that design heritage than one only loosely inspired by it.

The better proportions and ratios of the Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39

The above isn’t merely a matter of bragging rights. I think the Tangente is actually far superior in design, precisely because it follows a more specific design philosophy. Just look at the proportions and ratios, and you will catch my drift.

For starters, I will be the first to admit that both of today’s contenders are too large for the style. Luckily, you can also get smaller Tangente models, which we can’t say for the Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026. The crucial thing is that the Tangente has been scaled up with great attention to internal proportions. The watch works, and its design sings. The Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026, by comparison, looks a bit warped. The markers are too short and placed too far into the dial. Somehow, that still leaves too much negative space, which clashes with the minimal bezel width. Both the seconds hand and the hour hand are too short. Lastly, while this is a personal gripe, I don’t care much for novelty mascots, especially when they’re visible on the watch.

The Tangente, by comparison, is a masterclass in balance. You get visual hierarchy, clarity of lines, balanced internal ratios, and the overall feel of a well-considered, mature design. Okay, let me leave it at this. I just hope you don’t start comparing tech specs and calibers, Daan.

Daan: Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026

Well, this feels awkward. I actually own different versions of both of today’s contestants. The Oris Artelier Art Blakey was my first real splurge in the world of luxury watches.

With its 38mm case, it’s a bit smaller than today’s Hölstein version, and mine is powered by a Sellita-based movement instead of Oris’s caliber 401. However, the Hölstein Edition’s clean style, pebble-like shape, and overall feel very much remind me of my Art Blakey.

I also recently picked up a pre-owned Nomos Tangente Neomatik Platinum Gray in the smaller 35mm size from a Dutch watch forum. It’s now at Nomos for a service, but it should be with me in a few weeks. I was after a Nomos watch for quite a while, and I always thought it would be a Tetra. However, the Tangente is such a signature model for the brand, and when this platinum-dial version popped up, I couldn’t resist. So, both these brands are close to my heart, and I even own both models. But today, I guess I’ll be on Oris’s side.

Oris brings the smiles

I don’t know about you, but Oris is a “happy” brand to me. Whenever I look at Oris’s watches, they put a smile on my face. Think about the colorful ProPilot Kermit and Miss Piggy editions, the classic yet playful Big Crown Pointer Date Bullseye, and the popular Aquis with multiple creative dial options. But, of course, there are many more that look so sympathetic and can simply make you smile when you glance at them. I’m not saying that Nomos watches don’t make me happy. However, Oris does so in various styles, while Nomos very much stays within Bauhaus territory. There’s something to be said for both, but I think Oris scores points with the versatility of its portfolio.

The new Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026 also puts a smile on my face. The taupe dial with the mirror-polished sub-dial and the red sub-seconds hand are both clean and fun. Aside from the applied hour indexes, there are no other markers, making this a very minimal, almost Bauhaus-like dial design. That’s probably why some people in the comments thought it was a Nomos at first. Others feel Oris copied the German style too much. I think this minimalist dial is a bold move, and it pairs perfectly with the Artelier’s clean, pebble-shaped case.

Beefier specs

Alright, Thomas, let’s indeed take a better look at the specs here. Sure, the 39.5mm Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026 is indeed bigger. With an 11.1mm profile, it’s also substantially thicker than the 6.9mm-slim Nomos Tangente Neomatik. However, much of that thickness is due to the highly double-domed sapphire crystal on the Oris. Another reason the Oris is thicker, though, is the impressive caliber 401 inside. I say “impressive” because it has an ample power reserve of 120 hours, is accurate to between -3 and +5 seconds a day, and only needs servicing every 10 years. In addition, the watch is covered with a 10-year warranty, which is very convenient for such a newly developed movement.

The Nomos Tangente, on the other hand, features a DUW3001 automatic movement. This means you get a third of the power reserve, and your warranty is limited to two years. But let’s quickly go back to the dimensions. As you probably know, Nomos is known for its long lugs. The Tangente’s 38.5mm case has a 47.3mm lug-to-lug, while the Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026 has a 45.5mm “wingspan.” This means that even though the case is slightly bigger, this year’s Hölstein Edition probably wears slightly smaller.

Lastly, I see a lot of people wishing for an exhibition case back on the Oris. However, as the finishing on the caliber 401 is quite basic, I don’t mind the all-steel case back, especially with such a colorful bear on it instead. Besides, the mirror-polished case back can also be used as an on-the-go mirror.

Cast your vote!

So, there you have it — a Sunday Morning Showdown between two very clean watches. Will you go for the slightly leaner Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39, or are you on the side of the Oris Artelier Hölstein Edition 2026 with the beefier specs? Make sure to cast your vote, and let us know in the comments below why you voted the way you did.