« Bigger, thinner, more automatic than ever »
The Nomos watch manufacture from Glashütte in Saxony is known for the clean, timelessly modern design of its watches. This penchant for reducing things to the essentials is most evident in the Nomos Orion line, which recently ventured into new dimensions with a new automatic movement and a larger diameter. In this article, we take a look at this special watch collection for everyone who loves clean lines and simple forms. We also compare: Nomos Orion 35 vs 38
A Classic
The first models bearing the name Nomos Glashütte Orion were introduced back in 1992, making this line one of the brand's oldest. As such, it has been part of the company's identity for many years and has become an indispensable part of its lineup. The manufacturer itself says that with these watches it "took leaving things out to the extreme," designing them even more rigorously and clearly than any of its other models. Their defining features are the sweeping curve of the round case and the domed crystal.
Both recall classic men's wristwatches of the 1950s and 1960s, yet look entirely timeless. These dress watches deliberately follow the design tradition of the Werkbund and Bauhaus, and their lines appear especially clean while also soft. They are as pleasing to the eye as they are comfortable on the wrist, lending the dress watch a truly exceptional, understated elegance. This is further emphasized by the modest dimensions.
For a long time, the Nomos Glashütte Orion was offered in three versions with case diameters of 33, 35, and 38 millimeters, and only recently was a 39-millimeter version added. Even the larger men's versions at 38 mm and 39 mm therefore have relatively moderate dimensions. As with its other lines, however, the manufacture places no importance on explicitly dividing its watches into women's and men's models, instead organizing its range simply into model families and series.
This makes particular sense given that the pared-down, sober design makes each model an ideal unisex watch. Couples can either buy exactly the same model as matching watches or wear two versions that differ by just a few millimeters in diameter but otherwise look completely identical and share the same movement. In the 35 vs 38 mm comparison, the Alpha caliber is found depending on the complications
The Dial Design of the Orion 35 vs 38 mm Through the Years
The design of the dial, whether 35 or 38 mm, has changed only minimally over the years. Its most common color is probably white. The model is also offered with a black or anthracite, silver, rosé, or champagne dial.
Simple baton indices for hours and minutes, slender hour and minute hands, and a small seconds at six define the look. The domed sapphire crystal and plain stainless steel caseback complete the impression of every 35 vs 38 mm watch, free of any unnecessary addition or distraction.
Among the minimal changes that can give collectors and experts, for example, important clues for dating vintage pieces is the index for six, which was replaced by a small dot in 2004.
Since Nomos Glashütte began fitting its own movements instead of modified ETA calibers in 2005, the name on the dials has also appeared slightly larger.
Since then, the traditional suffix "SA" for "Sachsen" (Saxony) has been dropped after the place name "Glashütte," while the word "Germany" was added beneath the dot index at six. Because the stainless steel casebacks are mostly smooth and bear relatively little information, such as the logo, place of origin, and serial number, there is plenty of room for a monogram, a dedication, or another personal engraving.
Over the 25 years of its existence, the line has occasionally been enriched with limited special editions. In 2017, for example, a special edition limited to 100 pieces was launched to mark the centenary of the Dutch artists' and designers' group De Stijl. In 2009, Glashütte had commemorated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in a particularly original way:
For the occasion, a special edition of the Orion limited to a total of 400 pieces was presented, with twenty dial variants in as many shades of gray, 20 pieces of each.
The different shades of gray were meant as an allusion to the varying degrees of weathering of the Berlin Wall over time.
The Technology: From Hand-Wound Classic to Automatic Highlight
Notably, the Nomos Orion was produced for years with manual winding only. This allows for thin movements and a thin watch overall. As a result, even the 35 or 38-millimeter version has a case height of less than nine millimeters. Besides its understated elegance, the especially thin case makes the Orion the perfect dress watch, slipping easily under a shirt cuff and pairing well with any kind of formal, elegant attire.
Since 2005, the manufacture's masterpieces have been powered mainly by the in-house Alpha caliber, the brand's first in-house development and now a highly acclaimed classic. A 35 vs 38 mm movement comparison is therefore unnecessary, as the same Alpha caliber is found in each watch. It is hand-wound and stands out for its robustness as well as its high reliability and accuracy. The movement is just 2.6 millimeters thick, with a diameter of 23.3 millimeters. Fully wound, it offers a power reserve of 43 hours. With the development of the automatic caliber DUW 3001, the engineers and watchmakers from Glashütte achieved a technical sensation.
Despite its automatic winding, it is extremely thin. A height of only 3.2 millimeters and a diameter of 28.8 millimeters allow the Orion automatic to be made almost as thin as its hand-wound sister models. At 38.5 millimeters in diameter, it is only slightly larger, too. These watches can be recognized by the additional "neomatik" lettering on the dial. Their caseback also differs from the rest of the collection: instead of the plain steel caseback, a sapphire crystal caseback has been fitted, offering a view of the fascinating ultra-thin movement.
Nomos at Work – The Elegant Watch for the Office, Law Firm, or Practice
Within the overall range, the spectacular Orion neomatik belongs to the Nomos at Work series. With this model, the Glashütte manufacture primarily aims to appeal to those who spend most of their day in an office, law firm, or medical practice and value an appearance that is as professional as it is modern. If, however, you find the rigorous dial design with baton indices only a touch too austere and are looking for an alternative, the Metro neomatik, also part of the Nomos at Work series, is worth considering. It is likewise equipped with the high-end caliber DUW 3001 and is limited to the three core functions of hours, minutes, and small seconds.
Unlike the Orion, whether 35 or 38 mm, however, it features a few subtle details and touches of color that make it look a little less sober without becoming playful. These include the colored dot indices at three, nine, and twelve, as well as the colored small seconds hand at six o'clock. The minute track here also consists of small dots, replaced at five-minute intervals by numerals from 05 to 60. Another difference lies in the design of the hour and minute hands, which, seen from the center, taper noticeably after about two-thirds of their length and end in very fine, thin tips.
