Choose Your Own Modernist Adventure: The NOMOS Glashütte Club Sport Neomatik

Full disclosure: I am a big fan of NOMOS Glashütte’s glorious celebration of minimalist, Bauhaus-inspired watch design. But I’ve always viewed its work as particularly singular: An exquisite rendition of a watch model that generally stands alone.

However, some of its latest offerings (the Club Sport neomatik) in one of the brand’s most accessible collections (the Club) create a sub-collection that, pardon the used car salesman lingo, is loaded with options.
 

There is no denying the Club Sport neomatik models have a broad (and, dare I say, a particularly American) appeal: They all share a stripped-down index font and single hash approach that is at once artful and legible. They all have a signature small seconds indicator at 6 o’clock with a perfectly balanced mix of numerals and hash lines. Their use of dial real estate redefines the word “clean.” And, of course, they have a broadly appealing steel case on an integrated steel bracelet, which justifies their “Sport” designation.

So, let’s take a look at how the watchmaker has leaned into color and size to present some enviable options for watch fans.

Saying that this watch is “blue” is a fairly inadequate description of the azure hue of the 42mm Club Sport neomatik 42 date blue’s (Ref. 782) dial. While there is a certain portion of blue darkness to the dial color, the actual execution and sunburst finish result in an uncannily light, vibrant, and even refreshing color that goes beyond your “typical” blue-dialed timepiece.

The largest of the trio detailed here, this timepiece, with its 42mm diameter, accommodates a bit more detail than its siblings. For instance, it has a highly legible date window at 3 o’clock and a special “1000 ft” badge under the small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock to indicate this model’s increased water resistance (30 ATM).
 

While each watch in the trio here carries solid water resistance, since this timepiece’s 30 ATM rating is appropriate for diving, you might be more tempted than usual to put this watch’s depth factor to the test. However, between its shimmering steel-on-steel approach and glorious dial hue, I suspect the Club Sport neomatik 42 date blue will become more of the perfect poolside companion than the others.

After all, when I look at this timepiece, I picture water beading off the crystal, case, and integrated bracelet as a hand hangs lazily over the edge of the pool with a tasty tropical drink in its grip.
 

Powered by the robust in-house designed DUW 6101 movement, the Club Sport neomatik 42 date blue, which retails for $3,960, has an overall case thickness of a slim 10.2mm.

Clocking in with a case diameter of 39.5mm, the Club Sport neomatik 39 ember (Ref. 761) is the second largest of the trio we’re exploring today. However, powered, as it is, by the NOMOS automatic DUW 3001 calibre with its propriety “swing system” escapement, this timepiece’s dial real estate remains as harmonious and pleasing as any of the other options. Plus, at only 8.4mm thick, this piece is also quite thin.

But let’s talk about its dial color, which is a galvanized and sunburst polished gold-copper-bronze hue NOMOS has dubbed “ember.”
 

In the hands of a less careful watchmaker, this color could easily result in an overly brown with a dark presentation. However, thanks to NOMOS’ skilled artisans, the Club Sport neomatik 39 ember’s dial comes across as very light and airy, a perfect enhancement to the fundamentally reduced design DNA of the watchmaker. Moreover, the color doesn’t obscure the dial’s furnishing as much as it lets them float toward the eye.

Water resistant to 20 ATM, this timepiece retails for $3,310.

Leave it to a cool watch brand like NOMOS Glashütte to give such a cool name to a watch with a green dial hue that is so cool and unusual. The 37mm Club Sport neomatik petrol (Ref. 745), also powered by the DUW 3001, was crafted to have a modern thinness (it’s only 8.3mm thick) but a vintage-inspired case size (37mm) while also losing not a whit of dial’s design balance at that size.
 

Again, the dial color is the star of the show. Most brands might develop a similar dial hue more along the lines of “seafoam” green and, therefore, peg the watch to a more maritime vibe. However, the Club Sport neomatik petrol (which retails for $3,150) carries 20 ATM of water resistance, thus delivering a one-two punch of an interesting dial color and a dynamic color name that evokes power and motion, more generally, not necessarily those found only on the water.
 

It is a concept perfectly in sync with a NOMOS-designed “sport” watch. To learn about all the Club Sport neomatiks and NOMOS Glashütte’s other offerings, visit the brand’s website.

(Photography by Watchonista)