New Ice Blue Dials for the Nomos Metro Date Power Reserve and Neomatik 41 Update, Plus a Movement Upgrade

German product designer Mark Braun created the Metro family in 2014. Inspired by metro map signage and graphics, Braun injected well-calibrated doses of colour and city chic into the brand’s established Bauhaus design language. The inaugural Metro Date Power Reserve also marked a milestone for the brand, as the first model to debut the Nomos Swing System. This proprietary in-house escapement mechanism replaced outsourced components and established Nomos as a serious in-house movement maker. Adding a new colour to the metropolitan-inspired collection, Nomos presents two Metro models with ice blue dials: the Metro Neomatik 41 Update, which displays the entire month at a glance, and the iconic Metro Date Power Reserve, now powered by the latest generation of the brand’s hand-wound movement.

The Updated Metro Date Power Reserve

Braun’s design for the first Metro Date Power Reserve (ref. 1101) featured an asymmetric dial layout with a power reserve indicator between 12 and 1 o’clock and the Nomos logo at 9 o’clock. The highly graphic, metro-map-inspired dial elements were highlighted with colour, varying from model to model. Housed in a compact 37mm polished steel case with a slim height of 7.8mm, wire lugs and a thin bezel, the Metro Date Power Reserve was equipped with Nomos’ manual-winding DUW 4401 movement, the first to incorporate the brand’s Swing System escapement and an evolution of the Alpha calibre.

Made in-house at the brand’s manufacture in Glashütte, the Swing System escapement and regulating assembly – comprising the balance wheel, balance spring, escape wheel and pallet fork – allowed Nomos to control the most critical part of rate accuracy and reliability and join a small group of manufacturers capable of making their own escapements in series.

The new ice blue dial faithfully follows the inaugural model’s layout, with the power reserve and logo retaining their off-centred position, while the small seconds sub-dial and date sit in their customary 6 o’clock spot. Integrated into the main dial, the tri-colour power reserve wheel uses teal to indicate full, light blue to indicate neutral, and white to indicate low. The metallic ice blue dial repeats the colours with white minute dots between the grey Arabic numerals on the peripheral minutes track, teal dot hour markers, a light blue hand in the small seconds counter, and a white background for the date disc at 6 o’clock with grey numerals. The extremely slender and tapered hour and minute hands are rhodium-plated.

More than just a pretty face, the new Metro Date Power Reserve, with its ice blue dial, is powered by the new manual-winding calibre DUW 4701. Based on the DUW 4601 that debuted in the Tangente 2date, this next-generation thin manual-winding movement features a quick-set date function and a 52-hour power reserve. The new DUW 4701, measuring 32.1mm x 2.8mm, is slightly smaller and designed to drive the watch’s asymmetric displays. The porthole on the caseback reveals the movement, with sunbeam ribbing on the ¾ plate radiating from the regulating organ, perlage, golden engravings, temperature-blued screws, and a skeletonised balance cock that lets you see the bright blue Swing System hairspring.

For the record, there is also a silvery-white dial edition, similar to the first Metro but upgraded with the DUW 4701 movement.

Quick facts: 37mm x 8mm – stainless steel, polished – domed sapphire crystal over dial, sapphire glass back – 50m water-resistance – galvanised light blue metallic dial – tri-colour power reserve wheel (teal, light blue and white), grey Arabic numerals and white dots on peripheral minutes track, teal hour dots, recessed and snailed small seconds counter with light blue hand, date aperture at 6 o’clock, ultra-thin and tapered hour and minute hands – DUW 4701 in-house, manual-winding (base DUW 4601) – 32.1mm x 2.8mm – quick-set date – 52-hour power reserve  – hours, minutes, date, power reserve indicator and seconds (hacking) – black Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan leather strap – ref. 1121 – price to be confirmed

Metro Neomatik 41 Update

Introduced in 2021, the Nomos Metro Neomatik 41 Update is the largest and most visually dynamic Metro member, incorporating the brand’s patented peripheral ring date framed by two markers, a complication that first appeared on the Tangente in 2018, powered by calibre DUW 6101. Without losing its original metro map personality, the cut-out areas on the ring date dial act like a circular timetable or even a train track, with different stations (dates) marked by orange indicators.

The new ice-blue variant adopts a sleeker colour scheme, with two teal markers framing the current date on the outer ring, followed by small light-blue minute dots and grey Arabic numerals. The hour dots are white, with larger dots at 12, 3 and 9 o’clock, while the recessed and snailed small seconds sub-dial has blue markings and a light-blue hand. The needle-thin hour and minute hands are rhodium-plated.

The 40mm x 9.1mmm stainless steel case has wire lugs and a thin bezel that highlights the expanse of ice blue. Like earlier editions, the watch is powered by the in-house automatic (Neomatik) DUW 6101 with a slim height of 3.6mm, an integrated date complication, stop seconds and a power reserve of up to 50 hours. Decorative features include classic Glashütte ribbing on the ¾ plate, perlage, golden engravings and blue tempered screws.

Quick facts: 40.5mm x 9.1mm  – stainless steel, polished – domed sapphire crystal over dial, sapphire glass back – 50m water-resistance – galvanised light blue metallic dial – ring date with teal markers, minutes track with teal dots and grey Arabic numerals, white hour dots, recessed and snailed small seconds counter with light blue hand, ultra-thin and tapered hour and minute hands – DUW 6101 in-house, automatic – 32.5mm x 3.6mm  – patented and integrated date mechanism – 50-hour power reserve – hours, minutes, date and seconds (hacking) – ref. 1166 – grey woven textile strap – price to be confirmed

More information at nomos-glashuette.com.