The New Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date Atlantic

Launched in 2013 as the German brand’s sportiest model, the Ahoi collection has always been something of a black sheep at Nomos. Loosely defined as an old-rounder sports watch, the Ahoi watch marries its robust 200m water-resistant case to the understated and elegant design of Nomos watches, elevating it from the burly dive watch category to a hybrid creation that is at ease in practically every context. While its water-resistance rating complies with ISO 6425 dive watch standards, Nomos does not refer to the Ahoi as a dive watch and casts aside conventional dive watch features like a rotating bezel and a thick case. A winning blend of resilience and impeccable German design, the Ahoi Atlantic 36mm and 40mm collection welcomes a third mid-size 38mm model with a beautiful dark blue dial.

As the sportiest watch in Nomos’ lineup, the case is rugged enough to tackle all terrains. Crown guards flank the screw-down crown, and the robust, cylindrical case ensures a more than respectable 200m depth rating. However, what sets the Ahoi apart from most sporty dive watches is its versatility. It’s unisex, stylish, and looks great indoors and outdoors, thanks to its elegant yet pragmatic design features. Perhaps a better way of understanding the Ahoi is to view it as a resilient everyday watch that happens to be water-resistant to depths associated with dive watches.

The mid-size Ahoi Neomatik 38 model joined the collection in 2023 and debuted with attractive Sand and Sky dials. The latest Ahoi 38 sails in with a lovely Atlantic dial inspired by the deep, dark blue depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic dial colour is not new and was featured on the Ahoi 36 and 40 Neomatik editions of 2022, along with some design tweaks to the dial, which are reflected in the new 38mm models. The rectangular hour markers, for example, are accentuated by a light green frame, and to improve legibility, the luminescence extends from the hour markers and hands to the Arabic numerals and baton markers.

The Nomos Ahoi case is polished throughout, giving the watch a more elegant, dressy vibe. Borrowing certain design features of the Tangente, the case of the Ahoi has a cylindrical profile, the lugs are narrow and angular, and the bezel is slim and unobtrusive. The case has a diameter of 38.5mm and a slim profile of 9.8mm with a closed caseback (ref. 518) and 9.9mm with a sapphire glass (ref. 528). To protect the mechanism from dust or water, the screw-down features a red warning ring around its stem as a reminder to screw it back down.

The dark blue Atlantic dial provides a powerful contrast to the elements on the dial. As mentioned, the luminous rectangles above the hour markers are now highlighted in green with sand-coloured Super-LumiNova interiors. The crisp white Arabic hour numerals, baton markers and white peripheral minutes track stand out perfectly against the dark blue background. They are treated with white Super-LumiNova, matching the hour and minute hands.

While date windows have their detractors, the large aperture at 3 o’clock is discreet with a dark blue background and white numerals for enhanced legibility. Recessed and decorated with snailing, the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock has a bright red hand. The brand name and Glashütte are also white, but the movement powering this watch – neomatik – is picked out in golden letters.

The in-house Neomatik automatic movement has a slim profile of just 3.6mm thanks to the placement of the date wheel around the movement and not on top of the movement. Produced entirely in-house, including the escapement, hairspring and balance (Nomos’ proprietary swing system), the DUW 6101 has a bidirectional winding rotor and a quick-set date function, meaning the date can be adjusted in both directions. The movement features the classic 3/4 Glashütte plate decorated with ribbing. The openworked rotor also features Glashütte ribbing, and there is perlage on the baseplate, blued screws and machined bevels.

The Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date Atlantic comes with a dark blue woven and waterproof textile strap and a polished steel buckle. If you prefer something different, the drilled holes in the lugs make swapping straps a cinch. The watch with a closed caseback retails for EUR 3,520, while the model with a sapphire back retails for EUR 3,820. For more information, please consult nomos-glashuette.com.