Nomos Celebrates Individuality With 31 Special Editions Of The Tangente 38 Date

The definition of an icon is someone or something that is a representative symbol. In watchmaking, we often tout specific models as being iconic, and the term fits perfectly well most of the time. It’s often referred to as a poster-type watch for an entire brand, a specific style of design, or a genre of watches. Icons are generally left untouched for prolonged periods of time, and even if they’re updated, changes are only incremental. From the Easter parts of Germany comes a relatively young watchmaking icon, even though it has already been in production for over 30 years. Built by Nomos, the Tangente has become a cornerstone model for the brand, and to celebrate, it gets a serious splash of colour, or rather 31 splashes of colour!

From the outside, the Tangente has remained virtually unchanged from the initial design when it was released over three decades ago. It was part of the quarter of watches that launched Nomos as a brand back in 1994. Several sizes are available in the regular Tangente collection, but for this series of limited editions, Nomos has selected the Tangente 38 Date as its canvas. It still has that simple yet endearing design, with a compact 37.5mm diameter (rounded up to 38) and a slim 6.98mm profile. The integration of a date indication gives more opportunities to play around with colour, so it makes perfect sense to go for this one if you’re looking to add some pop.

The “Chili”

The “Delfin”

Attending Watches & Wonders for the first time, Nomos brings not one or two, but rather thirty-one limited edition models of its iconic Tangente to the table. In a celebration of colours and individuality, Nomos has put together a wide range of combinations in the emblematic Tangente design. The minute track, the main dial, the recessed and snailed small-seconds subdial and the date all show a touch of colour one way or another. The combinations range from multi-colours styles such as the Sportbund, with a distinctly 1970s vibe, to the blue-and-sand Delfin or the vibrant Chili (see above). Some are quite strong, others are more subtle, but each one is unique in its own right. See the image below to get an idea of the entire spectrum of colours available;

Now, we can go on and on about all 31 colour schemes but there are also a few words to be said about the mechanical side of things. The Tangente 38 Date has always come equipped with the in-house-made Calibre DUW 4101. This very slender movement, which puts the date wheel on the outside of the movement instead of on top of it, is wound by hand and visible through the back. It runs at a rate of 21,600vph and provides up to 42 hours of power reserve when fully wound. The finishing is what we know of Nomos, with Glashütte ribbing, perlage, blued screws and so on.

Surprisingly, Nomos has decided to price this range of brightly coloured Tangente 38 Date editions a bit lower than the regular Tangente 38 Date. Each one will be limited to 175 pieces only, connecting it to the more than 175 years of watchmaking in Glashütte, and they will all retail for EUR 1,925 (versus EUR 2,320) a piece. For this, a sapphire crystal caseback is standard (while for most Nomos watches this is a premium option) and the watch comes on a 19mm wide textile strap with a Nomos folding clasp. So, which of the 31 colour combinations has caught your eye?

For more information, please visit Nomos-Glashuette.com.