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Since the brand’s founding in 1992, NOMOS Glashütte has been revered among collectors for its devotion to clean, minimalist German Bauhaus design and exceptional quality. Although each NOMOS Glashütte timepiece begins with the same design principles, the marque has created a wide variety of styles and personalities each with their own distinctive charm. There are perhaps no better examples of this than the Tangente Midnight Blue, Orion Olive Gold, and the Ludwig Reference 201. This diverse trio perfectly illustrates the classical, modernist, and eclectic sides of the brand, all while remaining unmistakably NOMOS Glashütte.
While the Tangente, Orion, and Ludwig all begin with a stainless steel case, the similarities end there. For the Orion Olive Gold, long tapering wedge lugs offer a more traditional dress watch profile, while the 41 mm case diameter and wraparound lug curve ensure a look that is equal parts boldly contemporary and effortlessly comfortable on a wide range of wrist sizes.
The Tangente Midnight Blue, however, begins with a 35 mm case design that has been at the heart of NOMOS Glashütte since the brand’s inception. Every element is pared down to its basic form, and perfected in true NOMOS Glasütte style. The straight lugs with their characteristic kink are a perfect example of this, allowing the case to comfortably hug the wearer’s wrist while remaining simple, geometric and perfectly proportioned. While at first glance the 35 mm case of the Ludwig Reference 201 might look identical to the Tangente, it is in the fine details that the Ludwig develops a classical personality of its own. The crown at 3 o’clock receives a small tapering flourish, calling to mind the ornate dress watch crown designs of yesteryear, while the elemental straight lugs without that signature kink offer a more understated and traditional profile.
Likewise, the dials of the Tangente Midnight Blue, Orion Olive Gold, and Ludwig Reference 201 all share the same elemental NOMOS Glashütte DNA but interpret those common threads with dramatically different results. The Ludwig Reference 201 continues its classical inspiration here, offering a very traditional twist on the Bauhaus style. The thin, airy printed Roman numerals include the classic “watchmaker’s four” at 4 o’clock, a clean and balanced element that keeps this simple dial design harmonious. The other great traditional touch here is the inclusion of a tempered blue treatment for the simple stick hands. While blued hands have been sought after in traditional watch design for centuries, the blending of this timeless element with NOMOS Glashütte’s crisp modern design results in a refreshing and distinctive pairing.
The dial of the Tangente Midnight Blue, however, takes a more thoroughly modernist approach. While still refined and understated, the combination of deep blue with the gold accents of the hands and printed Arabic numerals provides a handsome and dramatic interplay of color that feels bolder than the traditional white dial.