The independent German firm that reinvented Glashütte after 1990 arrives at ORELO for the first time with an 18-karat gold dress watch featuring a black dial.
In January 1990, two months after the Berlin Wall fell, a photographer from Düsseldorf with no watchmaking background decided to found a watch manufacture in Glashütte, the Saxon town where German precision watchmaking was born. His name was Roland Schwertner, and the company he started, NOMOS Glashütte, remains one of the few truly independent manufactures in German watchmaking: neither A. Lange & Söhne, owned by Richemont, nor Glashütte Original, owned by the Swatch Group, can say the same. NOMOS has built its own calibers in-house since 2005 and is known for a minimalist, Bauhaus-rooted design language that sets it apart from its neighbors down the street. This is the first time ORELO covers the brand, and it happens with its latest release: the Orion gold neomatik new black, a new 18-karat gold version with a black dial that joins the existing variants in the collection.
Technical Specs
| Reference | 350 |
| Case | Solid 18-karat yellow gold; 36.4mm diameter x 8.5mm thick x 45mm lug-to-lug; solid gold crown; tripartite case |
| Crystal | Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the inner side |
| Caseback | Sapphire, movement visible |
| Water resistance | 3 atm, splash-proof; not suitable for swimming or diving |
| Dial | Black, galvanized; gold indexes and hands; small seconds integrated flush into the dial rather than recessed |
| Strap | Genuine Horween Shell Cordovan in black, remborde construction, 18mm lug width |
| Caliber | DUW 3001, in-house automatic caliber, with NOMOS's own swing system escapement |
| Movement dimensions | 28.8mm (12 ¾ lines) diameter x 3.2mm thick; 37 jewels |
| Frequency | 21,600 vph (3 Hz) |
| Power reserve | Up to 43 hours |
| Price | €12,600 in Spain (VAT included); $16,400 USD in the US (duties included) |
| Availability | Direct purchase at nomos-glashuette.com in Spain and the United States. |
Design Analysis
The Orion is NOMOS's most formal line, and this version pushes that character to its limit: a solid gold case, a gold crown, and a galvanized black dial with gold indexes and hands. The contrast between the warm metal and the deep black is what carries the entire design, with nothing else competing for attention. The small seconds at six o'clock sits flush with the dial rather than recessed into it, preserving the sense of open space the collection is known for.
The 3 atm water resistance confirms what the design already makes obvious: this watch isn't built for water, it's built for a wrist in a suit. The 8.5mm height, notable for an automatic watch, comes from the thin movement inside, not from any compromise in the case.
Gold isn't the only way into this design language, either: the same silhouette and black galvanized dial exist in steel on the Orion neomatik new black (ref. 396), with the same DUW 3001 caliber and the same case dimensions, at €3,440 in Spain and $4,410 in the US. The Orion 38 (ref. 384), hand-wound with a white dial, opens the collection at €2,340.
Movement Analysis
The DUW 3001 is one of the thinnest automatic calibers made by any German manufacture: 3.2mm thick, developed and produced entirely in Glashütte. It's also what makes it possible for the Orion gold neomatik to measure just 8.5mm in height despite carrying a self-winding rotor. The movement uses the swing system, the proprietary escapement NOMOS developed to avoid relying on Swiss patents, with a silicon escape wheel and pallet fork. The power reserve reaches up to 43 hours, enough to sit through a weekend without winding, though below the 60 to 80 hours already offered by entry-level calibers from other manufactures. It has no date and no other complication: just hours, minutes, and small seconds, the minimum a classic dress watch needs.
Availability in our region
In Europe, NOMOS sells this watch directly through its official online store for €12,600 (VAT included, with delivery in two to five business days) or via authorized retailers. In the United States, the price on the official website is $16,400, with duties already included. There is no official NOMOS online store for Mexico, Colombia, or Argentina; the most reliable way to purchase the watch in this region is to contact an authorized retailer using the brand's store locator, available on its website, nomos-glashuette.com
The verdict from ORELO
The Orion gold neomatik new black does not compete on the basis of complications; instead, it competes through its proportions, featuring a minimalist style that also lends it a highly understated elegance. NOMOS demonstrates that it is possible to craft a gold watch without it appearing ostentatious—a feat few manufacturers achieve at this price point. The limited power reserve and minimal water resistance are the trade-offs for that slim profile.
It represents a solid commitment from a manufacture that built its independence on in-house movements and a recognizable visual language, and offers a legitimate reason for Spanish-speaking buyers to start mentioning NOMOS in the same breath as the best-known European manufactures.
