Handcraft in a stainless steel vault and extra-thick sapphire crystal glass: NOMOS Glashütte uses the best materials for its new Sport watches—and more than ever before. But why is that?
Stainless steel, sapphire crystal glass, brass, and rubies: NOMOS Glashütte has always placed a great deal of importance on using the best materials. And the brand’s sporty new models with bracelets, Tangente Sport and Club Sport, feature more of them than ever. The steel and glass in the cases are around 20 percent thicker in these watches—and the seals inside are thicker too. These models are water resistant to 1000 ft, which means they perform exceptionally on land as well. Outstanding robustness was the aim of our product designers and material experts—without compromising on elegance, of course.
Here is a short overview of the materials used to make these miniature vaults, which protect the fine Glashütte craftsmanship within so securely.
Only a diamond is harder: the sapphire crystal glass in Tangente Sport. It is around 20 percent thicker than in any other watch from the brand.
The dials and calibers of the new watches are protected by a thick layer of domed glass. More specifically: pure synthetic sapphire crystal glass, which has a hardness rating of nine out of ten on the Mohs scale, making it one of the hardest and most resilient materials in the world—as hard as sapphire, in fact. For the scientists among you: Made using the Verneuil (or flame-fusion) process, it is created by heating and subsequently crystallizing aluminum oxide (also called alumina). With an anti-reflective coating on both sides, this glass affords the best readability for the wearer and helps ensure that the watch can withstand great pressure.
The new watches are hermetically sealed—also thanks to their screw-down crown. When pulled out in Club Sport, the red hazard ring is revealed on the crown stem, which alerts the wearer to the fact that it is not screwed in fully.
The cases and bracelets of the new NOMOS Sport watches are made from surgical steel: type 316L stainless steel, to be exact. This means they are extremely long-lasting and resilient—and, of course, corrosion-resistant. Also used in surgical instruments, there are practically no known allergies to this material—which is important, since the watch is worn directly next to the skin.
The new stainless steel case was subject to a rigorous waterproofness test according to the “condensation principle.” The result? It withstands more than 30 bar, or the weight of a thoroughbred Arabian horse. Flying over the handlebars of a mountain bike, a rocky landing while kitesurfing—no problem, at least for the watch!
The new NOMOS Sport bracelet is robust, long-lasting—and fits every wrist , as the individual links can easily be added and removed.
The handmade Sport bracelet mentioned above is a true work of art: Featuring interlocking tongue and groove connections between the links, all the elements fit together seamlessly. This resilient bracelet brings noticeably more weight to the wrist, yet is still extremely comfortable to wear. NOMOS Glashütte sent the Sport bracelet to Switzerland for a series of exacting tests, which it passed with flying colors. Massive forces were exerted on the bracelet and its new stainless steel clasp in tens of thousands of stress cycles. Conclusion: This Glashütte beauty is indestructible.
PUBLICATION DATE: June 2019
TEXT: NOMOS Glashütte
IMAGES: 1.–4. NOMOS Glashütte/Holger Wens
