{"id":26581,"date":"2021-01-07T21:01:31","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T21:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/nomos-glashutte-ludwig-duo-and-ludwig-38-enamel-white\/"},"modified":"2021-11-26T15:16:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-26T15:16:42","slug":"nomos-glashuette-ludwig-duo-and-ludwig-38-enamel-white","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/nomos-glashuette-ludwig-duo-and-ludwig-38-enamel-white\/","title":{"rendered":"The NOMOS Glash\u00fctte Ludwig Duo and Ludwig 38 enamel white"},"content":{"rendered":"

It seems NOMOS Glash\u00fctte<\/strong> has somewhat gone back to its roots this year by bringing their original in-house and hand-wound collections to new heights. With Saxon watchmaking celebrating 175 years<\/strong> in 2020<\/strong>, Lambda<\/strong> and Ludwig<\/strong> are hitting the spot like never before, and their latest releases are the most refined Lambda<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and Ludwig<\/strong>, respectively, in a generation. The headline news is that enameled dials are becoming mainstream at the brand\u2019s workshop in Glash\u00fctte<\/strong>. The Lambda<\/strong> and Ludwig<\/strong> anniversary collections have sold out in a blink of an eye; I foresee, therefore, more timepieces to adopt such a technique soon.<\/p>\n

\"nomos-glashuette-ludwig-enamel-white-8\"The last in a row are the Ludwig Duo<\/strong> and the Ludwig 38<\/strong> pictured here. Among them, the Ludwig Duo<\/strong> is the first NOMOS<\/strong> watch for her to combine a small hand-wound mechanical watch with a white enameled dial. Conversely, let\u2019s expect the neomatik-powered products to close the gap sometime soon. When looking for a quintessentially classic wristwatch, a manually wound timepiece is unquestionably a collector\u2019s choice. However, if you\u2019re opting for a Lambda<\/strong>, whose power reserve is an outrageous 84 hours<\/strong>, you\u2019re winning hands down against most self-winding siblings. Also, an enameled dial adds that kind of subtle refinement you won\u2019t necessarily find on any self-winding NOMOS<\/strong> counterpart so far, automatic Ludwig 175<\/strong><\/span><\/a> excluded, making the package more compelling from an enthusiast\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n

\"nomos-glashuette-ludwig-enamel-white-6\"NOMOS Glash\u00fctte<\/strong>\u2018s enameling technique is as minimalistic as its Bauhaus-inspired design; the color palette is so pure, and the multi-layer application so precise, with a meticulous cleaning process between one layer application and the following one, that the outcome is a flawless dial. The former looks flat and less glossy than anywhere else; you usually need a close-up to recognize one from the other. The Ludwig Duo<\/strong>, whose name states this is a two-hand timepiece, measures 33 millimeters<\/strong> across while the Ludwig 38<\/strong> adds a small, slightly recessed, seconds counter at six.<\/p>\n

\"nomos-glashuette-ludwig-enamel-white-4\"To sum it up, they are similar in specs and features, while they\u2019re geared towards different audiences. The Ludwig Duo<\/strong> is by no means a ladies\u2019 watch unless you have a very tiny wrist; the Ludwig 38<\/strong> (37,5 mil across) is for him and her, also, at least on paper. They house the exquisitely finished Alpha<\/strong> hand-wound movement, the most widely used NOMOS<\/strong> caliber ever and one of the first to be developed when the manufacture started operations in<\/strong> 1990<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"nomos-glashuette-ludwig-enamel-white-2\"It is a reminder of how beautiful watchmaking was during the fifties and the sixties, for example, and comes decorated according to Saxon watchmaking standards, which means the main bridge showcases the Glash\u00fctte<\/strong> ribbons on top. It does not stand out as a long power reserve movement, given the 43 hours of maximum charge<\/strong> when fully wound; nonetheless, it is an equally outstanding performance for a caliber this small: ten and a half<\/strong> lines across and just 2,6 millimeters<\/strong> thick. Such a small size allows the Ludwig Duo<\/strong> and Ludwig 38<\/strong> to measure 6,5 mil<\/strong> and 6,7 mil<\/strong> respectively. They are so thin that the Horween<\/strong>-crafted Cordovan leather strap looks thicker than it is.<\/p>\n

\"nomos-glashuette-ludwig-enamel-white-7\"In my opinion, the brand is adopting a top-down approach in an attempt to add its entry-level offering that same refinement you\u2019ll find across their premium offering. The Ludwig Duo<\/strong> retails for 1,060 Euros<\/strong>, and the Ludwig 38<\/strong> for 1,580 Euros<\/strong> instead; it makes for the most accessible NOMOS<\/strong> classic three-handers. They can\u2019t rival a Lambda<\/strong>\u2018s refinement and charm, nor its technical prowess; nevertheless, the two new Ludwig<\/strong> watches are the best first-price luxury watches on a budget, something even the most luxurious boutique brand in the benchmark can\u2019t currently equal.<\/p>\n