{"id":37278,"date":"2021-12-22T22:06:54","date_gmt":"2021-12-22T21:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/?p=37278"},"modified":"2021-12-23T08:15:17","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T07:15:17","slug":"the-nomos-club-sport-neomatik-42-watch-hands-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/the-nomos-club-sport-neomatik-42-watch-hands-on\/","title":{"rendered":"The Nomos Club Sport neomatik 42 watch hands-on"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction: what does \u201cSport\u201d mean?<\/h2>\n

Please head to the official Nomos Glash\u00fctte<\/strong> website, use the search button in the top right, then type \u201cSport\u201d and press Enter. The search query (in Italian) will produce three main results: the first is the Autobahn<\/strong><\/a> since it includes the term \u201cSportivo\u201d (Sporty), the second outcome is the Tangente Sport neomatik 42<\/strong><\/a>, the first-ever Nomos Sport<\/strong> watch and last is the new Club Sport neomatik 42<\/strong>, adopting the same technical platform as its Tangente<\/strong> sibling.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

The Autobahn<\/strong> \u2013 which is off-topic \u2013 excluded, the remaining two models are Nomos<\/strong>\u2018 take on the steel luxury sports watch, with enhanced professional diving capabilities (despite not adopting any rotating bezel with markers). The brand\u2019s philosophy is to grow one step at a time, and with the latest addition \u2013 the Club Sport<\/strong> \u2013 it is thus extending the range of watches rated at 300 meters water resistance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The new Club Sport steel bracelet is the \u201ctalking point.\u201d<\/h2>\n

The headline news is a new and unexpected bracelet\u2019s design aiming to attract, first and foremost, a more conservative audience. Nonetheless, since we\u2019re talking about Nomos Glash\u00fctte<\/strong>, the choice proved to be quite controversial inside the watch community and out. Why has a brand so rooted and focused on making things different finally opted for the mainstream three-link bracelet that most of its peers have long abandoned or are quickly going to?<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

The common belief is that they strive to grow their fan base; such a choice also makes sense commercially. Once on your wrist, you end up thinking there are either aesthetic or functional reasons behind the new design. For example, an integrated bracelet is the best solution to boost comfort, even more so when the lug-to-lug distance totals 52 mm<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

The most technically advanced option you can get, the Sport<\/strong> bracelet is perhaps not the most attractive on such a sporty timepiece. Despite feeling Nomos<\/strong> quintessentially and having required thorough engineering \u2013 it consists of 145 parts assembled by hand<\/strong> \u2013 it might polarize the audience and suggest they attend a late afternoon aperitif instead of a swimming session. In contrast, the Club Sport<\/strong> bracelet works as a multi-purpose alternative geared towards people less experienced in watchmaking. It\u2019s less engineered than a Sport<\/strong> bracelet but offers a stunning look with its mirror-polished mid links; the brand has not doubled down on legendary build quality to reasonable price ratio\u2019s product philosophy.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

We all purchase a new watch for we just like it, but after we get our hands on it, functionality comes in, and daily experience makes or breaks the deal, and the watch won\u2019t live long in your box if that bracelet is, for instance, somehow pinching your wrist, which I have experienced with the Sport<\/strong> bracelet in the past.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

Build quality is where the Club Sport<\/strong> outperforms the competition, whose products often cost twice as much or more. The first integrated link is firmly attached to the lugs and case, and there is no gap between the parts. In short, you can\u2019t deny there\u2019s a \u201cDeja v\u00f9\u201d<\/em> feel to it, but you get superior comfort back once the timepiece is wrapped around your wrist. It\u2019s a kind of delicate balance between what you do like and what you maybe won\u2019t; yet, design is subjective, and you\u2019re the only person entitled to approve or not.<\/p>\n

Case and dial<\/h2>\n

The equation won\u2019t work without a round case so slim. The Nomos Club Sport neomatik 42<\/strong> is 42mm<\/strong> across and just 10.2mm<\/strong> thick. So, the watch slips under the cuff like no other self-winding wristwatch can do, and the dark blue sunray dial makes for an attractive proposition making the clean, uncluttered dial work. Every piece of information is at the right place and make for a very compelling product.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

The running seconds counter with snail finish and the \u201c1000 ft\u201d<\/em> gold-coloured wording create a vivid contrast against the blue tone and make the package work better than the black option. Finally, the watch glows a solid and consistent blue in the dark.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

Regarding the calibre, I have long spoken about the in-house top-end movement DUW 6101<\/strong>; I suggest you read my previous articles to get in-depth<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Final thoughts<\/h2>\n

Nomos Glash\u00fctte<\/strong> dared with the new Nomos Club Sport neomatik 42<\/strong> and has definitely begun its journey into the ultra-flat sports watch with an integrated bracelet territory. The brand stays true to its mission by offering the thinnest in-house calibre and the most affordable proposition (it retails for 3,120 Euros), along with the build quality we\u2019re used to and an attractive sunray dial. It looks more mainstream, there\u2019s no doubt, but the overall package is true to Nomos<\/strong> standards.<\/p>\n

\"nomos<\/p>\n

I do not understand why they made a 300-meter water-resistant case<\/strong> on a timepiece not conceived for professional diving. What I\u2019d add, instead, is a replacement rubber strap that you can easily swap with the bracelet to safeguard it from scratches during the summer holidays. Here is the only thing that\u2019s missing. Setting the new bracelet\u2019s design apart, which you either love or hate, the timepiece scores high and ticks all the boxes.<\/p>\n