Since Nomos was founded in the watch metropolis of Glashütte, Germany more than 25 years ago, the Tangente – one of the brand’s four original timepieces from 1992 – has been the supernova of the collection. And it didn’t become the shooting star over time; this classic was an immediate hit from day one.
Almost synonymous with the brand name, the Tangente is for Nomos what the Royal Oak is for Audemars Piguet and the Daytona for Rolex because it successfully combines all the sophisticated features watch enthusiasts appreciate about the German brand: classic simplicity, straightforward design, and top-notch mechanics with a very competitive starting price under €2,000.
Inspired by the Bauhaus school of design, which celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2019, the Tangente is a picture-perfect example of a true design watch. The original well-balanced, clean dial with five numerals, slim hands in expressive “cornflower blue,” and subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock offered distinctive yet timeless design.
And the Tangente’s slim bezel and low case height cater to men and women alike.
Based on this successful formula, a host of Tangente timepieces have been introduced in a range of styles to please diverse tastes over the last 25 years.
While the original Tangente with a case diameter of 35 mm and a modest height of 6.2 mm was equipped with ETA’s Peseux 7001, from 2005 onward it only ran on the manufacture’s first in-house movement, manual-winding Caliber Alpha.
Today the Tangente collection offers 22 models powered by various automatic and hand-wound movements that include functions like date and power reserve.
And there is a muted rainbow of stunning color options for the dials such as champagne, midnight blue, and ruthenium.
All of these Tangente variations have stayed pretty much on the elegant side, making it a timepiece you would not necessarily use for sports or in outdoor settings.
Until now.
The Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date with dark and light dials along with the Club version (far left)
Nomos Glashütte rides the sports watch wave with the new Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date
As part of the new lineup for 2019, Nomos Glashütte introduced the Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date at Baselworld 2019.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 with its brand-new clasp and bracelet
With an impressive water resistance of 300 meters (1,000 feet), a screw-down crown, and the brand’s first metal bracelet, this new Tangente proves to be a “good sport” (get it?).
The small seconds subdial of Nomos Glashütte’s Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date
Super-LumiNova on hour markers and hands allows for great readability at night or underwater. However, the lack of a diver’s bezel highlights the fact that it is not a classic diver’s watch.
Great lume on the Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date
However, thanks to its sporty features and bold size of 42 mm, it makes for a classy tool watch for every day and should certainly be up to any task on the field and in the great outdoors.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date with ‘marine black’ dial
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date’s inner values
At Nomos Glashütte, the mechanics are as important as the aesthetics. And so this watch is a prime example when it comes to the in-house production of premium movements. Let’s dive into the inner workings, which are revealed through a sapphire crystal case back.
Caliber DUW 6101 manufacture movement powers the Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date
The Tangente Sport neomatik 42 with date indication at 3 o’clock is powered by the automatic DUW 6101 movement. Because of the bespoke nature of this caliber and the brand’s eye for detail, the date is precisely where it should be on the edge of the dial despite the watch’s relatively large diameter of 42 mm.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date with a lovely combination of blue Super-LumiNova hands and white dial
This is not only unusual; it is exceptionally pleasing.
Thanks to the date ring encircling the movement, we are treated to a particularly large indication too. The brand maintains the date window can be about three times larger than a conventional date window.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date details
Additionally, due to a sliding lever unique to Nomos Glashütte’s automatic movements, the Tangente Sport is the first of the brand’s watches to contain three crown positions – and the date can be set forward or backward.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date with white dial
The movement, only 3.6 mm in height, features the brand’s proprietary escapement called the Swing System (first seen in 2014’s Metro), recognizable by its tempered blue balance spring. Not to be missed are the other typical characteristics of the movement such as the Glashütte-style three-quarter plate and high-end finishing à la Nomos including Glashütte ribbing, Nomos perlage, and tempered blue screws.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date with white dial
The Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date’s dial is available in two dial colors: a silvered white with sand-colored hour indexes and light blue hands and a “marine black” with light blue hour indexes and numerals and sand-colored hands. Both offer the beloved Tangente look, but naturally with a sportier, fresher twist.
Nomos Glashütte Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date with ‘marine black’ dial
With a penchant for dark-colored watches, the latter is my favorite.
For more information, please go to www.nomos-glashuette.com/en/watches/new-releases/sport.
Quick Facts Tangente Sport neomatik 42 date
Case: 42 x 10.9 mm, stainless steel, water resistant to 300 meters
Movement: automatic Caliber DUW 6101 with Swing System escapement, ultra thin, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, power reserve 42 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, (hacking) seconds; date
Price: $4,980/€3,980
You may also enjoy:
How Does Nomos Glashütte Make A Beautiful Watch With Manufacture Movement For Under $3,000?
Nomos Glashütte Autobahn: Pedal To The Metal!
Bravo, Nomos Glashütte! How The Metro Will Change The Watch Game
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!
I like Nomos a lot but…
42 hours is pretty basic for a power reserve in 2019 where many brands are offering 60 – 80.
That swing movement needs an update,
No luminous marking where the date is located so there will be a black hole in the dark. Lots of brands do this and it’s really annoying.You want to be able to see markers for ALL the hours in the dark.
43mm case too big for many people with Nomos’ typical long lugs. No good for small wrists and only adequate for medium sized wrists.
300m waterproof not needed for most people.Serious divers at that depth would not use this because no rotating bezel for timing and 100-200m is plenty for a sports watch.
Price now getting more and more expensive, just like Seiko.
Date suffers (like many watches) from not being accurate several times a year when we have 30 day months. Common problem in all basic date watches, so better without. Come on Nomos, make an annual calendar! Something useful not just decorative.
Identity crisis? Doesn’t know if it wants to be an Ahoi, Tangente or Metro. Like everything has just been thrown together like a greatest hits album.
Plus points; Nice large visible date. ( but better at the bottom )
Fantastic legibility (but colors a bit like a colorful modern kitchen clock)
Nomos quality, which is really very, very good and can’t be faulted.
( I own two of their watches )
Will appeal to the young graphic designers, fresh from university who probably designed this,
I’d stick with the original Tangente.
Hi Stef, thanks for your comments. I too am a Nomos wearer and own an original Tangente, which I also love. The larger case size of this Sport model is not my preference, but when I tried it on it fit well thanks to the low height. For someone who likes a little bigger size than the Tangente usually offers (which was conceived to be unisex), this is a great option.
I disagree entirely with your comments about the power reserve. This is an *automatic* watch – it really doesn’t need more power reserve, and the extra space inside the movement that would be needed to get another 10 hours or so would make the watch thicker, which is way outside Nomos’ comfort zone and base concept. I feel that would be a terrible trade off.
There is also no mechanical solution on the planet for correcting the shorter months automatically on a simple calendar watch – you’d need a perpetual calendar, and those are not to be had under $25,000. I’d like to know your solution to that…? If you have none (and rest assured there is none), then it’s a moot point. Seriously.
There are plenty of Tangente models without date for those who prefer that.
And, finally, as a follower of Nomos since the day it set foot in this industry, I can assure you that nothing in that company is ever – and I mean ever – “thrown together.” This watch might represent a reaction to what the markets have been requesting, but I would never call it thrown together. There is hardly another brand that is more deliberate in its offerings. Nomos is certainly on par with Rolex and A. Lange & Söhne in that respect in my view.
I love this watch… I love all the german watches!
I too am a big fan of Nomos and love my Metro Datum Gangreserve. I’m excited to try on this new Tangente and don’t think the larger case size would bug me given how thin the watch is. Nomos nailed the design and that galvanized white dial variant is gorgeous! The bracelet looks extremely comfortable and I find the throwback towards a flex bracelet appearance refreshing.
I think 38mm would be a better size for me and most others with a slender wrist. Perhaps you can offer both sizes and see how the sales go.