Today we go hands-on with the newest and also largest NOMOS Metro to date: the Metro Neomatik 41 Update. With this update we are getting a new complication and a new size. This Metro now offers the Neomatik date mechanism which looks quite spectacular and we’ll get into that in more detail below. In addition the increase in size also deserves a closer look since a change in diameter can have a potential big impact.
Let me begin by addressing the larger size. To some this is great news. To others such as myself with a smaller wrist this can be an issue. The Metro is essentially all dial, with a very thin bezel and minimalist lug design. At 41mm (40.5mm to be exact) I was worried this would be too large for my smaller wrist.
Fortunately, I can start by stating that this is not the case. If I am not mistaking the actual dial, ignoring the date ring, is the same size as the ‘old’ Metro. I eyeballed it, holding both side by side, and it seemed the same to my eye. The date ring sits on the outer edge, which is what adds the additional size. The centre dial itself remains the same. Due to the design of the date ring it then adds the extra size to the outer edge, but it also adds some visible mass to the edge of the dial. This is much like a bezel adds size and visual mass to the outer edge of a watch. As a result the watch dial remains very nicely proportioned and avoids looking like a clock rather than a watch on smaller wrists.
In addition, thanks to the short wire lug design the lug to lug size remains under 47mm which basically means this will wear well on almost any wrist. My wrist is 16.5cm give or take, and it sits and feels nicely at home on there. It doesn’t look small either of course. My suggestion remains the same as for any NOMOS watch: Try them out in the metal before buying. Their unique case and lug design mean these just wear very differently compared to pretty much any other brand out there.
The Metro Neomatik 41 Update keeps everything that makes the Metro a Metro: The detailed dial, wire lugs, domed sapphire crystal glass and diamond knurling on the crownCrown The knob on the outside of the watch that you typically use to either wind the mainspring or set the time [Learn More]. The added date ring works extremely well on this dial design if you ask me. In fact I think I may slightly prefer this over the look on the Tangente with this same complication. The typography and the way the apertures add visual intrigue nicely complement the existing dial design. I also enjoy the subtle splash of colour the date ring adds to the dial with that little hint of orange.
The date window is something many brands and a lot of watches struggle with. To add one is easy, but to make it work with the rest of the dial is often a challenge. Many a dial has been ruined by an ill executed date window. The Metro’s dial design and the aperture themed date ring seem to be a match made in heaven. If you didn’t know any better, you would think this is the way the dial has been conceived from the very start.
The new complication implies a new (to the Metro) caliberCaliber The caliber ('movement') is the heart and engine of a watch. It consists of a number of interconnected components that work together. Energy is transmitted through the gear train, to the escapement mechanism. The escapement mechanism releases this energy in a controlled manner. This drives the gear train, which ultimately rotates the hands of the watch and keeps time. [More Info]. In this case it is the wonderful DUW 6101, which is still so very thin at just 3,6mm. NOMOS nicely details what makes this caliber so special in their own detailed look, which I highly recommend you check out right here.
Overall, this is a winner and a great addition to the ever growing NOMOS Metro family.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Ref.1165
- Caliber DUW 6101: in-house built NOMOS neomatik caliber with automatic winding, neomatik date mechanism, and bidirectional quick correction feature
- CASE:
- 40.5mm diameter, 9.1mm high, 20mm lug width
- stainless steel, bipartite, sapphire crystal glass back
- GLASS: domed sapphire crystal glass
- WATER RESISTANCE: 5 atm (suitable for showering)
- DIAL:
- galvanized, white silver-plated, indexes at three, nine and twelve o’clock
- patented date ring
- oxidized black hands
- STRAP: Textile strap dark gray, woven, waterproof, with quick-change spring bars
More info right here
Always loved the metro, from the initial release with its funky colors. I agree that this added complication feels as if it was always meant to be there! Metro always had a bit of an instrumental vibe to me and this keeps that going as well. I own the Neomatik at 35mm and it’s my most treasured watch.
Thanks! Since that release there’s a pretty fantastic variety to choose from for sure. I think you chose an excellent model with the Neomatik. Very versatile too in that size