BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
On the face of it, the Autobahn is probably the main reason so many boyfriends and husbands say ‘yes, considerably’ when asked if they’d like to do a driving holiday in Germany. One of the very few motorways to have zones with no speed limit, Germany’s Autobahns are home to lorry drivers, yobbos in modded cars and YouTubers alike, and form the backbone of Germany’s industrial economy. Not too long ago, Glashütte-based watchmaker Nomos introduced the Autobahn collection. Now, for 2021, they’re releasing the Director’s Cut.
Made up of three pieces, all named after motorways, the Director’s Cut collection is designed to be sporty and yet still relish the wearer in the Bauhaus design ethos that Nomos is renowned for. There’s a black dial with red accents called the A9, a white dial with orange and blue accents (the A3) and a blue dial with yellow accents called the A7. Bremont could do something similar with British roads like the M25 London orbital or the M6 toll, but those would most likely put buyers to sleep (they make me sleepy when I have to drive them).
Nomos worked with German-born designer Werner Aisslinger to bring these pieces to life. All of them feature a stainless steel case measuring 41mm x 10.5mm with a water resistance of 100m. They also feature a date at 6 O’clock and a small seconds hand. The splash of colour between 8 & 4 represents the instruments found in classic cars, giving the Autobahn a sporty impression.
It’s good that they didn’t lose their Bauhaus design style when designing the ultimate Nomos driving watch. The dials are still extremely clean and simple, with no excess clutter or extra finishing. They’re beautiful in this way. The one thing that has been changed is the bracelet. It’s a combination of a fixed metal bracelet with circular holes (as seen on other watches inspired by classic cars) and the flat-linked bracelet seen on other pieces like the Club Sport Neomatik I reviewed a few years back.
Inside these watches is the calibre DUW 6101. It’s been adjusted to chronometer standard, although Nomos does not state that it is a certified chronometer movement. It’s got a power reserve of 42-hours, but more importantly, it’s very thin. The total movement height is 3.6mm, and the diameter is 35.2mm or 15.5 lignes. It’s been decorated in Glashütte fashion with blued screws and crisp, neat lines. Unlike the competition from the area, this does not feature hand-engravings on the balance bridge. Then again, all three variations of the Autobahn Director’s Cut are more affordable, with an RRP of $4800. All of them are limited to 175 examples per colour variant, and they’re available now.
Visit Nomos Glashütte here.
