Just last year at Baselworld 2013, Nomos announced their first truly sporty watch, the Ahoi. Fast forward a year and, while Nomos’ 2014 Baselworld was mostly dedicated to their new Metro and Swing System, they did launch a characteristically Nomos-esque expansion of the Ahoi lineup. Sporting a deep blue gilt dial, the new Nomos Ahoi Atlantik puts a distinctive and beautiful spin on a very cool watch. We previously posted a comparison of some Nomos Ahoi watches here.

The specs have not changed. The Atlantik uses the same 40 mm x 10.6 mm steel case, boasts the same 200m water resistance and screw down crown, and relies on the same Nomos Epsilon or Zeta (with date) automatic movement.

Color is a strong part of Nomos’ design wheelhouse and it is something that they use both sparingly and to great effect. The Nomos Ahoi Atlantik’s dial appears almost black in low light but brighter environments reveal a warm navy tone that is perfectly matched by the gilt markers and hands. As the Ahoi is a sports-ready watch, the Nomos Ahoi Atlantik preserves the same luminous treatment seen on the original, a rare feature on Nomos watches.

Also carried over from the original Ahoi is the use of a bright red sub seconds hand. Red is likely the most common accent color used in watch design but Nomos tends to limit the application of red for power reserves, casual models like the Club, and special editions like the Tangente Doctors Without Borders LE. I think the mix of the deep blue with the gold and the red make for a really refined look, especially on a more casual design like that of the Ahoi.

Much like its predecessor, the Nomos Ahoi Atlantik feels great on wrist and with its long lugs, the Ahoi falls squarely into the “just right” size category. Legibility is excellent and it’s hard to argue with Nomos’ craftsmanship, especially at this price point. The Ahoi is Nomos’ everyday plus weekends-in-the-pool watch, combining their attractive aesthetic with some additional practicality and toughness.

The Nomos Ahoi Atlantik retains the same pricing as the silver-grey dial version with the no-date model listing for $4,060 USD and the Atlantik Datum going for $4,660. Some of you may scoff at this price point, but I firmly believe that they are still a brand on the rise and their prices will likely increase over the coming years. They are a German brand manufacturing more and more of their movements in-house and almost all of their design is in-house as well. Compared to their competitors, they are very well priced and offer a look and value proposition that is entirely their own. nomos-glashuette.com