Following the long-standing Glashütte tradition of doing things its own way, NOMOS’ newest update to the Metro, the aptly named NOMOS neomatik 41 Update, adds a colorful new ring date complication by way of the DUW 6101 movement. Released this week at Watches & Wonders, the Metro neomatik 41 Update is the newest addition to the NOMOS’s Metro line — a series of classic watches that straddle the line between elegant and funky in the best way possible.
NOMOS are absolute masters of color, effortlessly combining unexpected colors and design elements, so it should come as no surprise that this new release uses a palette of colors that manages to create a dial that is simultaneously subdued and playful. (I’m still trying to figure out how NOMOS always manages to pull this off.) The white silver-plated dial is set off by dark gray markers and black Arabic numerals delineating each five-minute interval. Those black accents are then complemented by a deep, oxidized black handset that pops against the white background. Classy, elegant, and minimal. But, being NOMOS, the brand juxtaposes what would otherwise be a severe dial with neon orange markers on the peripheral date ring along with a touch of gold for the neomatik designation. And, this being NOMOS, it somehow works.
The ring date is the complication that defines this newest iteration of the Metro. NOMOS has executed this complication via the use of pill-shaped cutouts (akin to a sandwich dial) that circumnavigate the dial; two cutouts are highlighted by neon orange that rotates on the date disc beneath, drawing your eye to the date highlighted in the center. Consider it a minimalist twist on the pointer date complication.
The 41mm stainless steel case of the Metro will be familiar to fans of the brand, featuring high polish surfaces throughout, wire lugs, and an extremely thin bezel that allows the dial to shine. The watch also features a display caseback, which is a welcome touch since NOMOS’s in-house neomatik movements are gorgeous.
The DUW 6101 is a wide automatic movement at 35.2mm, but quite thin at 3.6mm, allowing the watch to come in at a cuff-friendly 9.1mm. This neomatik movement featuring a date includes NOMOS’s swing system, 42 hours of power reserve, bi-directional date setting, 27 jewels, and lovely finishing that includes a Glashütte three-quarter plate, tempered blue screws, rhodium plating, Glashütte ribbing, NOMOS perlage, and golden engravings.
The Metro neomatik Update 41 is a welcome addition to the NOMOS lineup and a clear expression of the brand’s aesthetic and creativity. As usual, the fonts and colors are spot on, and its trademark Bauhaus style sings in this new release. As a small note, NOMOS has also introduced a new dark gray textile strap for this release. I’m already a big fan of the brand’s textile straps, which tone down the dressiness and allow the watches to be more versatile than you might expect, and this dark gray is an excellent match to the gray tones on the dial. 
The NOMOS Metro neomatik Update 41 is available for $4,660. More information on this and other novelties released this year at Watches & Wonders can be found on the brand’s website.