The Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date is one of the relatively few watches produced by German Nomos that I would consider a sports watch. The Glashutte-based watchmaker that produces its own movements is known for its classic Bauhaus-style designs, which have always been more dressy or urban in their poise. In 2013, when Nomos introduced the Ahoi (aBlogtoWatch review here), the brand began to embark on sportier watches that still focused on its core aesthetic theme. The Nomos Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date Blue (first introduced on aBlogtoWatch here with additional background information) has a case that is water-resistant to 300 meters. (Nomos likes to say “1,000 feet,” perhaps because that’s a higher number.) It effectively blends sporty and dressy style elements for a package that I think will resonate well with many consumers.
Based on the Nomos Club family of products, the Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date is a larger version than most from this collection but maintains the soft, rounded bezel and overall case curves, which are quite different from the more angular Ahoi case. In all polished steel, the case is 42mm-wide, 10.2mm-thick, and has a 52.3mm (a bit long) lug-to-lug distance. Over the dial is a domed and AR-coated sapphire crystal, and overall, the case is rather sensible given the impressive water-resistance rating. One of my favorite features of the case is the red markings on the crown stem that act as a warning about the potential of water intrusion if the wearer forgets to screw back in the crown.
The dial is all Nomos Club collection but with minor differences, such as the placement of the date window (here at the 3 o’clock position) and the rich use of Super-LumiNova on the hands and hour markers. Available in black or this elegant blue, the dial is glossy with a sunray-style finishing treatment. As someone who likes sports watches with an elegant touch to them, I find the combination of dressy and functional elements on the dial, case, and bracelet of this Nomos Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date watch impressive. The domed crystal does offer a bit more glare than a flat one, but it does lend itself to a dressier visual effect, indicating to me that Nomos really wanted to focus on versatility with this product.
At 42mm-wide, it wears larger than most Nomos products, so I’d recommend this size watch for those with larger wrists. Nomos does, however, put the three-link steel bracelet on handy quick-release pins, which means you can wear this watch on a 20mm-wide strap of your choosing. I bet it would look great on a blue and silver NATO-style strap. Nomos actually includes a handy set of tools that allows users to adjust the size of their bracelets with relative ease (relative because you still need to know what you are doing to a degree with the tools). It is an interesting situation for watch brands because they know so many people purchase their watches online and never have an opportunity to have a retailer size the bracelet for them. I do enjoy seeing how things like sizing bracelets and swapping out straps have gradually become something more convenient for the consumer and less necessary to be performed by someone with special tools or skills.
Nomos doesn’t make many watches on bracelets. In fact, the Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date watches may be the very first on this three-link style bracelet and, perhaps, only the second bracelet to be released by the brand. In a sense, it is a novel experience to see the Nomos-style watch case and dial on a steel bracelet, as opposed to a leather strap. This is why the design of the bracelet is probably a bit simpler to start with, but it gets the job done and is a welcome option among the choices of Nomos products available today. I think this combination of larger polished steel case on a matching bracelet in a package with high inherent durability could help Nomos attract consumers who may not have already found something in the product catalog to get excited about.
Powering the Club Sport Neomatik 42 is an in-house made movement produced at the Nomos factory in Glashutte, which is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback window. It is the Nomos Caliber DUW 6101 and is, a pretty wide-sized automatic movement produced in traditional German form with a 3/4 plate (making it more robust, actually). The movement operates at 4Hz with 42 hours of power reserve. It has a bi-directional winding system for the automatic rotor, and the movement indicates the time with a subsidiary seconds dial. One rare feature is that the date can be adjusted forward or backward. Most mechanical watch movements only allow you to adjust the date in one direction.
Nomos continues to make pretty good watches at affordable prices, especially when you consider its movements, as well as the “Made in Glashutte” status. Across the street from the manufacture are both Glashutte Original and A. Lange & Sohne, which also make their own movements and are typically priced higher (often much higher). With the larger case size, convenient automatic movement, and versatile trendy style, the Nomos Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date Blue watch is very much a breakout product that extends the brand’s appeal to new audiences. Brand traditionalists might very well find it too large, but then again, those not already into Nomos before this product often complained that the watches are too small or simple. Thus, Nomos is doing what it should by extending the brand appeal to a larger group of timepiece enthusiasts with the Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date. Here as the Nomos reference 782, price is $3,960 USD. Learn more at the Nomos watches website here.
