The New Nomos Orion 33 Gold and Orion 38 Silver (Live Pics & Video)

Glashütte-based Nomos is certainly one of the coolest brands in Germany, with watches that, besides clear minimalism, have character and personality. And today, we’ll be taking a look at a fresh release by the equally fresh watch manufacture. And it’s not one watch but actually a pair of watches that we’ll discover, a duo of Orion models in two sizes, with new golden accents for a touch of warmth and luxury. But without an exorbitant price tag. And don’t think these watches are all about the looks. They are also about mechanics. Here are the Nomos Orion 33 Gold and Orion 38 Silver.

Nomos is one of the youngest watch manufacturers in the Saxon area, Germany. Founded in 1990, and still independent to this day, Nomos has always focused its production on a combination of minimalistic designs inspired by the Bauhaus school and serious watchmaking credentials with movement made in-house. But what makes Nomos unique is also this twist that is in almost all its watches, a certain youth and fun touch that makes these pieces attractive.

The latest models to come to life are a pair of Orion watches, the Orion 33 gold and Orion 38 silver. This collection is certainly one of the most classics, and also adds timeless elegance. Thin, minimal with yet refinement, slender and paying tribute to the Glashütte School of Watchmaking, the two new models presented are paying tribute to the Golden Twenties, with the smaller version flaunting a lustrous gold coloured dial, while the larger model bears a silver-plated dial with gold accents. 

As with many of the watches produced by Nomos, these two new Orions are truly versatile. Besides the classic and elegant design and dials, it’s also about the size of these models. Indeed, both could be seen as unisex watches. The larger model, with its silvered dial and its 38mm stainless steel case, is certainly a watch that can be worn either by a man or by a younger, active woman who’ll prefer a bit of the oversized touch. And with its 32.8mm case and gold plated dial, the smaller watch will certainly appeal to a more classic feminine audience. But who knows, a man could also wear it, as the elongated lugs make it wear a bit larger than expected. Plus, in all fairness, this gold dial paired with the velvet grey strap really looks attractive in the metal.

Size and colours apart, the Orion 33 gold and Orion 38 silver are identical models. Both have the same attention to detail with polished and galvanized dials that play a lot with the ambient light. They reflect the environment and are truly lively on the wrist. Minimalistic…? Well, not that much anymore when wearing it. Also, these watches feature nicely facetted applied indexes, either silver or gold-plated depending on the model, adding depth to the dial. The display is clean, elegant and timeless, with central hours and minutes, and a small seconds with a concentric pattern. And both are very thin watches, with a height of only 8.5mm for the small version and 8.9mm for the larger watch. 

Inside, no surprises. We find here the brand’s cornerstone movement, the Alpha – which, as indicated by its name, was the brand’s first in-house calibre. This compact hand-wound movement is nicely finished, with stripes, blued screws and a typically German three-quarter plate. This ultra-thin calibre – only 2.6mm – runs at a 3Hz frequency and stores 43 hours of power reserve. And in both cases, it’s visible under a sapphire caseback. It is adjusted in 6 positions and features a stop-seconds mechanism.

Typical to Nomos watches, this duo of new Orions is presented on nice, casual looking straps in velvety leather. The 33 Gold has a night grey strap while the 38 Silver plays it more classic with an anthracite strap. 

And while we’re talking about these watches, they also come at relatively accessible prices, even for Nomos. The 33mm model retails for EUR 1,460 and the 38mm model for EUR 1,600. Something to keep in mind with the holiday season around the corner… More details about the Nomos Orion 33 Gold and Orion 38 Silver and orders at nomos-glashuette.com.