Review: Nomos Lambda

The Nomos brand is pretty well known for their simple looking, elegant timepieces pack with a whole of value behind it.

From our interview with the CEO of Nomos which can be found here, we learn of the journey this young brand is making in establishing itself as a serious competitor in the market. This was clearly reflected in its spending of an estimated €11 million to introduce its own escapement system the “Nomos Swing” to try and break the monopoly Swatch has had over time.

We see most Nomos watches falling within the €1500 – €3000 range as the brand seeks to keep its cost low while maintaining an exceptionally high quality for its watches. Nonetheless, there would be certain models from the brand that serves as its trademark piece and command a much higher price which in this case is the Lambda.

We are all familiar with the term “Lambda” especially from a mathematical context where it represents as a symbol for intrinsic values. However, in the case of Nomos, Lambda would represent the name of a highly precise instrument, one that has been constructed in accordance to the high watchmaking standards of Nomos, applying the rules of science in the process of doing so.

 

 

Case, Hands and Dial

The Nomos Lambda comes in a 42 mm case which is a good size that sits well on most wrists, the casing can come in either a rose gold or white gold option. On first look, the dial is finely designed with a minimalist and spaced out look to it where it is just simple and elegant looking. The case just measures at 8.9 mm in height, possessing a very thin profile which makes it an ideal choice as a dress watch.

 

 

One of the more outstanding features of the watch would be the power reserve dial located at the 12 o’clock position of the timepiece. There it would allow the wearer to clearly see the power reserve indication and we feel this is an excellent way to somewhat showcase its ability to have a big power reserve of up to 84 hours.

 

The Movement

As mentioned earlier on, Nomos is trying to be independent on its own away from the Swiss in terms of establishing its own production capabilities. One of the ways of doing so is having collaborations with research partners such as Dresden University to create its very own escapement system, a complete new system that presents a whole world of possibilities for the brand.

We see the above prevalent in the Lambda series where its being powered by the DUW 1001 which is an in-house built Nomos caliber with manual winding and power reserve indicator. (DUW stands for NOMOS Glashütte Deutsche Uhrenwerke). The movement features an exceptionally long power reserve of up to 84 hours and features a double mainspring barrel.

 

 

The sapphire case-back allows for a clear view of the movement’s finish which we think is really well done. The finishing and especially the hand-beveled edges shows remarkable workmanship of the highest standards and considering this was done entirely in-house makes this impressive.

 

Concluding Thoughts

We like the Nomos Lambda because its true to the meaning of simplicity, elegance and value. This collection is a strong statement from Nomos in telling its competitors that it means business and through this, establish its identity as a serious brand. One of the more impressive feature of this timepiece would be having an entirely in-house designed movement that is so well finished and provides a remarkable 84 hours of power reserve which really spells out the Nomos’ research and development capabilities.

Priced at SGD$ 23,420 for the Rose Gold and SGD$ 25,120 for the White Gold, this watch is a winner in many ways, providing value for money and for this, we are sure many collectors would be interested in this collection.

 

 

Technical Specifications