NOMOS does research

The Glashütte train station has a signal tower. It has not been needed for many years now, though, since all the rail workers left long ago. The levers for moving the switches have given way to watchmaker tables. NOMOS acquired this tower-like building with glass on all sides in order to create new spaces for the research department, which is continually growing. This department develops new calibers, works out new formulas, and seeks solutions to various tricky watchmaking problems. NOMOS Glashütte already had several patents to its credit prior to building its first calibers for Wempe with twin mainspring barrels and with tourbillons in 2006. We have great ambitions to be special and have great fun doing it. And the company’s watches are becoming more and more demanding, more complex, and ever better with each passing year.

One of the people working in the signal tower is Benjamin Malchert, a master in the art of refining complicated calibers. He has been working for hours now on one steel component that is no longer than two grains of rice placed end to end and weighs no more than a tenth of a gram. The master watchmaker has polished the steel component until he could no longer see any trace of scratches, even with the strongest magnifying glass. He has crafted the edges of the piece so that it has a consistent angle all the way around. Sometimes he will work on one piece for 20 hours until he is fully satisfied with it. Of course, all of this attention has no effect on the performance of the watch, but a watch should naturally be beautiful even in the smallest of details.

Now that NOMOS is able to build its own movements and to produce the bridges and plates for them in its own studios, the NOMOS watchmakers have turned to new challenges, such as developing fundamental elements like escapements and motion works. Their research will be completed soon.