This year, the German watchmaker, NOMOS Glashütte, announced a new collection targeted at consumers looking for a high-quality mechanical timepiece as a gift for graduation or an important achievement – named the Club Campus.
The collection consists of two 38.5 mm models and one 36 mm version. All three timepieces come in a stainless steel case with a curved sapphire crystal and a solid screwed stainless steel back, powered by the in-house manufactured, manually wound Alpha movement.
By design, the caseback is solid, so it can be engraved with a special message, which is available free of charge. Uniquely, the dials feature a combination of Roman and Arabic numerals. Thanks to a coating of blue luminescent material, the timepieces are also easily legible in the dark. All three models feature the familiar, extra-robust NOMOS Club case from stainless steel with curved sapphire crystal glass, a water-resistance rating of 100 meters, and a stainless steel back. These watches are very sleek at 38.5 mm x 8.45 mm for the larger two references and 36 mm x 8.17 mm for the smaller model. And the weight is just 60 and 52 grams, respectively.
Although it is covered by a solid caseback, the manually wound Alpha caliber (23.3 mm x 2.6 mm) is still nicely finished with rhodium-plated surfaces, Glashütte ribbing, and NOMOS perlage. And the ratchet and crown wheel has the brand’s signature Glashütte sunburst decoration. The 17 jewel three-quarter plate movement has hours, minutes, and small seconds with a stop-seconds mechanism and the power reserve is 43-hours.
The Club Campus (Ref. 708) features a galvanized, white silver-plated dial with luminescent gray rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with luminescent inlay, with a neon-orange seconds hand. It is presented on a gray velour leather strap with a lug width of 18 mm. The retail price is $1500.
The Club 38 Campus (Ref. 735) features a galvanized, white silver-plated dial with luminescent blue rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with luminescent inlay, and a neon-orange seconds hand. It comes with an anthracite velour leather strap with a lug width of 20 mm. The retail price is $1650.
The Club 38 Campus Nacht (Ref. 736) features a galvanized, ruthenium-plated dial with luminescent beige rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with luminescent inlay and a neon-orange seconds hand. The strap is in anthracite velour leather with a lug width of 20 mm. The retail price is $1650.
All three versions are available for purchase online at NOMOS, and available at authorized dealers worldwide.
Final Thoughts
This collection has a number of key features that should make it an appealing choice as a gift to a loved one, or to yourself. The dimensions of the polished stainless steel cases are very restrained, and the total weight for the larger model is just 60 grams, which results in a very comfortable watch.
The use of Roman and Arabic appears to have worked out very well. And the contrasting color schemes of the two dials: a dark gray and what I would call a metallic beige dial, are very attractive.
With a price of $1600 for the 38.5 mm versions, crucially, these watches are marketed right, and the ability to engrave the caseback for no additional charge is one more reason to like the new Club Campus collection.
