Hands-on Review: Nomos Glashütte Autobahn

Review of the Nomos Autobahn with exclusive pictures. The Nomos Glashütte Autobahn neomatik ref. 1301 with white silver-plated dial has a price of Euro 3,800 / US$ 4,800 which takes into account the importance of its designer, a flawless execution down to the smallest detail and the in-house developed movement which powers it.

The Autobahn model by Nomos Glashütte is a sporty automatic watch with a striking and dynamic look. Its unconventional design is the result of the collaboration of the German watchmaker with world-renowned product designer Werner Aisslinger, whose works can be found in museums like the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) or the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Inspired by speed and the world of vintage cars, the Autobahn coherently takes its name from the German word for motorway.

The Autobahn is available in three dial variations: white silver-plated, sports gray, and midnight blue. We recently had the possibility to wear and test the white-silver plated version and we are now glad to share our impressions and pictures.

The dial immediately catches your eyes when you first handle this timepiece. Its edge is curved somehow reminding the outside lane of a racetrack. The sub-seconds dial repeats these curves. The luminous arc of Super-LumiNova-coated bars from 8 to 4 o'clock and the elongated date window at 6 o'clock displaying three days at once — yesterday, today, and tomorrow - emphasise the idea of movement and the link to the automotive world.

The luminous arc is composed of light gray bars with blue luminescence when charged with sufficient light, making the watch legible even with poor light or while driving at night.

Of the three hands, only the rhodium-plated hour hand is treated with Super-LumiNova. Orange accents are used for the tip of the minutes hand, the small seconds hands and the neomatik text below the logo.

The 41 mm x 10.5 mm stainless steel case has a thin bezel to leave more space to the dial, thus enhancing readability. Surfaces are polished.

The Autobahn sits nicely on the wrist, and very comfortably thanks to a robust and water resistant woven textile strap secured to the wrist by a stainless steel pin buckle with the engraved logo of the brand.

Just like the front side, the back side is protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal which displays the beautiful finishes of the in-house self-winding movement: rhodium-plated surfaces with Glashütte ribbing, perlage and tempered blued screws. The bidirectional winding rotor is enhanced by gold-plated embossing.

Beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offering up to 42 hours of power reserve, the Caliber DUW 6101 is equipped with the Nomos proprietary swing system which gives this model the additional title of ‘neomatik’. The quick-set mechanism makes it easy to adjust the date in both directions with the crown.

Water resistant to 100 metres / 330 feet, the Nomos Glashütte Autobahn neomatik ref. 1301 (white silver-plated dial) has a price of Euro 3,800 / US$ 4,800 which takes into account the importance of its designer, a flawless execution down to the smallest detail and the in-house developed movement which powers it. Ref. 1302 (midnight blue) and ref. 1303 (sports gray) models have the same price. nomos-glashuette.com