# Stowa vs. Nomos



## resilient (Apr 13, 2009)

Hi All,

I'm finally consdering purchasing a Stowa or a Nomos watch and I had a few questions. I noticed that most of the Nomos watches are hand-wound ($1000+) except for the Ludwig line. The Stowa Antea Kleine Sekunde is also hand-wound, but it is about half the price (~$600). Is the Nomos watch that much better?

Given that my budget is around $1500 and that I want a very simplistic watch (similar to that of the Antea or Tangente line) which style or brand would you recommend to get the best bang for my buck?

Thanks!
Resilient


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## cp_ste.croix (May 13, 2008)

resilient said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm finally consdering purchasing a Stowa or a Nomos watch and I had a few questions. I noticed that most of the Nomos watches are hand-wound ($1000+) except for the Ludwig line. The Stowa Antea Kleine Sekunde is also hand-wound, but it is about half the price (~$600). Is the Nomos watch that much better?
> 
> ...


I like both. The primary difference is that Nomos use an in house movement while Stowa use ETA movements. I'm not sure you can go wrong between them though.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Sorry to say you are wrong but the Nomos Ludwig is fitted with a hw movement too










The question Nomos (Tangente) vs. Stowa Antea KS isn't easy to be answered. There are a lot of aspects to be considered.

As all of you know I am a Stowa fan (how come ) however I have to admit that there is a remarkable difference which is mirrored in the pricing.

The Antea KS is fitted with an ETA made Peseux 7001 ("ebauche"), ready made so to say.

Historically Nomos movements are based on the Peseux 7001 but in the course of the last years Nomos has reached a vertical range of manufacture which justifies to say the movements are made inhouse. That's probably the reason I do not own the Antea KS but the Nomos.

You might find this interesting: http://forums.timezone.com/index.php...=5111065&rid=0

I do not think the Nomos pricing is steep at all (considering what you get for it) but the Antea KS undoubtedly is the cheaper Bauhaus styled one and the overall quality is S T O W A which says a lot. The Nomos however features the better movement and is worth every penny.

Nomos production pics


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## scarlet knight (Oct 12, 2009)

I just bought a Nomos Tangente recently. The pictures are posted in this forum nearby. I like it very much.

I liked the idea that I could try it on at Wempe in NYC.

I follow Stowa on the internet. I like the pictures, but I have never seen one in person. I find that when I try a watch on, I know whether it is right for me. I suspect I will get a Stowa one day, too.

Good luck in your search. You cannot go wrong.


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## scm64 (May 12, 2007)

It comes down to whether you think the price difference is worth it for the inhouse movement. Both are respected brands who make excellent watches.

You can see the review and pics of my Nomos Tangomat (auto) here:

https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=408078

I picked mine up used, in mint condition and saved quite a bit off the MSRP.

But there is no doubt the Stowa is a great piece also, and a heck of a bargain.


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## AndrewSo (Mar 1, 2010)

scarlet knight said:


> I follow Stowa on the internet. I like the pictures, but I have never seen one in person. I find that when I try a watch on, I know whether it is right for me. I suspect I will get a Stowa one day, too.


Unless you plan on visiting Engelsbrad, Deutschland or have a friend that owns a Stowa, you won't be able to find one in stores. They don't distribute through retailers and you have to order directly from the company. I would love to handle a Stowa as well but I guess I'll have to wait until I place an order...:-(


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## usc1 (Jun 25, 2007)

I agree with the posters above. It depends on whether the movement makes a large difference to you. Considering the value of the piece lies mostly with the movement, I would imagine it would. I have a Nomos and the finish on the movement is awesome. It winds as smooth as butter.


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## somon (Jan 27, 2008)

I am shure that Stowa is a good quality watch, but I think that Nomos is far better as quality and finish of the movement.:roll:


Somon
;-)


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## PrecisionInTime (Aug 8, 2016)

Recently just joined in on the Stowa vs. Nomos comparisons. I've been debating between a Stowa and a Nomos for a while. Fortunately, I've been fortunate enough to be able to get my hands on a Nomos to try on. Gorgeous watch. I've read that Stowa makes a similar watch in terms of fitment and size (not movement). Due to the price, I might settle on a Stowa until I can get the Nomos Tangente. Can't go wrong with either.


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## ehansen (Sep 20, 2013)

I just found this thread searching for Nomos Club vs Stowa Antea. 

I've actually owned the Antea 39 (Soprod A10 movement) for about 3 years now. Great watch, and Stowa service is top rate. Really no complaints. I'm wondering contemplating adding a Nomos, so was looking for opinions. I'm not terribly hung up on in house movements, and would prefer automatics anyways. I'll try to visit my local Tourneau (in Boston) and see the Nomos firsthand.


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## mebiuspower (Sep 24, 2009)

Most of the Nomos come in automatic now.

If you have to ask about the difference between Stowa and Nomos, you're better off buying Stowa.


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## UnfortunateDateWindow (Jul 14, 2016)

Whether your watch has an in-house movement matters very little in everyday use or affecting most people's enjoyment of the watch.

Whether its design makes you happy to look at, and whether it's built and finished with high quality, matters much more. That's what you pay for, and that's what often (but not always!) distinguishes the more expensive brands from cheaper alternatives.

I've only owned Nomoses and I've never seen a Stowa in person, so I can't say whether Stowa's quality matches up — only that I feel very good about my Nomos purchases, and no Stowa design has ever quite made me want to buy it, despite a few that come close.


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## ads75 (Jan 16, 2014)

It is nice being able to see exactly what you are going to buy, and the Nomos may make that possible depending on where you live. Some people like that the Nomos makes their own movements. If that isn't a big deal to you, save some cash and get the Stowa. You won't be disappointed. FYI I have 2 Nomos, and 4 Stowas, and wear the Stowas more than the Nomos.


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## jupiter6 (Jan 8, 2015)

mebiuspower said:


> Most of the Nomos come in automatic now.
> 
> If you have to ask about the difference between Stowa and Nomos, you're better off buying Stowa.


If you can handle one brand but not the other, how else can you know without asking?


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## hrobi (May 7, 2016)

I'm tossing up a similar issue myself for the short-to-mid term future. In terms of styling/heritage, Stowa clearly wins hands down (not that this is necessarily an issue). Keep in mind that the NOMOS Tangente is essentially an homage watch to an earlier Lange watch from the 60's (maybe 70's?) - some people would care about this, but personally I don't think it's an issue at all

I'd still say definitely go the NOMOS. Is it worth twice the amount of money? That's debatable, but really in today's watch market, what you get in the Tangente is a STEAL! And for a watch with such a timeless design, you should have it for your entire lifetime - so I think the investment is worth it.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Just to add some facts.

The Lange you mention was launched by Lange in 1937 as well as a similar looking Stowa, not in the 60s or 70s. Both dials have been made by Weber & Baral, Pforzheim. Designed by Adolph Weber.


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## melb (May 20, 2013)

To mark an achievement / extra income, I went for a Tangente Datum. However, I wish I have bought a (handwound version of) Marine Classic 40 Arabic white, Flieger Classic, or
Partitio Klassik instead, and use rest of the money to do something else with my family.

Don't get me wrong, I adore my Tangente, but if Stowa is that you can afford, it is a great choice too.


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## Modestwrist (Mar 13, 2017)

Congrats on the Tangente! Had a chance to check out Stowa at Windup NYC and was really impressed..


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## kanye_mouse (Jul 31, 2018)

melb said:


> To mark an achievement / extra income, I went for a Tangente Datum. However, I wish I have bought a (handwound version of) Marine Classic 40 Arabic white, Flieger Classic, or
> Partitio Klassik instead, and use rest of the money to do something else with my family.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I adore my Tangente, but if Stowa is that you can afford, it is a great choice too.


Congrats on the beautiful watch! I was having the same debate (Nomos v. Stowa) a while back and ended up buying a used Tangente (orig, no Date) as a compromise. The price was about halfway between a new Stowa and new Nomos. I'm glad I splurged a bit and didn't go Stowa. The dial is beautiful, and the movement is finished very nicely for a sub $2k watch. Plus the brand is respected in WIS circles (Stowa is too, just less known, and doesn't have the in-house cache), and I identify with their design driven form follows function motif. A sucker for branding, but oh well.


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## flyingpicasso (Jun 28, 2010)

I did the same research on Stowa vs. Nomos years ago and ended up with....both. After handling both it's clear I made the right choice--great build quality and timekeeping, and excellent service from both companies.


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## jsg22 (Apr 5, 2012)

UnfortunateDateWindow said:


> Whether your watch has an in-house movement matters very little in everyday use or affecting most people's enjoyment of the watch.
> 
> Whether its design makes you happy to look at, and whether it's built and finished with high quality, matters much more. That's what you pay for, and that's what often (but not always!) distinguishes the more expensive brands from cheaper alternatives.


Sound advice.


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## since01 (Mar 30, 2018)

Tough one to call cause I absolutely love both movement if you put a gun to my head to choose one then I would go for Nomos Tangente.


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## seedubs1 (Dec 22, 2017)

If it were me, I would ask:
- Do I want a sporty Flieger or giant dive watch? - If so, buy a Stowa
- Do I want a cool quirky watch that is able to be dressed up? - If so, but a Nomos

I think it depends what type of watch you want. The two companies offer a lot for your money and are very high quality. You won't go wrong with either. Figure out what you want first, and then go that route.


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## ronsabbagh (Mar 8, 2006)

They are both lovely watches but I lean towards Stowa.

Reason?

I can communicate with Jorg directly and his customer service is unsurpassed (has been for years) That's worth a lot to me. I know my Stowa will be taken care of as long as I own it.


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