# Report: Visited Glashütte (Nomos) >>>



## Guest (Jul 20, 2006)

A visit to NOMOS at Glashütte/Sachsen








1. Arranging the visit

Some time ago I received an E-mail from WUS-WIS Bhanu from Phoenix/Arizona asking me if it would be possible to visit some watch manufacturers at Glashütte and if I could point him into the right direction.

Needless to say that I could.

Some days and phone calls later the schedule was completed:

Friday, July 14th:

08.00h Meeting at Berlin, Hotel Holiday Inn 
Departure Hotel, 2 1/2h drive to Glashütte

11.00h Visit at NOMOS
13.00h Ferdinand-Adolph-Lange-Platz2
01768 Glashütte
+49 35053 40416
host: Nomos spokesman Jan Hendrik Montag

13.00h Guided tour at Glashütte Original
15.00h Altenburger Straße 1
01768 Glashütte
+49 35053 46464
+49 35053 46-0

15.15h Look into the NOMOS „flagship store"
Betriebsverkaufsstelle
Hauptstraße 12
01768 Glashütte
+49 35053 32705
open Mo-Fr from 10.00 - 17.30

What I didn´t took into consideration was the extraordinary hospitality of the NOMOS crew which included a lunch at the NOMOS canteen amongst Nomos staff and watchmakers (Mirko Heyne showed up).
Due to the full and unexpected customer service we couldn´t manage to follow the guided tour at Glashütte Original.

2. Some historical facts

Since the fall of „The Wall" and the reunification of Germany the little sleepy town Glashütte deep down in the river Müglitz valley within the Lower Saxony Region (close to Dresden) became known as *the place* of German watchmaking. 
The watchmaking tradition of this region was reborn by the establishment of old and new brands such as Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, Union, Mühle and NOMOS (The word „Nomos" is taken out of the Greek and stands for justice, law, order, regularity).

In 1990 Roland Schwertner, CEO of NOMOS, decided to move from the western part of Germany to - what for some time was called - „the wild East" („der wilde Osten") and founded Nomos.

The first building NOMOS moved in was sold to Wempe in 2005 and NOMOS moved to a new location.
In March 2005 NOMOS took possession of the old Glashütte railway station down into the valley vis-a-vis Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original and the Chronometrie up the hills of Glashütte.










There is still a train connection from Glashütte to nearby Dresden but the building wasn´t needed anymore for that purpose.










The building was erected in 1937 and totally renovated by Klaus Schmitt, an artist from 
North Rhine-Westphalia and a friend of Roland Schwertner. Klaus Schmitt suceeded in changing the non-charming and dark station building into a light, transparent place.










Everywhere in both buildings you´ll find paintings and art which seems to be in accordance to the NOMOS philosophy of creating art of watchmaking.

On three floors with a surface of about 1.2000 square meters you´ll now find the latest generation of tooling machines for drilling and washing the plates, rooms for the quality control, discussions and reception, dispatch & service.

Assembly, regulation, research and development requires more silence and is therefore housed in the second building known as the „Chronometrie".

When Roland Schwertner started up business he had three employees. Since then NOMOS prospored rather quickly .

The way Nomos had chosen for to enter the market was quite different to Glashütte Original and Lange & Söhne. Instead of competing with the German and Swiss „high-enders" and their inhouse movements Nomos decided to start with a proven and reliable swiss ebauche (Peseux 7001).
In very short time Nomos was able to launch an affordable and classic looking handwounded timepiece which very soon attracted the watch community all over the world.

The Tangente was the first model presented by Nomos shortly after getting settled at Glashütte.

The Tangente almost became a synonym for Nomos, Tangente was Nomos, Nomos was Tangente. Later the Orion, Ludwig, Tetra and Sport joined the family and basicly formed the worldwide success of Nomos watches.

The success of NOMOS watches enabled the NOMOS watchmakers to work on different technical solutions (¾ plate ,power reserve indication, date indication) which were - at that time based on swiss movements known as Peseux 7001).

Nomos is still a privatly owned watch company at Glashütte and currently employes 56 employees, some of them are watchmakers in the 4th and 5th generation.

During the inauguration of the renovated railway station and a press conference in March 2005 Nomos presented the Tangomat with it´s first inhouse automatic movement.








Roland Schwertner`s very short comment on this news was „NOMOS has grown up" indicating that NOMOS became the third watch manufacture in Glashütte.

3. The visit

Located on Ferdinand-Adolf-Lange Platz 2 (F.A. Lange founded the watch industry in Glashütte at 1845), which is the main junction and the horological heart of Glashütte NOMOS settled in a very interesting triangle.








If you leave the NOMOS building and turn left and cross the Altenberger Straße you´ll stand in front of the totally modernized building of Glashütte Original formerly known as the GUB („Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe").










Another neighbour of NOMOS is A. Lange & Söhne. Just leave the railway station and turn right und you are just in front of the headquarters entrance of A. Lange & Söhne.










Some steps away from Lange & Söhne you will see the Glashütte watchmaker´s school.










Leaving the NOMOS building, turning right and crossing the junction, you´ll reach the SUG (Sächsische Uhrentechnologie GmbH Glashütte), located on the Dresdner Straße, where cases are made for Sinn, Mühle, Jacques Etoile and other brands.










When arriving at NOMOS we have been welcomed by Mr. Jan Hendrik Montag and Uwe Ahrendt, the 2nd managing director of NOMOS who is also the second deputy town mayor of Glashütte. After getting refreshed the tour through NOMOS began.

*The old Railway station*

Entering the building you´ll find the shipment departement on the right and close to that the service department (in case a NOMOS needs some service).










In the rear building the „loud" production is to be found. 4 CNC-maschines are working in day and night shift to drill the plates according to the specifications.




























The quality control is also located on that floor.

The quality control checks every last piece of a pallet assuming that if this piece is in full accordance to the specs all other´s produced before are alright too.










If the plates are alright they will enter the „washing street" where all plates have to pass automatically through several liquids such as acid and water/oil.



















Next step of the production process is the „perlage" of the plates, which can be done by hand or by machines. I learned that the right term has to be „Nomos Langeleist circular graining".










The next pictures show the decoration of the ratchet and crown wheels with the Glashütte sunburst pattern.


























*The Chronometrie*










As I already pointed out, the Chronometrie is the building whre the „silent" work is done. On every floor you see watchmakers assembling watches, blueing/polishing screws, setting the hands.

Setting jewels and screws


















Setting the shock protection / balance









Setting the hands (Universo btw)


















Blueing / Polishing the screws









We had the opportunity to talk to some (female) watchmakers and master watchmakers and learned that some of them are watchmakers in the 4th and 5th generation.










Heike Hahn (the lady on the right) for example is watchmaker in the 4th generation, the young lady to her left will be the 5th generation after she will finish her professional training.

Heike Hahn







We couldn´t take pictures at the research & development department which is the workplace of Mikro Heyne, a young watchmaker - trained by A. Lange & Söhne and former partner of Lange & Heyne watches - but what we have seen assured us of some interesting ongoing projects but we will keep it a secret as requested by NOMOS.










Mirko Heyne joined NOMOS in late 2002 and was asked by Roland Schwertner to construct an automatic movement, the „Tempomat" was born. It needed until spring 2005 and the first 250 prototypes had been offered to customers to make a real long term test and to report back their experiences.

Mirko Heyne







We also met french watchmaker Thierry Albert in the room where the countersunk screws are polished and blued at a temperature of about 300 degrees Celsisus. For the heating process NOMOS uses a little oven which looks like an enameling furnace but is more precise in keeping the right temperature for the right time.

Thierry Albert







The remaining time at Glashütte was used to visit the entrance and exhibition hall of Glashütte Original which is quite impressive.

To proof we have been there we took some pictures:





































After visiting GO we went to the Nomos store located at Hauptstraße, got some catalogues and DVDs at A. Lange & Söhne.

Our visit was finished after taking some shots of the Wempe Observatory „Urania" on the „Ochsenkopf". Unfortunately - on a Friday afternoon - it was already closed.










The observatory is meant to be the starting point to certify Wempe and other „Made in Germany"- chronometer watches in Germany.

To ensure the independance of this „inspecting autority" and to warrant an international acknowledgement of the certificates issued at Glashütte WEMPE is working together with the „Thüringer Landesamt für Mess-und Eichwesen" (LMET).

The „Urania" will become an official field office of the „Deutscher Kalibrierdienst" (German Calibration Service) which will lead to chronometer certificates issued at Glashütte.

Needless to say that we had a great time and needless to say we will come back.

We already got invited by A. Lange & Söhne and for sure I will visit GO as soon as possible.

All pics by NOMOS or Mike S.


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## philipp (Feb 11, 2006)

Hello Mike,

Thanks for the report and all the great pictures!

It is really amazing how many watch manufacturers can be found in Glashütte... all so close together.

Kind regards Philipp


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## BruceS (Feb 11, 2006)

Great stuff Mike. I wanna go next time!!


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## bleddrewsoe (Feb 13, 2006)

That is quite a report Mike. I feel like I was there myself...One day I will have to make the trek over to Germany & Switzerland for some watch sightseeing;-)


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## SF.Intel (Jun 25, 2006)

Hey Mike --- Great report. Excellent post as usual! You should start selling your services as a tour guide, specializing in the great watchmakers of Germany!


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## thodgins (Feb 11, 2006)

Excellent report and hopefully we'll see some of those great projects coming from Nomos soon.


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

Very interesting, Mike ... many thanks! :gold


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## Dave E (Feb 12, 2006)

Thanks for the great report, Mike! :-!


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## nette (Apr 6, 2006)

Thanks for that Mike! I really liked learning that steady hands are passed down through different generations! :-!


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## UVox (May 1, 2005)

thank you for this wonderful Report Mike :-!


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2006)

nette said:


> Thanks for that Mike! I really liked learning that steady hands are passed down through different generations! :-!


Well, this seems to be the great advantage of Glashütte to have the skilled person at that place and this for sure is to thank the VEB GUB = Volkseigener Betrieb Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe which "conserved" the knowledge and craftmanship over the years of the "real existing socialism". What I was wondering is the fact that you´ve seen a lot of female watchmakers at NOMOS like Heike Hahn and the other girl on the pic.


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## nette (Apr 6, 2006)

stuffler said:


> Well, this seems to be the great advantage of Glashütte to have the skilled person at that place and this for sure is to thank the VEB GUB = Volkseigener Betrieb Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe which "conserved" the knowledge and craftmanship over the years of the "real existing socialism". What I was wondering is the fact that you´ve seen a lot of female watchmakers at NOMOS like Heike Hahn and the other girl on the pic.


Is it very uncommom to have women watchmakers? I don't really know much about the industry as I am learning as I go along (with your help, and the help of these forums).

Oh, and the pic you put up of the NOMOS watch had me looking twice. I hadn't really liked the pics of the watches they had in magazines.


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2006)

nette said:


> Is it very uncommom to have women watchmakers? I don't really know much about the industry as I am learning as I go along (with your help, and the help of these forums).


Well, I wouldn´t say it´s uncommon but it was unknown to me that Nomos employes that much female watchmakers.

And btw there aren´t a lot female watchmakers in the long history of watchmaking and to be honest I don´t even the name of one female watchmaker :-S

Will find out how many female watchmakers work at Lange & Söhne and GO.
Will visit Glashütte again (scheduled for this year).


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## nette (Apr 6, 2006)

That would be a cool thing to find out. 

Your pictorials have me planning out my next Euro vacation, which probably won't happen for another couple of years. I think I will have to go to Switzerland and Germany... all for the chocolate of course. And get the ultimate souvenir! ;-)


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## Bob Sendel (Feb 10, 2006)

Great report Mike!


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2006)

:thanks guys for all your comments


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## Bhanu Chopra (Apr 1, 2006)

Mike, thanks for arranging this wonderful tour in Glashutte.
I returned from Berlin yesterday with lots of great memories.

I went back to Dresden after the Glashutte visit few days later and visited the Wempe store. I couldn't resist the Sport Nach 8 Nomos watch. My wife loved the watch and wanted me to buy it :-D

Wempe also informed me that they are coming out with their private label watch made in Glashutte workshop shortly (by November).

Here are some pictures that my 8-year-old son took at the Nomos workshop (kept him somewhat busy) and the watch I bought from Wempe.























































I want to thank Mr. Jan-Hendrik Montag for his patience in explaining everything in such detail, for a delicious lunch, and his great humor. Nomos is not just a watch brand to me but a life experience after visiting Glashutte.

Cheers,

Bhanu
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1131934/Nomos1.J


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2006)

a) My pleasure  
b) Congrats with your NOMOS (kudos to your wife) :-! 
c) Thanks for the pics ;-) 
d) Hope you all got home well |>


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## thodgins (Feb 11, 2006)

Nomos builds an absolutely beautiful, simple watch. congrats!!


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## drod (Feb 26, 2006)

Thanks for the great report and pictures. Makes me meager to visit one day myself. 

|>


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

drod said:


> Thanks for the great report and pictures. Makes me meager to visit one day myself.
> 
> |>


:thanks drod !


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## foversta (Jul 26, 2006)

Thanks a lot Mike for this beautiful report. It reminds me my visit at Lange last year.


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2006)

foversta said:


> Thanks a lot Mike for this beautiful report. It reminds me my visit at Lange last year.


Hi Francois,

Good to see you are back to Watchuseek :-! :-! Missed you for quite a while!
A.Lange & Söhne, Wempe, Glashütte Original are next on my list for a visit. Would like to visit Dornblüth but - as always - it´s a matter of time.


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## foversta (Jul 26, 2006)

Hi Mike !

It's a pleasure for me to be back here. I don't know why, my password couldn't work anymore, I was busy etc... so I register again !

;-)


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2006)

foversta said:


> Hi Mike !
> 
> It's a pleasure for me to be back here. I don't know why, my password couldn't work anymore, I was busy etc... so I register again !
> 
> ;-)










home


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## Michael London (Mar 16, 2007)

Fascinating photos and text of the Nomos site and Glashütte. I really like the Tangomat. Do you know if any of the Glashütte companies (other than Wempe!) are planning on subjecting any of their models to the DIN 8309 test this year?

Michael


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2007)

Hmm, DIN 8309 ?? You mean DIN 8319 - the German equivalent of the ISO 3159 standard used by COSC ?










Don´t know if any of the Glashütte companies are planning to get their watches certified at the Sternwarte. Nomos is already producing movements within the COSC ratings but a Chronometer made by Nomos would be another beater.


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## Michael London (Mar 16, 2007)

Sorry Mike. I did mean 8319. Do you know if 'Union' watches are available outside of Germany? the UK for instance?


stuffler said:


> Hmm, DIN 8309 ?? You mean DIN 8319 - the German equivalent of the ISO 3159 standard used by COSC ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2007)

Michael London said:


> Sorry Mike. I did mean 8319. Do you know if 'Union' watches are available outside of Germany? the UK for instance?


Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Not aware of any AD in the UK.


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## David Woo (Feb 12, 2006)

*wonderful report, sorry I misssed it the first time around...*

thanks very much for sharing it with us, Michael.
A question, is Muhle Glashutte a different company from Glashutte Original?
DW


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## grossman81 (Mar 6, 2006)

Of course Muhle is another company.
You have many companies from Glashuette - GO, Muhle, Nomos, Bruno Sohle...


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2007)

*Re: wonderful report, sorry I misssed it the first time around...*



David Woo said:


> thanks very much for sharing it with us, Michael.
> A question, is Muhle Glashutte a different company from Glashutte Original?
> DW


Yep. Mühle - Nautische Instrumente was the last manufacturer who got socialized and forced to merge with the GUB of GDR-times. Out of the GUB Glashütte Original was created after the reunification. So to say Mühle-Nautische Instrumente, A.-Lange & Söhne do have a longer history compared to Glashütte Original, there was no Glashütte Original after after or before WW II but there have been a lot of other manufacturers.

Nomos is quite new to Glasütte, Wolfgang Schwertner and his entire crew settled after the reunification in Glashütte, they basicly started in Western Germany, Northrhine-Westfalia to be precise.


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## louis (Feb 11, 2006)

Very strange, that ugly-new building in the middle of that old town. I bet I know, who´s idea it was.


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