Nomos Metro 38 Ref. 1101

About This Watch

The Nomos Metro 38 Ref. 1101 is arguably the single most important watch Nomos has ever created, the model that announced to the world that this small Glashütte manufacturer could develop and produce its own in-house movements. Designed by Mark Braun — one of Berlin's most celebrated industrial designers — the Metro broke from the established Nomos design language with a contemporary aesthetic featuring a colorful power reserve indicator at the three o'clock position, rendered in a gradient from orange to blue that has become one of the most recognizable design elements in modern watchmaking. The DUW 4401 hand-wound movement inside was the first fully in-house caliber from Nomos, predating the Neomatik automatic line and establishing the manufacturing capabilities that would define the company's future trajectory. The dial design is a masterclass in modern graphic design: clean sans-serif numerals at 12 and 6, dot indices, delicate leaf-shaped hands, and that unforgettable power reserve arc that communicates the movement's remaining energy with both precision and beauty. At 38.5mm, the Metro wears as a substantial dress watch with genuine personality — something that the more austere Tangente and Orion cannot claim. The blue-orange color accent has inspired an entire design vocabulary that Nomos continues to explore across limited editions and special variants, making the original Metro a pivotal reference point in the brand's evolution.