n the Ore Mountains of Germany, there is a small town that is world-famous for its watches: Glashütte. Last April, great news reached the locals: lawmakers had passed the Glashütte Regulation, which accords a significant and special status to timepieces manufactured in the small German town.

As a result, they now enjoy the same legal protection as “Swiss Made” watches. But while “Swiss Made” covers the whole of Switzerland, “Glashütte” is limited to a very small geographical region. Not to mention, it is only the second time since 1938 that a protected designation of origin has been awarded for a technical product in Germany. A true milestone!

Watches from Glashütte are now protected as strictly as sparkling wine from Champagne.

A legal protection

Watchmaking has a long tradition here: Glashütte has been making the best watches for a good 175 years now. And today, it’s the NOMOS Glashütte manufactory that produces the most watches with the coveted designation of origin. At the same time, it is one of only a few owner-managed watch manufactories in the world.

Classics such as the Tangente, Ludwig, Orion, Club or Metro have long been famous - just like the place where they are made. For both NOMOS Glashütte and the eight other local manufacturers, protection provided by the designation of origin considerably improves the legal situation, protecting against imitations and counterfeiters.

With the passing of the new Glashütte Regulation, the “Glashütte” designation of origin is now of even greater significance worldwide.

This is because anyone wishing to sell watches bearing the name “Glashütte” must perform all the relevant work there and fulfill the strictest criteria. The designation of origin thus honors the tradition of the town and its constantly evolving craftsmanship. But consumers are the main beneficiaries: they can be certain that watches bearing the name “Glashütte” were actually made in the town of the same name according to high quality standards.

Consumers are the main beneficiaries: they can be certain that watches bearing the name “Glashütte” were actually made in the town of the same name according to high quality standards.

“This new regulation also contributes to the reputation of our town,” says Uwe Ahrendt, managing director of NOMOS Glashütte. “It honors what has been accomplished here since 1845. The NOMOS Glashütte watch manufactory goes far beyond the requirements of the regulation and produces all eleven calibres itself in its workshops on site - with a vertical range of manufacture of up to 95 percent and in a quality that is second to none.”

Uwe Ahrendt, managing director of NOMOS Glashütte

“Made in Glashütte is therefore more than Made in Germany,” emphasizes Dr. Wolfgang Straub, one of the lawyers involved in the process: “Glashütte’s strict quality criteria once again clearly surpass the value of the famous Made in Germany.”

“We go far beyond the requirements of the regulation, as we produce our eleven calibres in our workshops on site.”

Club Sport: new diameters, new colours

Among the models benefiting from this new regulation are the brand’s latest iterations of its Club Sport neomatik tool watches, in petrol green and polar blue. The demand was more than obvious for these sporty models with a link bracelet and moderate diameter, and in new colours.

The two new NOMOS watches feature everything that matters on your wrist. Not only are they made by hand in the Glashütte watchmaking tradition, precise and extremely reliable, but they are also robust and beautifully presented. The comfortable stainless steel case and link bracelet (polished and satinated) fuse seamlessly with each other, framing the beautiful sunburst finish of the dial. They tell of an athletic day-to-day, of a sense of style and of success.

The model is already available in blue and black, each with a 42-millimeter diameter. The two new watches, measuring a moderate 37 millimeters, are perfect for many wrists, both male and female. “Demand for Club Sport with this diameter was more than obvious,” says Sven Schönberger from NOMOS Product Management. “It simply fits the times.”

“Demand for Club Sport with this diameter was more than obvious. It simply fits the times.”

The new colours of the dial are strikingly beautiful. Polar blue and petrol green are not only refreshingly different and truly radiant with the luxurious NOMOS sunburst finish, they are also colours that harmonize while being full of character and vibrancy. On top of that, the luminescent numerals beneath the domed sapphire crystal are easy to read even at night or under water. And thanks to recessed hour numerals (which hold more luminescent material), the new NOMOS watches glow for a very long time.

Recessed hour numerals and hands hold extra Superluminova, glowing with intensity in the dark.

It goes without saying that the two new Club models are no snowflakes: Club is the sportiest of the NOMOS watch families anyway; the new models are seawater-resistant up to 20 atm and equipped with a deployant clasp, making them the perfect watches for sports by and in the water - and more.

The energy these high-performance watches require to display the time is generated by even the tiniest movement of the wrist: the high-precision caliber, measuring an ultra-flat 3.2 millimeters in height (in-house DUW 3001 neomatik caliber) works efficiently; the rotor winds the calibre with movements in both directions.

Among the models benefiting from this new regulation are the brand’s latest iterations of its Club Sport neomatik tool watches, in petrol green and polar blue. The new colours of their dial are strikingly beautiful.