In-Depth Look: The Nomos Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date

Instead of releasing new watch styles every year, the German watchmaking powerhouse Nomos tweaks and refines their existing models to bring them up to date—style and feature-wise, like the new and improved Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date. 

One look at this automotive-inspired timepiece is enough to remind you of the ecstatic feelings of sitting behind the wheel. The watch may sound like an exclusive homage to automobiles but there’s more to it than that. 

LOOK: The Nomos Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date 

Named after the six-lane superhighway in Germany, the new Nomos watch is a classic timepiece. It’s a brainchild of the collaboration between the German brand and furniture designer Werner Aisslinger and the result is an elegant portrayal of German engineering. What’s interesting, though, is that you don’t have to be a petrolhead to appreciate it. 

The Autobahn is presented in a stainless steel case with a domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal case back. The dial has a galvanized, rhodium-plated blue luminous ring with an elongated date window. It is finished with a textile strap that ends with a winged stainless steel clasp. It is also resistant to water with a depth of up to 100 meters. The dial colors vary from sports gray, midnight blue, and white. 

The classic watch features elements that are distinct to the Bauhaus design the brand is known for. The perfectly curved dial frames the luminous ring and three-lane date window. Meanwhile, the fabric strap is designed in Berlin and custom-made in France. Perhaps the most striking feature of the watch is the depth of the dial, whose curved edge is reminiscent of the outside lane of a racetrack. For the creative minds, it may also look like the fender of a vintage race car. 

Features & Specs 

With a 41mm diameter case, the Autobahn is a relatively large sporty Nomos watch. Nonetheless, it looks understated and elegant. Its dial features eight arcs of a circle forming a horseshoe—reminiscent of a speedometer on a dashboard of a vintage car. Meanwhile, two slender batons form the hour and minute hands. The minute hand has an orange tip that matches the hand of the second sub-dial display at 6 o’clock. These features shine with a blue glow that guarantees visibility even in poor light conditions. 

Ticking inside the timepiece is the self-winding Caliber DUW 6101—the brand’s 11th in-house movement. It succeeds the DUW 3001 introduced in 2015 and is the second caliber movement used in its Neomatik series. 

The word neomatik means new automatic, referring to the brand’s newly engineered movements. Meanwhile, DUW stands for Deutsche Uhrenwerke or German watch movements. The DUW 6101 movement is equipped with the new swing system and is also distinct for its bridges which you can appreciate through the clear sapphire case back. The Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date retails for $4,800. 

Nomos Classics: Other Neomatik Watches to Love 

Each Nomos watch is a result of years’ worth of excellence, and yet, each is completely new and different from the last. If you’re looking for watches that exude an urban charm, look no further than this other Nomos Neomatik watches. Each entry features updated looks and a new Neomatik caliber produced in-house. 

1. Metro Neomatik 41 Update 

Early in April, Nomos introduced an updated version of its classic Metro. There aren’t many changes in its appearance. What’s changed, however, is its new dial color and a new movement that triggered other updates to the Metro. The in-house 6101 caliber movement is used in the model which, while ultra-slim, is large at 35.2mm, therefore requiring the use of a larger case. It has a quick-set date function that you can operate both forward and backward. 

Beyond that, the watch retains all the features the Nomos Metro is distinguished for—syringe-style hands and a small second’s sub-dial display. Other features include a waterproof woven textile strap with quick-change spring bars and 50 meters of water resistance. 

2. Tangente Neomatik 41 Update

Further proof of the brand’s ability to make small yet significant changes to its existing models is this Tangente Neomatik 41 Update. The highlight of the updated model is arguably the new green date display. It is filled with Superluminova in green and can be set conveniently in both directions. It also houses the Calibre DUW 6101 movement with a patented automatic winding and a special date mechanism. It shows the date around the edge of the dial by framing it between a pair of red dots. 

3. Club Campus Neomatik 39

Club Campus is a line that targets the younger consumers, recent graduates, in particular. In 2019, Nomos introduced three new references in the line, all equipped with the self-winding caliber DUW 3001 movement. Two of the releases are presented on stainless steel bracelets while the other uses a blue-black woven textile strap. They are sealed with steel backs to leave room for engraving. Treat yourself or your loved one to a minimalist watch at an affordable price.  

4. Tangente Sport Neomatik 

This full-on sports watch has an impressive 300m water resistance. But, what separates it from other Nomos references is that it moves away from the typical restrained sizing in favor of a 42mm case size. It is finished with a stainless steel bracelet and a dial that reflects the brand’s distinctive design—it’s sporty yet dressy just the same. It operates on the DUW 6101 automatic movement. 

A Nomos Neomatik Watch For You 

You may not be able to afford a high-end automobile for yourself, but the Nomos Autobahn Neomatik 41 Update is a more affordable way to sport an automotive-inspired style. Classic, sporty, and straightforward, the Autobahn and the Neomatik watches offer appealing designs that will smoothly transition with you from your 9-to-5 to your weekend activities. Each reference is the perfect balance between sporty and refined, enough for your active lifestyle and daily wear at the same time. Whatever your lifestyle and your preferences are, these Nomos watches are sure to please.

Which of these Neomatik watches appeal to you most? Let us know by leaving a comment.