Another 30 percent increase for NOMOS Glashütte

NOMOS Glashütte has recently broken the Swiss monopoly with its proprietary escapement, now its new and series-production-ready automatic caliber has been successfully introduced in new watches—and the Glashütte watchmaking company is celebrating healthy growth

The past year has once again been the best in NOMOS Glashütte’s history: The demand for mechanical timepieces from the watchmaking company is growing steadily. This is how NOMOS Glashütte, Germany’s largest independent watch producer, managed to expand by around 30 percent. By contrast, a significant segment of the industry is under pressure—due to the strong Swiss franc, the weak Russian ruble, slowing demand in China, and smartwatches. “We could sell more than we can produce,” says CEO Uwe Ahrendt, 46, of his situation. And this is nothing new: Even though NOMOS Glashütte has already doubled in size in the last three years, it is still a challenge to cope with the demand. 

After the NOMOS swing system (its proprietary escapement) and the model Metro generated significant additional interest, the company followed up in 2015 by successfully introducing an entire automatic series. The incredibly slender, self-winding watches of the neomatik series are equipped with NOMOS’ tenth in-house caliber, DUW 3001. Only just introduced onto the market, the 1st edition is nearly sold out.

The company, which in Germany is the market leader in mechanical watches, is also enjoying increasing demand internationally. Already exporting to over 40 countries worldwide, the brand is currently concentrating on expanding its North American business. This is going from strength to strength, with soaring figures and a fast growing retailer network including renowned watch dealers such as Tourneau, Timeless, and Toppers. 

But the United Kingdom plays a decisive role for the brand too, with top retailers such as Watches of Switzerland, Fraser Hart and Berry’s representing NOMOS Glashütte in London and elsewhere in the UK. Furthermore, with retailers in locations such as Paris, Madrid, Singapore, and Sydney, NOMOS Glashütte is also well placed around the globe—and on course to double in size again in three years’ time. As CEO Ahrendt says: “A watchmaking company that places craftsmanship and quality above all else could not grow any faster.”