Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date, now with White Dial
The Ahoi looks back over its shoulder and recaptures the serene white dial of the inaugural model.
Launched in 2013, the Ahoi is catalogued by Nomos as an all-rounder watch. Built to withstand depths of 200 metres, the Ahoi is a far cry from the rugged, macho sports watches that dominate the market, retaining the minimalist Bauhaus-influenced design language of the brand. One of the brand’s most versatile pieces, the Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date has been treated to Nomos’ lively colour palette with navy blue, and later sky blue and sand-coloured dials. With the summer season beckoning, you might reasonably expect a fun-in-the-sun seasonal dial. However, the Ahoi 38 rows against the tide and performs a U-turn by reverting to its original white silver-plated dial.
While its looks are elegantly understated, the Ahoi is the sportiest watch in the brand’s repertoire. Built to tackle all terrains, the 38.5mm stainless steel case has crown guards flanking the screw-down crown and a very respectable 200m water-resistance rating, in line with ISO 6425 standards. However, the lack of a rotating bezel disqualifies it as a dive watch, which is not a problem for Nomos. The Ahoi was conceived as a resilient everyday companion that happens to be water-resistant. Elements like the polished case, the slim height of 9.8mm with a closed caseback (9.9mm with a sapphire crystal caseback), the slender angular lugs and the date window attest to this concept.
As a German watchmaker, pragmatism is the operative word. Details like the red ring around the stem of the screw-down crown are not just design whims, but a visual reminder to wearers to be careful when unscrewing the crown to avoid dust and water entering the movement.
The new white silver-plated dial is almost identical to the first 40mm Ahoi model of 2013, featuring black Arabic numerals, a recessed and snailed small seconds counter with a red hand and light blue hour and minute hands treated with Super-LumiNova. Apart from the size, the main difference between the first model and the new release is the date window at 3 o’clock, a feature only found on the 38.5mm editions (the 40mm Ahoi models have been discontinued and replaced with 38.5mm and 36mm references).
As with all Nomos watches, legibility is enhanced thanks to the uncluttered dial, large black Arabic numerals and discreet but effective use of colour on the small seconds hand and the light blue hour and minute hands. In low-light conditions, the central hands and the rectangular hour plots on the minutes track emit a green glow. While date windows will always have their detractors, the background is white, blending in with the dial and the aperture and numerals are about three times larger than standard date windows. Another pragmatic feature is the quick-set date function, which allows you to set the date in both directions without needing to scroll through the calendar in one direction.
Picked out in golden letters on the dial, Neomatik refers to the brand’s family of slim, automatic movements. To retain its slim height of just 3.6mm, the date wheel of the DUW 6101 is positioned around the movement, not on top. Produced entirely in-house, including the escapement, hairspring and balance (Nomos proprietary swing system), the DUW 6101 has a bidirectional winding rotor and delivers a power reserve of up to 42 hours. Available with a closed or open sapphire caseback, the movement has a traditional Glashütte three-quarter plate decorated with ribbing, perlage and blued screws.
The Ahoi 38 is paired with a sporty blue-black textile strap with a winged steel clasp. Thanks to the drilled holes in the lugs, the strap can be easily switched. The Nomos Ahoi with a closed caseback retails for EUR 3,720, and with a sapphire caseback for EUR 4,020. More information at nomos-glashuette.com.
