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Nomos Glashütte Orion 38
Ref. 384
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Orion was one of four watches NOMOS Glashütte introduced in 1992, and its 38mm form is the larger of the two sizes the collection now runs in. The design draws directly from Bauhaus principles: an open white silver-plated dial, baton indexes with a diamond-polished finish, cornflower-blue steel hands, and a recessed seconds subdial sitting alone at six. The domed crystal and curved caseback mirror each other, giving the case a symmetry that is unusual even among dress watches. At 8.9mm thick it disappears under a cuff, and the ultra-thin bezel lets the dial read wider than 38mm suggests. The DUW 4001 inside is NOMOS's development of their founding Alpha calibre — slimmer at 2.6mm, with the proprietary swing system and 53 hours of reserve. The exhibition caseback shows Glashütte ribbing, NOMOS perlage, and tempered blue screws, which is a reasonable summary of what distinguishes movement finishing from this part of Saxony. The Shell Cordovan strap will outlast most alternatives and drilled lugs make changing it straightforward.
- Reference
- 384
- Brand
- Nomos Glashütte
- Collection
- Orion
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 8.9mm
- Lug width
- 19mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Manual
- Calibre
- DUW 4001
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 48mm
- Power reserve
- 53 hours
Learn more about Nomos Glashütte
Roland Schwertner, a photographer and computer technician from Düsseldorf with no watchmaking background, registered Nomos in Glashütte in January 1990 — two months after the Berlin Wall fell and before German reunification was complete. The town's watchmaking infrastructure had been state-owned for four decades and was suddenly available.
The design language was settled from the start and has barely moved: Bauhaus in the strict sense, drawing on the Dessau school's functionalism. Sans-serif numerals, no applied ornament, no unnecessary line, and dial layouts where every element earns its place. The Tangente, one of the first models, remains the flagship and looks the same today.
The technical ambition came later and was considerable for a company of its size. Nomos moved from modified Swiss ébauches to its own Alpha calibre, then to the DUW family, and in 2014 introduced the swing system — a proprietary escapement with an in-house hairspring, the component almost no independent manufacturer makes. Fewer than a dozen companies worldwide produce their own hairsprings.
The house is still independent, still based in a converted railway station in Glashütte, with design offices in Berlin. It occupies unusual territory: in-house movements and German finishing at prices closer to Swiss mid-range brands using bought-in calibres, which has made it the most common entry point into serious German watchmaking.
- 1990
- Roland Schwertner founds Nomos in Glashütte.
- 1992
- The Tangente launches and defines the house style.
- 2005
- Production shifts to in-house movements.
- 2014
- The swing system escapement with in-house hairspring is introduced.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,868), Stainless Steel Watches (3,133), Leather Strap Watches (1,037) and Dress Watches (557).
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 38mm suits most wrists
- 8.9mm is unusually slim for a 38mm case
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Nomos Glashütte's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Nomos Glashütte Orion 38 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 384 | 85008M04 | R32193018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,340 | £2,105 | £2,650 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 53 hours | 63 hours | 80 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is hand-wound, so it needs winding every day or two but never a battery.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 53 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
19mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 48mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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