Quote:
Originally Posted by kisho
Wow, thanks a lot Tony. That was very informative. I really just starting out and I've been looking for a sub $2k watch. I myself wasn't sure if I was really into skeleton watches, I just thought that it looked pretty cool. After I posted the op, I actually found myself gravitating more towards purchasing a Nomos/Stowa. I'm really liking the classy minimalist look. I'm thinking of getting a used one first. The one I've been looking at is the Nomos Tangente Norma.
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By all means, get whatever watch suits you. If minimalism appeals to you, there are many executions of that theme in the watch world.
Skeleton style minimalism:
Corum Bridge watch -- you'll likely need to save up for this one as it's well above the $2K mark you have in mind right now.
Contemporary-ish minimalism
Keaton Myrick
Movado -- there're no shortage of Movado styles that are minimal in design. The most well known is their so-called Museum Watch, which is an icon all its own.
Movado Eliro
Traditional Minimalism
Nomos' products certainly have that. You'll find it in any number ofother watches. It's characterized by a rather conventional watch having more "stuff" on the dial than does a Movado such as the Museum Watch or Eliro, but less stuff than one'll find on, say a Breguet 5177, which is arguably one of the "classic" watches that truly fits with a minimalist aesthetic as well.
Breguet 5177
More often, however, minimalist traditional watches look like a Piaget Altiplano, ALS Saxonia thin or any of several Vacheron Constantin models (only one pictured below).
Piaget Altiplano
ALS Saxonia Thin
Vacheron Constantin 1955 Ultra Thin
Of course, you don't need me to define what minimalist means. Indeed, if you think a watch having even more "stuff" on the face than the ones above is still "minimalist," so be it.
Note:
I pictured/mentioned the watches I did above for the sake of their look and because they are watches with which I'm familiar. I'm not at all suggesting they be alternatives to the Nomos you have in mind.
NOMOS
Nomos make fine watches. About the only thing I'd say you may want to ask your seller about is servicing. Find out if sending it back to Nomos is your sole realistic option for having it "tuned up" from time to time and ask what they currently charge to do so.
Just by way of explaining the above statements, one of the major things Rolex have going for themselves is the vast network of watchmakers who can service a Rolex Oyster movement and the (relatively) reasonable prices ($400 - $600, usually) at which one can get that work performed.
It's really nifty to have a "not so commonly seen" watch that is really quite nice as well. Just bear in mind that when one does so, one necessarily gives up some of the "ease of ownership" appeal that accompanies far more ubiquitous watches like Omegas, Seikos, Rolexes, etc. It's quite the same thing that happens when on buys cool, but uncommon cars.
All the best.