Is your Metro
the real deal?
The NOMOS Metro combines Bauhaus design principles with an in-house neomatik movement and a distinctive power reserve indicator. As NOMOS's reputation for accessible luxury has grown, so has the risk of counterfeits. Here's how to confirm your Metro is authentic.
How to authenticate a Metro
Power Reserve Indicator
The Metro's signature feature is the tri-color power reserve sub-dial at 12 o'clock, transitioning from blue (full) through white to red (low). The color gradient should be smooth and precise, printed on a separate sub-dial with clean edges. Counterfeits often have incorrect color transitions, blurry printing, or a flat single-color indicator.
Neomatik In-House Movement
The Metro neomatik uses NOMOS's DUW 3001 automatic calibre, visible through the sapphire caseback. Look for the three-quarter plate with Glashutte ribbing, blued screws, the NOMOS swing system escapement, and rhodium-plated finishing. The movement should be impeccably finished with no tool marks or rough edges. Counterfeits use generic Asian movements.
Bauhaus Dial Typography
The Metro's dial uses NOMOS's custom typography with slim, elongated hour markers and distinctively styled numerals. The "NOMOS" logo and "Glashutte/SA" text should be perfectly centered and sharply printed in a consistent weight. Sub-dial markings must be precise and proportional. Counterfeits have incorrect font weights, misaligned text, or wrong letter spacing.
Case Finishing & Proportions
The Metro features a 37mm stainless steel case with slim, curved lugs and a polished finish. The case should feel thin and elegant on the wrist (under 8mm with the neomatik movement). Lug-to-lug distance, case thickness, and the crown profile must match NOMOS specifications precisely. Counterfeits often have thicker cases, incorrect lug shapes, or rough finishing.
Sapphire Crystal & Caseback
The Metro uses a flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, providing exceptional clarity. The sapphire display caseback should offer a clear, undistorted view of the movement with "NOMOS Glashutte" and the calibre number engraved on the caseback ring. Counterfeits use mineral glass that scratches easily and lacks proper AR coating.
Hand Design & Lume
The Metro features distinctive slim, lance-shaped hands with a subtle lume fill. The hour and minute hands should be perfectly proportioned to the dial, and the small seconds hand at 6 o'clock should be thin and precisely centered on its sub-dial. The hands are typically heat-blued or rhodium-plated. Counterfeits have oversized, poorly finished hands with sloppy lume.
Metro counterfeit warning signs
Incorrect Power Reserve Colors
The Metro's power reserve must show the precise blue-to-white-to-red gradient. If the colors are wrong, the transition is abrupt rather than smooth, or the sub-dial appears printed flat without depth, the watch is counterfeit.
Generic Movement Visible
Through the caseback, you should see a beautifully finished NOMOS in-house movement with a three-quarter plate and Glashutte ribbing. If the movement has a full-bridge layout, visible battery, or Asian-style finishing, the watch is fake.
Thick or Heavy Case
The Metro neomatik is notably thin, under 8mm in height. If the case feels thick, bulky, or disproportionately heavy, it likely houses a thicker counterfeit movement. The genuine Metro should sit slim and close to the wrist.
Wrong Typography or Misaligned Text
NOMOS uses proprietary typography across all its dials. If the "NOMOS" logo font looks different from official images, the "Glashutte/SA" text is poorly spaced, or sub-dial markings are crooked, these are telltale signs of a counterfeit.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the NOMOS neomatik movement?
The NOMOS neomatik is the brand's ultra-thin automatic movement family, developed and manufactured in-house in Glashutte, Germany. The DUW 3001 neomatik calibre is only 3.2mm thin, enabling remarkably slim watch cases. It features the NOMOS swing system, their proprietary escapement with a free-sprung balance wheel, providing excellent accuracy. The neomatik movements are finished to Glashutte standards with three-quarter plates, Glashutte ribbing, blued screws, and rhodium-plated surfaces.
What is the power reserve indicator on the NOMOS Metro?
The Metro features a distinctive power reserve indicator at 12 o'clock, rendered as a colored sub-dial that transitions from blue (fully wound) through white to red (nearly depleted). This unique tri-color power reserve display is one of the Metro's most recognizable design elements and is extremely difficult for counterfeiters to replicate accurately. On hand-wound Metro models, the power reserve is approximately 43 hours.
How does the NOMOS Metro differ from the Tangente and Club?
The Metro is NOMOS's most contemporary design, featuring a distinctive power reserve indicator at 12 o'clock, a date sub-dial at 6 o'clock, and a more urban, modern aesthetic. The Tangente is the brand's iconic Bauhaus dress watch with a pure, minimalist dial and no complications. The Club is the sportiest model with a more robust case, broader hands, and Super-LumiNova. All three share NOMOS's commitment to Bauhaus-inspired design and in-house movements, but target different aesthetics and use cases.