Hands-On With The Nomos Club Sport Neomatik In Its New 34mm Size
You can almost hear the discussions at the Nomos headquarters in Glashütte. First, the 42mm Club Sport was introduced. It was the German brand’s first proper stainless steel sports watch. It was a well-received release but also a little big for some people, so the brand decided to introduce a smaller 37mm size for the Club Sport Neomatik. I called it a home run in terms of size, but apparently, some people didn’t agree, and Nomos introduced a bigger 39mm version. Today, we open the curtain for yet another new size. Please put your hands together for the Nomos Club Sport Neomatik in a 34mm case. Apart from the new diameter, there are also three new dial colors — gold, rosé, and purple.
I guess the conclusion from all this is that the perfect size simply doesn’t exist. There are many different people out there with a wide variety of wrist sizes. Some people like to wear bigger watches, and others like them small. That’s why it’s probably smart to offer the same watch in various sizes. Anyway, I don’t mind smaller watches at all, so I was happy to take a look at the new 34mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik.
The new 34mm Club Sport Neomatiks flanking their 39mm brother
The 34mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik
Let’s get straight to the dimensions because, besides the new colors, those are the most noteworthy things to look at today. The all-polished case of the new Club Sport Neomatik measures, surprise, 34mm in diameter. I measured a lug-to-lug distance of a little over 41mm, and the thickness is 8.2mm, including the slightly protruding and domed sapphire crystal. Especially the diameter and lug-to-lug span might sound small to some of you. However, when I put the new Club Sport Neomatik in 34mm on my 17cm wrist, it sat there quite well (more on that later).
Like the other watches in the Club Sport Neomatik range, the 34mm model comes with an Oyster-style bracelet. Its center links have a polished finish, and the outer ones are brushed. There’s a quick-release spring bar in each end link and another one with which you can set the micro-adjustment. The push-button-operated folding clasp feels sturdy, although the all-polished shell is prone to scratches. When you turn the watch over, you see the blued screws, gold details, and red rubies of the automatic DUW 3001 in-house-manufactured movement.
That’s the same movement that powers the 37mm and 39mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik. It runs at a frequency of 21,600vph and comes with the updated 37-jewel count. When fully wound, it holds a power reserve of 43 hours. Apart from the colorful details, the bridges and rotor also have Geneva (or Glashütte) stripes on them.
Choose between gold, purple, and rosé
Each size of the Club Sport Neomatik comes with distinct choices of dial colors. For the new 34mm version, you can choose between gold, purple, and rosé. All three options feature a sunburst effect. During my short time with the gold and purple versions, I noticed a slight difference in finishing. The sunburst effect on the gold one seems more pronounced, while the purple dial seems to have a slightly matte finish on top of its sunburst brushing. Based on the press pictures I’ve seen of the rosé version, I’d say it’s similar to the finishing on the more pronounced gold one.
My favorite here is most definitely the gold version. Especially in daylight, the deeper lines of the sunburst bring out different gold shades of the main dial and the azurage-finished sub-seconds register. The purple dial is no slouch either, but I prefer the deeper texture on the gold version. Of course, the signature Arabic numerals are there for optimal readability, including in darker situations. Usually, Nomos watches have a few colorful details on the dial. But just like on the other Club Sport models, only the “neomatik” text is printed in a contrasting color.
The 34mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik on the wrist
Due to the combination of the gold, purple, and rosé dial colors and the smaller size, you could say the 34mm Club Sport Neomatik targets women more than men. I guess so, but that didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying the 34mm gold-dial version on my 17cm wrist. Just like with the 37mm Club Sport Neomatik, it reminds me a bit of wearing my Cartier Santos Galbée, mainly because of its all-steel construction. But my 34mm Breguet 5907 also came to mind when I was wearing the smaller Club Sport.
It once again shows that size is very personal and that you should simply wear whatever feels good. I haven’t worn the watch on a strap yet, but that might make it feel a bit more petite. By the way, the bracelet tapers from 18mm to 16mm wide. Therefore, it doesn’t feel too narrow in my opinion.
What I also noticed was that the 34mm Club Sport Neomatik comes with a screw-down crown. That came as a surprise because its 37mm and 39mm counterparts don’t have one, even though all three versions are water resistant to 200 meters. Another nice feature is the red ribbon that appears to remind you that the crown is not fully screwed in.
Final thoughts
I truly enjoyed the new 34mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik, especially the gold-dial version. Its smaller size felt very comfortable on my 17cm wrist. Most of all, though, I like how this isn’t a meager version of its bigger brothers. It offers the same in-house-manufactured automatic movement, the same 200m water resistance rating, and the same user-friendly bracelet. I’m still not a big fan of the polished center links, but an all-brushed bracelet would look a bit weird in combination with the all-polished case. Maybe it’s time for the people in Glashütte to apply a bit of brushing to the cases as well to make them look even sportier.
The new 34mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik costs €2,780 with a display case back. That’s a little less than the slightly bigger versions. Overall, I feel this is a fair price for a well-made watch with a face of its own and a high-quality movement. Finally, I’m also curious to see what size Nomos will introduce next to its Club Sport Neomatik lineup. Will it be smaller than 34mm or bigger than 42mm?
Let me know in the comments below what you think of the new 34mm Nomos Club Sport Neomatik. Which of the three colors is your favorite?
