The Club Campus has always been the Nomos entry point I’ve kept an eye on. If I ever pull the trigger on a Nomos, it’s probably going to be something from this family. Beyond the color story, there’s a detail here that the press photos won’t make obvious but that matters quite a bit to a certain subset of potential buyers.
Nomos is positioning both references as accessible entry points into mechanical watchmaking, and the Club Campus has carried that role for a while now. The collection’s California-style dial, which combines Roman numerals, Arabic numerals, and baton markers in the same layout, remains one of the more distinctive things happening at this price tier. It’s unconventional without being difficult to read, which is a harder balance to strike than it sounds.
Both new references carry that same layout, with the All Olive leaning into a deep green dial accented by pink minute numerals and yellow outlines around the hour markers, while the Full Rose goes warmer and more playful with a pink tone throughout. A neon orange small seconds hand sits above six o’clock on both, a Campus signature that keeps things from feeling too reserved.
The more substantive update is under the dial. These new references move from the Alpha movement to the DUW 4001, Nomos’ own hand-wound caliber. At 2.60mm thick, it’s a slim construction, and the power reserve steps up to around 53 hours. The movement is built to traditional Glashütte standards, with a three-quarter plate, Glashütte ribbing, perlage, and heat-blued screws. Nomos’ proprietary swing system, identifiable by its blued hairspring, is in there too, along with a stop-seconds mechanism for accurate time-setting. For the price, it’s a crazy cool package.
What the press release doesn’t call out directly, but what enthusiasts paying attention will notice, is the lug-to-lug measurement on these new 36mm references. They come in at 44.3mm, compared to 47.5mm on the current Campus lineup. That’s a great reduction and one that’s been a sticking point for smaller-wrist buyers who otherwise liked everything else about the collection. It puts these two new references alongside the 701.1 and 703.1 in terms of fit.
For anyone who walked away from a Campus before because of how it wore, this might be the version worth revisiting. Cases are stainless steel across the board, with the closed caseback available for engravings and a sapphire display back as an option for those who want to see the movement. Water resistance is 100 meters.
Pricing for the 36mm starts at $1,890 with additional options for a display back. Pricing for the 38mm starts at $2,070. Both come on vegan velour straps matched to their dial tones. Whether these colorways appeal to you is entirely subjective, but the underlying watch is a stronger proposition than it was before. That lug-to-lug change alone might be the most important thing Nomos did here, even if they didn’t lead with it.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.