A student watch I'd happily wear to a site meeting
By Sam Okafor, London ยท
Nomos made the Campus for graduates, and you can see the brief in the dial: slightly cheeky numerals, a little colour, a small seconds at six. It's the first Nomos that seems to smile at you.
I like it more than I expected. The typography is playful, but it's still set with discipline: consistent stroke weight, consistent spacing, so the fun reads as intention rather than chaos. Think of a well-made poster that breaks a couple of rules and gets away with it.
What makes it practical is the 100 m water resistance, unusual for Nomos, with a closed back and a fabric strap. 38.5 mm across and 8.2 mm thick, it disappears under a sleeve and survives a downpour on a building site, which is more or less the life I'd give it.
1,750 to 1,900 dollars for a hand-wound watch with 43 hours of reserve is reasonable. Not for anyone who wants a serious-looking watch. It isn't one, and it doesn't want to be.