Based on their earlier Zurich World Timer, the automatic Nomos for Wempe Weltzeit 5th Avenue features the same design of its dial, but swaps the original “Heimat” (“Home” or “Homeland” in German) inscription for “New York”. The reason for the change is simple: limited to just 100 numbered pieces, the watch was designed to be sold exclusively via Wempe New York Boutique located on Fifth Avenue, one of the busiest streets of Manhattan.

The watch is animated by the same Nomos Xi in-house caliber that not only features all the usual decor and design elements that one can expect from a watch made in Glashütte, but also sports a rather peculiar second time-zone complication.

If you take a look at the timekeeper’s dial, you will notice the whole four displays. There is a traditionally oversized subsidiary seconds indicator at 6 o’clock, the usual hour and minute hands in the center, a “city disk” visible through a circular aperture, as well as a smaller disk with a military-style 24-hour scale on it.

The inscription “New York” near it quite clearly states that this is indeed our home zone and we’ll have to set it up first for the watch to work correctly. Then, when the home zone is set using a small pusher at 7 hours, we can set up our local time using a larger push-piece at 2 o’clock. The name of your city must be selected against a small arrow at 12 o’clock.

What I like about this device is the length of the hour and minute hands. Not that I am obsessed with size, but it looks like almost any “worldtimer,” with the outer parts of the dial usually displaying city disks of different designs, are often equipped with the short hour and minute hands that look almost like stubs compared to relatively large dials.

This particular model, as you can see, has its indices and minute track positioned at their usual place close to the bezel that allows Nomos‘ designers to make the indicator proportionate to the size of the face. As usual for the German brand, all hands are made deliberately thin.

Although in these photos the watch looks a little too flat, I must admit that in real life the dial is deliciously three-dimensional (I still hope to see this particular watch in person, but I tried on my wrist the original Zurich World Timer and it was impressive) and easy to read. Of course, some people may complain about the lack of strips of luminous substance on the hands, but I could live with it.

As I have already stated, the watch will be sold only in New York at Wempe‘s single boutique, which is located on the famous Fifth Avenue. Despite its deliberately unpretentious appearance, the watch is expensive: Wempe, the German watchmaker’s old partner, plans to sell the gadgets at around $5800 apiece. Yes, I know: it hurts.

WWR Verdict

Originality 5/5
Build Quality: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Overall Legibility: 4/5
Nighttime Legibility: 1/5
Value for Money: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Photos: Nomos

Nomos for Wempe Weltzeit 5th Avenue specification

Price: $5800 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Caliber Nomos Xi, adjusted to 6 positions, Made in Germany
Number of jewels: 26
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 42 hours
Movement decoration: Rhodium-plated, Glashutte ribbing on bridges and oscillating weight, Nomos Perlage in black gold, blued screws
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, second time zone (GMT)
Case: Stainless steel
Shape: Round
Size: 40.00 mm
Height: 11.00 mm
Dial: Silvered, galvanized
Numerals: Arabic
Hour markers: Blue
Hands: Brass, rhodium-plated, faceted
Water resistance: 30 meters
Strap: Black leather strap
Crystal: Sapphire, antireflective
Back: Sapphire