Before pretty recently, I was never tempted by a square watch. I’ve become so used to looking down and seeing the conventional round silhouette on my arm that it’s difficult to imagine anything different. But that might not be the case anymore…
If you think about it, square watches are worn more frequently than you think. Most of my friends, all aged below 30, wear some sort of smartwatch that is typically square or rectangle in shape. As a watch writer, and a lover of all things horological, it would feel blasphemous for me to wear a smartwatch. So instead, what square shaped watches do I have to choose from?
There are some iconic square-shaped watches that come to mind straight away. The Cartier Santos is an obvious one, designed during the 1970’s and widely popular with modern-day A- listers like Tom Hiddleston and Jake Gyllenhaal. You also have the motorsport-inspired TAG Heuer Carrera and brands like Bell & Ross who have made the “circle within a square” architecture their bread and butter.
Tetra – Die Fuchsteufelswilde
Tetra – Die Fuchsteufelswilde - Credit NOMOS
But what if you don’t want something sporty or something overly dressy; instead, you’re after a watch that’s modern and a little minimalist. As someone with a penchant for timepieces described exactly as that, I’ve come to the conclusion that my favourite square watch is the Nomos Tetra.
The Nomos Tetra is a playful, almost edgy adaptation of the square watch often graced with brightly coloured dials, super slim cases and just a handful of adornments on the dial. They’re also some of the most affordable square watches out there, especially when compared to the TAG Heuer Monaco or Cartier Santos. The collection retails from £1,460 – and that’s all the more impressive once you learn of the in-house movement going on inside (more on that shortly).
There’s a number of brilliant Nomos Tetra watches to choose from in a variety of dial configurations and case sizes. My personal favourite however is the Nomos Tetra “Die” watches which include the Die Kaprizioese, the Die Wildentschlossene, the Die Fuchsteufelswilde and the Die Unerreichbare. These have stunning muted pastel dials, 29.5mm cases and the in-house Alpha manual winding movement.
Tetra – Die Kapriziöse
Tetra – Die Kapriziöse - Credit NOMOS
You’ll know if you own, or have ever tried on a square shaped watch, is that they wear a lot bigger than the dimensions suggest. It makes sense; the sharp corners and elongated profile compared to traditionally round watches take up more room on your wrist. And as someone with notably small wrists (measuring to about five inches), finding a square watch that didn’t look absurd was part of the reason I didn’t consider a square watch for so long. It’s also one of the reasons the Nomos Tetra “Die” Series is my pick of choice.
The 29.5mm by 29.5mm dimensions are perfect for those with wrists anywhere between 5 and 6.5 inches, and thanks to Nomos’ preference for understated case styles, the case sits low and unassuming with a height of just 6.5mm. The cases are stainless steel and brightly polished, opting for super thin, wire-like lugs, a simple knurled crown at 3 o’clock, sapphire crystal glass and an equally slim bezel that allows all the real estate to be taken up by the dial.
The Nomos Tetra “Die” collection currently hosts a quartet of dial options, each feeling very suited to a Parisian pâtisserie with macaron-inspired colours. The first is named the Tetra Die Kaprizioese, hosting a soft nude dial, silvered snailed small seconds, bright yellow hand and mocha brown printing for the hour markings. Next is the Tetra Die Wildentschlossene model which has a brighter, baby pink dial with the same yellow hand, brown markings and silver small seconds.
Tetra – Die Wildentschlossene
Tetra – Die Wildentschlossene - Credit NOMOS
- Regular price
- £128.00
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- £128.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £128.00
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- £128.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £76.80
- Regular price
-
£128.00 - Sale price
- £76.80
- Unit price
- per
The Nomos Tetra Die Unerreichbare is the most edgy variant. It presents a silvery sunray-brushed dial with teal printing for the numerals and a baby pink small seconds at 6 o’clock set with a blue hand. It’s a unique combination of colours and while it won’t be to everyone’s taste, it’s a fun configuration. Finally, my personal favourite is the Tetra Die Fuchsteufelswilde which elects a deep aubergine dial with beige coloured markings and a gold small seconds counter with a blue hand.
Powering the Nomos Tetra “Die” watches is the German watchmaker’s in-house Alpha calibre. This was the first movement made in-house by Nomos and is one of manual winding capacity. It’s a movement that’s just 2.6mm tall – a number that still amazes me today – which allows for the super slender height of the Tetra’s case and delivers a healthy power reserve of 43 hours.
Like most Nomos watches, the Tetra “Die” Series is available with a closed case back, which can be engraved, or a sapphire crystal exhibition back. I’d opt for the latter, as the finishing executed on the Alpha calibre is really well done, especially for a watch at this price point, showcasing perlage and ribbing polishes.
Tetra – Die Unerreichbare
Tetra – Die Unerreichbare - Credit NOMOS
The Nomos Tetra “Die” watches are completed by simple grey vegan velour straps and polished stainless steel pin buckles. They retail for £1,860 with a closed case back or £2,080 for the exhibition equivalent.
Technical Specifications:
- Brand: Nomos Glashutte
- Model: Tetra “Die” Series
- Price: £1,860 (closed back), £2,080 (exhibition back)
- Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Alpha, manual-winding, in-house
- Power Reserve: 43 hours
- Complications: Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Dial: Nude, pink, aubergine or silver
- Size: Width of 29.5mm x 29.5mm, height of 6.5mm
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Strap: Grey vegan velour
