Union Glashütte Noramis

Excellent quality at fair prices: This is the foundation upon which Union Glashütte is built. Ebauché suppliers like ETA provide Union with their watch movements, which are then constructed, refined, and inspected in-house in Glashütte. This allows these luxury watches to bear the coveted "Glashütte" name. At least 50% of a caliber has to originate from the town for it to be considered a Glashütte watch. What's more, both ETA and Union Glashütte belong to the Swatch Group, which also includes brands like Breguet and Omega.

The artfully refined mechanical movements are visible through sapphire class case backs, a defining feature of the Noramis collection. Tapered hands and indices adorn every dial, which is available in white, black, gray, or silver. With its characteristic Arabic numerals, this timepiece feels like something out of the 50s or 60s. The cases are available in stainless steel, rose gold, or a two-tone mix of both. With sizes ranging from 34 to 42 mm in diameter, the Noramis is a great timepiece for men and women alike. Union Glashütte watches are worn on bands made of leather or stainless steel. Milanese bracelets add a particularly retro touch. Thanks to their straightforward, unobtrusive designs, these dress watches are the perfect choice for both formal and casual occasions.

Fans of mechanical calibers have plenty of options to choose from in the Noramis collection. These luxury watches exclusively feature automatic movements. Entry-level models have two or three hands and a date display at 3 o'clock. Plan to spend around 1,300 USD on a 34 or 40-mm stainless steel timepiece in good or very good condition. Noramis watches with rose gold hour markers and hands cost about 50 USD more. These details contrast particularly well with a gray dial. Models with a power reserve display between 6 and 8 o'clock are especially practical. New stainless steel pieces change hands for about 1,600 USD, while two-tone models demand prices of around 2,400 USD.

The gold Noramis costs some 6,000 in mint condition and 5,400 USD pre-owned. These 40-mm watches are made of 18-karat rose gold and feature a silver or gray dial. They also come with a date display at 3 o'clock.

The Noramis Big Date is a popular model. Two discs sit side by side to display the date. Most date displays use only one disc. The Lange 1 from A. Lange & Söhne made this type of display famous and is the embodiment of craftsmanship and classic beauty. Like the models with a typical date display, the Noramis' big date sits at 3 o'clock. Due to its size, it is this watch's defining feature. You can purchase a new Noramis Big Date for as little as 1,500 USD. This will get you an elegant stainless steel timepiece with a white dial, tempered blue hands, and a black leather strap. Those with a stainless steel bracelet cost about 170 USD more.

The Noramis collection has had a chronograph in its ranks since 2011. This chronograph has a bicompax layout, which means it uses two subdials to measure the elapsed time. The subdials are located at 3 and 9 o'clock and function as a second counter and 30-minute counter, respectively. Accordingly, this stopwatch can time periods of up to 30 minutes.

A tachymeter scale and push-pieces above and below the crown lend this elegant watch a sporty touch. The date display at 6 o'clock can be corrected using an additional push-piece at 10 o'clock. The movement, the UNG 27.02, is based on the Valjoux 7753 and boasts a 60-hour power reserve. In mint condition, the Noramis Chronograph sells for around 2,300. Pre-owned, it costs about 1,800 USD.

There are a few limited edition Noramis watches worth looking at if you're a collector, fan, or someone with exclusive taste. For example, Union Glashütte released the Noramis Chronograph Sachsen Classic 2011 in 2011. Limited to a run of 118 pieces, this timepiece was made in honor of the 2011 Sachsen Classic, a classic car race. The "Sachsen Classic 2011, Limited Edition" engraving on the case back and gray dial help set this 42-mm timepiece apart from the collection's other chronographs. Prices for this watch range from 2,500 USD pre-owned to 3,500 USD new.

A new limited edition Sachsen Classic model appeared in the Noramis collection every year through 2017. As of 2018, this annual limited edition is now part of the Belisar series. The Belisar Chronograph Sachsen Classic 2018 feels especially retro thanks to its ivory-colored dial. Its push-pieces, blue tachymter scale, and red telemeter scale bring to mind images of rally watches from decades gone by. Telemeter scales are used to calculate distance and were especially helpful in times of war for measuring distance from the enemy. At 44 mm, the Belisar Sachsen Classic 2018 is larger than the Sachsen Classic models from the Noramis collection. Only 300 copies exist of the 2018 edition. Expect to pay around 2,900 USD on this timepiece.

The Noramis Germany Classic 2018 is also a result of Union Glashütte's passion for classic cars. This timepiece is named after the ADAC Deutschland Klassik (ADAC Germany Classic), yet another classic car race where drivers vie for first place while navigating a defined route. The winner of 2018's race received one of these limited edition Noramis watches as part of their prize. The stainless steel Noramis Germany Classic 2018 features a rose gold bezel and hands, which contrast beautifully against the black dial. The numerals and indices also shimmer in rose gold. This version is worn on a brown leather strap and limited to a run of 125 pieces. You can purchase a mint-condition example of this 40-mm luxury watch for 3,500 USD.