[Interview] Merlin Schwertner, Vice President of NOMOS America

The man behind the change reveals why it led to the transformation from niche to brand

　Roland Schwertner, founder of NOMOS Glashütte, and his successor, Merlin Schwertner, are now vice presidents of the company.

Vice President of NOMOS America.
Born in Spain in 1985, he graduated from ESADE in Spain, studied business administration at the University of the Balearic Islands, and worked in international sales at Nomos. He has been in his current position since 2015. As the successor to founder Roland Schwertner, he was one of the first to launch an online business and oversees sales not only in the US but around the world. "Our brand is not on a budget, so we want to continue making watches that consumers will talk about."

　He said, "The purpose of my visit to Japan this time is to meet with Osawa Shokai and retailers, with whom I have had a relationship for 19 years, and to hear their reactions to the new product." Five years ago, Nomos was well-known in Germany and Japan, but was not yet well-known in other countries. However, now Nomos has grown into a global brand.

　There are three key areas of expansion. First, expanding overseas. NOMOS now has boutiques in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In 2015, it expanded into Canada. It is also expanding its business in the United States and China. And the second is its commitment to online business.
"Nomos was attractive because of its functional, easy-to-understand design and price point. In addition, not having a large budget was an advantage. I think Nomos was probably the first watch manufacturer to do online business. I think it was in 2012 or 13. Originally, it wasn't intended as a business. It was a tool for communication. We have the internet, so let's make sure customers can see everything. That's how it started." He emphasizes that it's not a tool for generating sales, but according to insiders, Nomos's online ratio is quite high.

　Another advantage is the variety of products. "When Nomos was founded in 1990, there was only a limited collection. But now the movements have improved and the lineup has expanded."

　This year, they have added the Tangente Sport as a thin sports watch. At first glance, it doesn't look like a sports watch, but it is water resistant to 300m. "It is equipped with the new DUW 6101. It is thin and has a quick-setting date function. To make the most of this movement, we have created a thin, waterproof watch." Additionally, this watch is the first from Nomos to come with a bracelet. For my taste, it is a little too plain, but it will likely be well received by Asian consumers.

　Since we'd known each other for a long time, during the interview I commented on some areas of improvement for Nomos products. To my surprise, he not only listened to everything I had to say, but also asked if I had any other advice. I'm sure he asked me in the same way five years ago, asking for suggestions for improvement. It's no wonder that Nomos has become a global brand.