Orion 33 Gold / Open Case Back

Reference 359 is the sapphire-back version of the NOMOS Orion 33 Gold, combining the compact 32.8mm Orion case with a polished, gold-plated dial and the hand-wound Alpha calibre. It follows the same smaller Orion format as the closed-back version, with rhodium-plated hands, fine hour markers, and a small seconds display. The stainless steel case measures 32.8mm in diameter, 7.6mm in height, and 42.3mm from lug to lug. It has a domed sapphire crystal front and a domed sapphire crystal case back. The Orion case is defined by its rounded, lenticular profile, curved crystal, and tapered lugs. Current specifications list water resistance at 5 atm, an increase from the earlier 3 atm rating. The dial is galvanized with gold plating and has a polished surface. Rhodium-plated hour markers and hands provide contrast against the warm dial tone, while the small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock has a grooved finish. The display consists of central hours and minutes with subsidiary seconds. Power comes from the NOMOS Alpha, a manually wound in-house calibre measuring 10 ½ lignes in diameter and 2.6mm in height. It has 17 jewels and a power reserve of up to 43 hours. The movement is visible through the sapphire crystal case back. The watch is fitted to a velour leather strap.