A quarter of a century ago, furniture designer José María Reina and jewelry designer Àngels Arrufat merged both worlds to shape a new concept: the wall clock made into a jewel. Now, after more than two decades and after also embracing furniture and lighting design, Nomon stands as a benchmark in this concept, with clients all over the world and at the highest level. The latest collaboration illustrates its relevance: for a few days now, the MoMA in New York has been displaying one of the clocks from the Barcelona brand.
This latest clock breathes the same essence with which the firm was born more than two decades ago. "The intention was to elevate the wall clock to the category of a jewel, to give it back the importance it had years ago, with a new aesthetic," explains Albert Pablo, head of the design and production area of the company. All Nomon designs stem from the determination to "take care of details" with a sophisticated aesthetic that combines materials such as wood, marble, and metal. The "obsession with well-made" is the hallmark of the house, which is summarized in a maxim: "We make jewelry for the home," whether in the form of clocks, furniture, or lamps.
In fact, this is how they convey it to the architects and interior designers they work with: Nomon does not aspire to fill a living room with its pieces, but for a single one to be responsible for filling the space, for giving it a specific atmosphere. Just as, when one dresses, the last thing one puts on is jewelry, Nomon's pieces are presented as the finishing touch that completes a space, with their characteristic and unique lines.
"Nomon's success is its identity. A Nomon piece may be liked more or less, but it can always be located. We like that there are people who love Nomon, and also people who don't like it. It doesn't leave anyone indifferent," highlights Pablo, with a decade of experience in the company. The firm works on this identity through a team of about twenty people, including those in the office and workshop. However, many other professionals intervene in the creation process of each piece, as Nomon works with artisans and suppliers from the Barcelona area: "The only thing that is not local is the marble, which comes from Italy."
The pieces by local artisans and suppliers are assembled in their workshop in Barcelona and, from there, are exported to more than 90 countries. With showrooms in Barcelona and Seoul, the Barcelona firm is internationally recognized for giving the final and characteristic touch to spaces with its pieces, which share "a unique style that is transmitted to each product typology."
"We dedicate ourselves to the romantic part of a space. We create warm environments that allow people to feel comfortable," as they also do in the field of lighting. "The sector is moving towards more technical lighting, and we are romantics of the past. We like to reinterpret classic lamps incorporating Nomon's own materiality and identity."
Since its origin marked by wall clocks, the firm has not only opened up to other pieces but has also evolved its business model. "Before, we worked mainly with retail. Now we are refocusing our business strategy and are working a lot with interior designers and architects," more through specific projects than in stores.
In these projects, Nomon also designs ad hoc pieces, including the clock that already tells time at MoMA. The commission came from the New York museum and was received with enthusiasm by Nomon, after other collaborations of the firm with museums and companies, such as the prestigious Italian Poliform. Now, Nomon is working on new collaborations for next year, from lighting to furniture, to continue putting its stamp of romanticism and that golden touch on spaces around the world.