It’s no secret that around here we are big fans of Nodus Watches. We have been following the evolution of the brand since our own inception, and have had the good fortune to handle a number of its timepieces—notably the Retrospect III, the Avalon II Bronze, and the Sector Dive. Wes and Cullen make good tool watches, and, well…we like good tool watches. But the Nodus Sector DEEP—featured here—may well be their best tool yet.
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When the watch was first released in March, Tyler Frederick excitedly wrote, in an On Spec piece, “The Sector DEEP challenges the limits of design, functionality, and aesthetics to create a rugged yet beautiful diver’s watch with some unique function.” As it turns out, he was right to be pumped. But there’s nothing like having hands on to confirm.
The DEEP marks the latest progression of the brand’s Sector series, employing the same 39mm case as the Sport, Pilot, Field and Dive, with lugs that turn down generously against the wrist. Beyond that initial silhouette, however, it’s a whole new watch. Case thickness gets a bump up to 13.6mm, which—in part—helps the watch attain a monstruous jump in water resistance to 500m. But the real changes involve the dual-function, matte DLC bezel and the funky “destro” crown.
The bezel, which exceeds the case at 42mm, offers up both a 60-minute dive index and a 12hr GMT track. In addition, it is fully lumed with Grade A BGW9 to match the dial elements. It’s so well done, in fact, that you may run the risk of flagging down passing planes. Its colour and finish are a textbook match with the bead-blasted case, which is so well-rendered and unified, that you could be excused for thinking it were titanium.
While southpaws will no doubt celebrate the crown placement, the DEEP is actually designed to worn on the left wrist. As its intent is to be first and foremost a dive instrument, the watch sports a left-side crown in order to protect the wearer’s hand from damage under harsh conditions and rough usage. While some tool watches, like the Marathon Navigator, get around this with the use of integrated lug guards and asymmetrical cases, placing the crown on the opposite side, allows for a beefier construction. It is, in fact, still easily manipulable because of its size and significant knurling.
When it comes to dial legibility, the DEEP can practically be read from across the room. Its huge white block markers, set into the steep rehaut, offer maximum contrast against the matte black dial. The custom syringe and arrow handset are also unmistakable. The flash of red in the bezel indices and the single line of dial text—“DEEP”—are a perfect compliment to the stark, utilitarian styling.
The DEEP comes equipped with a familiar H-link bracelet (also used in the Avalon II), but now it has been basted to match the case finish. It has quick release spring bars and the proprietary NodeX clasp. This enables on-the-fly micro-adjustment and a certain degree of dive expansion (up to 10.5mm) with five locking positions.
The watch is powered by Seiko’s TMI NH35, which is a 3HZ movement with a 41-hour power reserve. Ordinarily, the calibre promises to be within -20/+40 seconds a day; however, Nodus regulates the movement in-house at its Los Angeles shop, increasing accuracy to -/+ 10 seconds.
SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter (42mm /w Bezel) 47mm Lug to Lug 13.6mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Unidirectional, Dual-Function 120-Click Bezel Screw Down Crown/Case Back 500m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Flat Sapphire Crystal /w AR Applied Markers Custom Syringe & Arrow Handset Date Window @ 6 Grade A BGW9 Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Seiko TMI NH35 24 Jewels 21 600bph Regulated In-house (+/- 10 secs/day) 41-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet /w Proprietary NodeX Clasp & Quick Release Spring Bars |
Nodus Sector DEEP
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Of Interest
“Destro” is Italian for “right.” While destro watches have a crown on the left side, the term refers to the hand for which the timepieces were designed. Statistics show that up to 90% of the world is right-handed, and the majority of those wear their watches on the left wrist. Economics dictates that not many “right-handed/left crown” watches are designed. However, certain brands—particularly those who build tool watches—design destro watches for a very different reason. Sinn, IWC, Tudor, and Oris have all built left-crown inventives destined for the left hand. As anyone who wears a watch with a pronounced crown while labouring or performing strenuous manual tasks will tell you, damaging the back of your hand is a real threat. With this in mind, Nodus—like the aforementioned watchmakers—placed the crown out of the way.
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Quibbles
The NodeX clasp, while ingenious for micro-adjustment, precludes the addition of a standard dive extension. For those who intend to wear this while diving, it would be great to see the next generation NodeX address this so that the bracelet can slip more easily over a wet suit.
Final Thoughts
The Nodus Sector DEEP is truly a function-forward design. The dual-purpose bezel is perfect for the adventurous traveler—not to mention that it is one of the easiest to manipulate, thanks to its overhang. The water resistance is over the top, and the destro crown is a shoe-in for comfort. For straightforward legibility, the DEEP can’t be beat, either. At certain angles you would swear there was no crystal at all and its lume is positively explosive. Aesthetically, the DEEP really speaks to me, as well. The austere uniformity of its finish against the deep matte black of the dial and bezel is simply gorgeous.
The Nodus Sector Deep retails for $575USD. Expect a restock early this summer. For more information, please visit the brand website.
About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
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What a bezel that is!
Agreeing with you there, the Nodus Deep is the best-looking tool watch they have!
This is a looker…a very nice looker, despite the destro aspect
I kinda dig the destro crown