Nodus Watches: Unmasking The Surprising Quality You’ve Been Missing

Looking for a durable, stylish, and enthusiast-approved diver’s watch that won’t break the bank? Let me introduce you to Nodus Watches, an independent microbrand making serious waves in the watch community.

When my friend, a professional diver known for being rough on her gear, asked me for a recommendation, I immediately thought of Nodus. Why? Because their timepieces are rugged, refined, and thoughtfully designed, perfect for someone who values function as much as style.

Whether you’re new to Nodus or just curious about what makes this brand stand out, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll dive into the brand’s story, explore their standout models like the Nodus Sector, Duality, Trieste, and Retrospect, and see how they compare to bigger names like Seiko.

Let’s set our watches and dive in.

About Nodus Watches 

Nodus has done a great job in its short time as a brand. It combines classic and modern into a unique look. The use of color has a lot to do with it. About knots

Wesley Kwok and Cullen Chen founded the indie watch brand Nodus in 2017. Since then, they’ve doubled their production and released several successful watched models. They have made many best-selling tool watch models. 

Connecting this success to the determination of the business model that rejected Kickstarter. It relied on its life savings and had to build a strong supply chain among Asian component makers.

You can appreciate good design and what watch lovers want. The quality workmanship, and practicality of a tool watch. Also highly regulated and precise movement.

Or you could say that the moment two middle school and high school buddies met. The moment they gave each other their first automatic watch. At that time success became a part of their destiny. 

Nodus has become a fundamental part of the watch enthusiast community. This gives them the advantage of considering the needs and preferences of enthusiasts. Instead of trying to steer them toward their design tendencies. 

Nodus doesn’t “sell” their brands and watches to enthusiasts. All they do is shape the conversations taking place in the marketplace.

For this, they use Instagram, forums, Facebook groups, press, and more. In the past, watch companies have always been so far removed from the market.

So much, so that their motive has never aligned with consumers. A good deal for this brand isn’t about making big profits. It’s about aligning the brand’s incentives with market needs.

This was all about the story of Nodus. Now let’s take a look at some awesome watches by Nodus.

What Makes Nodus Watches Stand Out?

Movement and Technical Precision
Nodus watches are powered by reliable Japanese movements like the Seiko NH35/NH36 and Miyota 9015/9039. These offer great accuracy and reliability at a reasonable cost.

Design Philosophy & Build Quality
The brand pays special attention to finishing—brushed surfaces, polished chamfers, and clean dial layouts are signature traits. Water resistance ranges from 100m to 300m depending on the model.

Community-Driven Innovation
Rather than following trends, Nodus listens to collectors. The result is distinct models like the Unity and Sector series that reflect real-world feedback.

Nodus Sector Pilot

First, on our list of Nodus watches is the sector pilot. 

This is the brand’s first watch to highlight its signs in designing a pilot’s watch.

But like other watches Nodus has produced, this pilot’s watch which is not in the strict sense of a pilot watch. But rather a take on the theme. 

This 38mm watch is a playful take on the classic pilot design. It features a countdown bezel, day-date display at 6 o’clock, and the Seiko NH36 movement. The three variants—Phantom, Blackbird, and Flyer—offer something for every style.

What makes this watch stand out a bit? In a very quick way, it grabbed my attention. Now, It has become my favorite feature. It is a very well-done day-date display at 6 o’clock.

This is an unusual position for this complication. The Seiko-style day-date window is at the 3 o’clock position.

The 12;00 placement is found on Hamilton watches. But to my surprise, it is well-balanced and legible. This gives this watch a unique feel. This is very good.

Like all the Nodus watches to date. The Sector Pilot measures 38mm in diameter which is small than the normal size men choose. It is 12.75mm thick and 47mm between lugs. 

Nodus Sector Sports

A sporty companion to the Pilot, the Sector Sport has a Rolex Explorer-inspired 3-6-9 dial, Seiko NH35A movement, and textured dial layout. Models include Lift (black), Peak (white), and Glacial (blue).

It looks like a simple design outline, but there are so many examples of watches like this. So many that it doesn’t work. It speaks to the playful nature of these watches and the importance of detail.

Nodus again uses his sector format to great effect on his Sport. It divides the dial into different sections and gives it the right amount of texture. 

The applied hour markers and numerals, luminous, and a circular date window at the 4 positions. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. 

30 is small, so you might not notice it on the first pass. Even this Nodus watch uses a Seiko movement. This is the NH35A. Otherwise, this watch has the same dimensions as the Pilot.

Nodus Duality

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like it’s worth $700 for a microbrand watch powered by a Miyota movement. But once you get your hands on the watch, Nodus has spent quite a bit to perfect the finer details of the watch. 

Crown 

Both crowns feature sapphire crystal inlays with luminescent material. It also has black PVD-coated knurled handles. 

Both are screwed down and altogether the right size to make the watch stand out.

Besides, the dial is made of two-tone Super-LumiNova with various accents. The inner bezel is also coated with luminous paint.

Case

The finish on the case is also a pleasant mix of brushed and polished. This adds up to the look of this beauty. The case itself is 40mm, which is the right size for most people.

It also has a water resistance of 200m or more to 300m. Something which most divers except for their watches. 

Dial

The dial features a sandwich construction with compressed hour markers. Along with that a very well-joined date decoration in his unique cut-out shape at 6 o’clock. 

Their watches tend to use very pleasing color combinations. Even the monochrome duality adds a touch of light blue to add interest to the dial. It would have been even cooler, but nighttime readability remains good.

Bracelet

Finishing the H-link bracelet to the case and the sides polished, slope, and narrowed to 18 mm. To help you keep your favorite looks fresh. Nodus added a feature where it’s easy for you to swap with your favorite strap. 

Nodus Trieste Watch

A robust 41mm diver with piercing lugs, double-domed sapphire crystal, and interesting dial markers shaped like irregular trapezoids. Its oyster-style bracelet and polished clasp add to the visual harmony.

There are generally two sides to how I rate watch cases.

Quality designed and built. Most often in some of these micro brands which I have seen. 

There is a difference in that one of these criteria. It’s more like good design, unusual quality – unusual design, excellent quality. 

First, when I started watching the unboxing video of Nodus Trieste. The moment I saw the Nodus Trieste out of the box. He talked about the functions, and I liked it. 

But then I realized that I haven’t rated the Nodus Trieste about design/quality. I decided to check the framework using these two points. It took about 10 minutes. 

All I did for 10 minutes was look at the watch from front to back. I’m not trying to analyze the dial about hands or how the crystal works against the bezel. I was only looking at the whole watch.

Case Back

The back cover is screwed and slanted with a polished finish. and the quality of the details is high. For convenience, the Nodus Trieste has piercing lugs. 

Plus it has a 200M WR rating, which makes changing straps super easy. The case dimensions of the Nodus Trieste are 41mm in diameter. It has 50mm between lugs. 

Apart from that it is 13mm thick. The piece is also fitted with a double-domed sapphire crystal with AR coating.

Dial

Once you think you’ve figured out the watch face. The design choices and interior elements start coming in. 

The Nodus Trieste has markings – a combination. Something I originally thought was the circles and bars at the compass rose positions (12, 3, 6, and 9).

But, it’s more correct to call them extended irregular trapezoids. Choosing this unusual form of marking for the watch was interesting in itself. 

But what I learned with this Nodus Trieste is that in a vacuum there are no design options. 

The irregular trapezoidal shape of the markers works in collaboration with the hands. This creates a very pleasing visual interest as the hands move across the dial. 

Bracelet

The classic Oyster-style link has a matte top and polished sides. It also has a screw link. Bracelet sizing was very easy. 

The end links are tough and very well outline to complement the slant and lugs of the case shape. 

All in all, they help the bracelet and watch feel like a connected unit.

The Clasp 

It features a traditional flip-lock feature along with the Nodus Watches logo. What surprised me was the quality of the locking mechanism. 

Usually, this area here is only a flat piece of stamped metal. 

It is one of the areas where brands try to sacrifice quality for cost savings. 

But Nodus Trieste looks very well polished and brushed. This helps with the entire sense of connection between the various elements of the watch.

Nodus Retrospect 3

At 42mm, this is Nodus’ largest watch. It has a sandwich dial, bold lume, NodeX clasp, and excellent finishing. A standout diver under $500.

Case

Retrospect is Nodus’ biggest watch. It is 42mm wide. The measurement between lugs is 48 mm. Plus it is 13mm thick. 

Thanks to a clever case design, reducing the thickness to a manageable 11mm from wrist to crystal. 

Previous models of the Retrospect fit the dimensions. But this is the first version that felt smaller than the advertised pieces.

The tolerances and finishes that Nodus has achieved with its watches. It has always been impressive, even at the most affordable prices. 

Their manufacturing is accurate and they showcase the best watches like the Retrospect. 

Dial 

The larger the case size, the more space the dial has. The bold blue dial offers plenty of room to breathe, especially given that the text is kept to the least. 

Everything on the dial is large and easy to read. With large, busy letters All stuff feels clear and in order. 

As if great care has been taken not to overwhelm the wearer with the dial. This is how a diver’s watch with striking pieces is made.

One of the advantages of sandwich dials is the ability to apply more brightness. The cutout is above the Lume application. 

Giving you a little more flexibility when applying Lume. Retrospect 3 is no exception.

Bracelet

The bezel action is great, and the bracelet has female end links and his NodeX clasp. 

The crown is large and fully polished, yet easy to grip. These are some things I look for when deciding whether to buy a watch from the collection. 

That may be why I was immediately familiar with Nodus. The time I first started researching microbrands. They do what I love. But these must be the watch elements that the enthusiast community generally wants.

Nodus Unity: First Impressions & Review

One of the most exciting releases from Nodus recently is the Nodus Unity — a refined take on integrated sports watches with modern minimalism.

Specs at a Glance:

• Case Size: 38mm
• Movement: Miyota 9015
• Water Resistance: 100m
• Crystal: Double-domed sapphire with AR
• Bracelet: Integrated, quick-release

The Unity feels incredibly sleek on the wrist. Its integrated bracelet and vertical brushing give it a premium feel, rivaling the Tissot PRX.

Conclusion: Why Nodus Deserves Attention

While Nodus may not have the history of a century-old brand, it has already made waves in the enthusiast space. With strong community roots, impressive finishing, and thoughtful designs, Nodus proves that microbrands can compete with the big players.

It seemed almost overnight that Nodus watches were everywhere. They’ve evolved from a brand that operated on the border of social media. 

Now they are a brand you see every time you open Instagram. I’m skeptical when something like this happens. But, Nodus is worth noting. 

Debuting at the Trieste Diver in 2017, the brand has performed very well. 

It has joined forces to create excellent quality and affordable watches. 

Nodus strives to explore different sides of watch design with its releases.

If you’re tired of mainstream options and want a watch that reflects quality and individuality, Nodus might just be your next favorite brand.