“It looks German.” That was the very first thing I said when I collected the Nodus Sector Deep prototype for this review. This was neither praise nor criticism, just a reflexive reaction to the watch’s aesthetic, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was the former. To me, German industrial design means Walter Gropius, Dieter Rams, and Ferry Porsche. It is clean, purposeful, and replete with clever details. It is no mean feat, and Nodus has pulled it off beautifully.
In case you were wondering, Nodus is not German; its watches are designed and assembled in sunny Los Angeles, California. We at The Time Bum have been fans of the brand since they debuted the Trieste diver in 2017. It has been fascinating to watch them grow with each successive model, and while they have all been well done, they hit gold with the Sector, which has already spawned field, sport, pilot, and dive models. As they say on the website, “How far can the Sector series go?” Apparently, to a depth of 500m with a destro crown and an oversized bezel, that’s how. Let’s take a closer look.
The Sector Dive is 39mm wide, 47mm long, and 13.6mm thick. That’s a millimeter wider than the non-dive versions and a millimeter fatter than the 100m Sector Dive. That is a relatively modest bump for a five-fold increase in water resistance. Its stainless steel case and bracelet wear a tough, no-nonsense matte DLC finish. Many tool watch designers would have opted for a chunky, slab-sided case, but that would not have been terribly interesting, and it would not have been a Sector. Instead, they gave us a lug-to-lug arch with generously cut bevels on top and bottom to lean things out. The lugs taper gracefully to a 20mm gap and even get an inner bevel, making them appear even slimmer. Like the rest of the Sector series, its shape has a lovely tension.
And then we get to the bezel. I’ve owned many divers with a bit of overhang, but not so much as this. You are looking at a 42mm bezel on a 39mm case. It should look unbalanced; instead, the case presents it as the main attraction. Remember, we are talking about a tool watch here, and the bezel is one of the only elements you will physically manipulate while wearing it. It’s a mission-critical job, and this one knows it. As such, it offers high-visibility engraved markers filled with white lume on a matte DLC black surface, a toothy grip, and perfect action through its 120-click rotation.
That’s the function. Now, we need to address the form. As I said at the beginning, I saw both a clear purpose and clever details in this watch. The bezel offers both 60-minute and 12-hour indexes. Red dots accent the otherwise stark white-on-black motif. Also note how the shape in profile echoes both that of the case and the tall sapphire crystal, sloping away from the edge. This makes the bezel appear narrower and better integrated into the overall design scheme. Also note how the light plays across the flat inner section and the angled outer, creating some differentiation between the two indexes, even though they share the same finish.
The big black bezel pairs with a similarly proportioned and colored crown. Located at 9 o’clock, it is knurled and engraved with a handy reminder of both its screw-down function and the direction, which may seem obvious, but it is something I have forgotten more than once when setting and locking a destro.
As you would expect, the dial is all business; blocky white markers and easily distinguished white hands, both filled with Grade A BGW9 SuperLuminova. Text is limited to the brand, model with “Deep” emphasized in red, and water resistance rating. A second look reveals the way those heavy hours are set into deep notches in the chapter index, and the neat beveled frame around the 6 o’clock date — color-matched to the dial, of course.
Does it glow? You bet it does. This is some crazy strong lume, gloriously blue and bright.
Flip the Nodus over, and you will find a clean and well-executed case back featuring a simple interlocking ring design. I like the way they painted the engravings. It ties to the other black elements on the watch and adds a touch of distinction to an otherwise simple design.
Behind it, beats a trusty Seiko NH35, a movement I’ve long regarded as the smart choice for a tool watch as it is reliable, durable, and easily serviced.
Nodus’s attention to detail did not stop at the head. The bracelet is equally clever. This three-link tapers from 20mm to 18mm and is fitted with quick-release spring bars and screwed pins, but the real action is in the clasp.
That is the Nodus NodeX clasp. See the signed button? You push it to release the ratchet for quick, tool-free adjustment. It’s an excellent alternative to the more common expandable dive extension clasps I’ve used. Granted, the NodeX must be removed before adjustment, and the extension does stand out like a bare center link, but the entire mechanism is much slimmer than the other, boxier expanding clasps.
On my 6.75″ wrist, the Sector Deep wore pretty much as I anticipated, which is to say, larger than its 39mm case might suggest but smaller than many of my 42mm tool watches. I credit this to the trim case design and 20mm bracelet. That big bezel gives it presence but not bulk.
So, has Nodus taken the Sector as far as they can? Who knows? I’m sure they have one or two more tricks up their sleeves. What I can tell you, is that with the Sector Deep, they have taken it in a mighty impressive direction. It is an eminently capable tool watch. It has a fresh design that telegraphs utility without being strictly utilitarian. The quality is top-notch, but the price is almost absurdly low, just $575. That’s only slightly higher than the rest of the Sector line and less than half of what you would expect to pay if it had an ETA 2824 and “Swiss Made” or “Made in Germany” on the dial. I’d rather have American assembly, a rock-solid NH35, and a sub-$600 price tag; thank you very much.
Apparently, I’m not alone in that sentiment because the first run of Deeps sold out in a heartbeat, but if you want one as much as I do, head over to the Nodus site and put your name on the list for notice of the next release. I just did.
