I am an unabashed Nodus fan. Since its launch in 2017, the brand has continually refined its lineup at a breakneck pace without a notable misstep. In 2020, they took perhaps their biggest leap when they launched not just a single model but a platform that they scaled to include six distinct regular production models in the following four years. Similar to how the small-block Chevy engine has served as the basis for innumerable permutations of hot rod motors, the initial Sector range utilized a common midcase as the foundation for a diverse range of final products. Recently, Nodus launched an all-new version of the Sector platform in the form of the Sector Pilot, and it continues the brand’s series of hits.
From a cursory, top-down glance, you might have trouble noticing the changes to the original design, as the majority of the updates are subtle refinements. What, then, is different about this new model? Look at the case in profile, and you’ll see the most significant alterations. The original Sector case wasn’t exactly a chunk at 38mm x 12.5mm x 47mm, but the new Sector drops overall thickness to 11.7mm, while maintaining the width and lug-to-lug dimensions from the original design.
That total height reduction measurement doesn’t tell the full story, though, as there are particular areas of the midcase that have been thinned much more dramatically. Take, for instance, the distance from the underside of the lug tips to the opposite point on the lugs’ upper surface. On the first Sector case, that distance – by my own caliper measurement – was 7.2mm. The same span on the new Sector case is 5.1mm, achieved by shaving down the underside of the lugs. There’s a similar degree of change when measuring the distance from the underside of the cashback to the top of the midcase – 10mm on the original Sector, 8.6mm on the new one.
What do these changes mean in practice? First, the new Sector wears flatter to the wrist, as the underside of the lug tips is level with the lowest point of the caseback, which has made the new Sector even more comfortable to wear. Second, the reduction in visual mass has changed the aesthetics of the Sector. In profile, the original Sector case looked like an inverted Torii gate; it was a striking and bold design, but it made the watch slightly slab-sided. The new case has a more traditional, delicate grace similar to what you’d find in 60s-era vintage sports watches.
While some design elements of the original Sector case have carried over, like the angled bevels that line the upper and lower edges of the case flanks, everything has been scaled down to create a more elegant appearance. That refinement also shows in the case’s finishing, which was already great on the original Sector but has been improved with its successor. Look at the upper surface of the lugs, which now have a broader vertically-brushed surface thanks to the reduction in width of the polished bevel along the upper edge of the case flanks. That one design decision – to trade visual mass from one facet to another – simultaneously reduced the vertical visual mass of the case while increasing that of the top-down perspective.
The total height thinness of the new Sector is noteworthy, considering it still houses an NH-based movement, the NH36 in the case of the Sector Pilot. The NH series is many things – tunable, reliable, robust, and easy to repair or replace – but it is not a thin base movement. Nodus’ attention to detail and long-term experience using NH movements have paid off, as the team found ways to reduce the height of the watch while maintaining a 100m rating. Both water resistance and operation of the movement are enabled by the same modern interpretation of an onion crown that appeared on the first series of the Sector Pilot – it looks excellent and is easy to use. Previous versions of the Sector Pilot were water resistant to 150m, but 100m is more than sufficient for a watch designed for the air, not the sea. I am curious to see if the updated Sector Dive models that utilize the new case architecture will maintain the 150m rating and if doing so will require the Dive series to be thicker than the Pilot.
The quirky vertical display of the NH36’s day-date function carries over from the original Sector Pilot, as does the rest of the dial’s design. The most notable change is to the Arabic hour markers, for which Nodus traded lume blocks for lume-filled metal frames, a change that echoes the new case’s more elegant design. The other dial elements – the 60-tick track on the rehaut, the design and placement of the dial text, the crosshatch on the sunken and textured inner portion of the dial, and the cuts in the rehaut at the cardinal positions – carry over from the original Sector Pilot. The same is true for the handset, which is a beautifully executed combination of soft obelisks for the hour and minute hands and an arrow for the seconds. The blacked-out treatment for the center of all three hands continues to be a great touch as they appear to float around the dial. Nodus did well to maintain the dial design from the original Pilot, which was excellent from the start, and didn’t need to be heavily revised.
With the newest Sector Pilot, your eyes will be even closer to that fetching dial, thanks to a boxed sapphire crystal that brings the dial and hands closer to the underside of the glass than the previous Sector’s single-dome crystal allowed. The boxed design befits the new case’s more vintage look, and unlike many other watches I’ve experienced with such crystals, the style doesn’t detract from legibility here. The reason for this is another example of Nodus’ attention to detail, as the inner circumference of the crystal’s bevel sits outboard of the rehaut’s outer edge, which means the time-telling elements of the dial are not distorted by angled glass. And when conditions get dark, you’ll have an uninterrupted view of the bright lume on the hour markers and hands.
Surrounding the crystal is a countdown timing bezel that has shifted from a friction-style to a 120-click unidirectional piston system. I’d love to see a bidirectional 60-click design, but the engineering and manufacturing costs of such a system would likely require a price increase. As per usual with Nodus’ watches, the bezel’s clicks are heavy and precise, but despite its gorgeous cantilevered design, the grip is not quite sufficient to overcome the heavy tension of the spring. Deeper cutting of the bezel’s grooves would help improve the experience overall, but it still works decently well thanks to the widened 40mm diameter that enables the bezel to overhang the case. Also note that I don’t have the world’s greatest finger-tip grip – if you don’t struggle to open produce bags at the grocery store like I do, you might find the current execution of the Sector Pilot’s bezel just fine.
All standard versions of the Sector Pilot are available with either a stainless steel or black DLC bezel insert, both of which are lumed at the 60-minute position. For the Blackbird variant, I had on hand, either option would work well, but I’m partial to the more subdued stainless insert, which further emphasizes the dial.
The Pilot series comes affixed to Nodus’ Pentalink bracelet, which is a catchy term for a 5-link design. Nodus has always excelled at making comfortable bracelets, and the Pentalink mostly carries that legacy forward. The outer edges on the underside of the bracelet are finished with impressive precision, but it leaves them ever-so-slightly sharp. Not to an extent that makes the bracelet uncomfortable to wear, but I am of the general position that the outboard, underside links of any bracelet should have a slightly rounded edge to maximize comfort. Minor quibble noted, the bracelet is finished exceptionally well for the price point, and the all-brushed finish matches the more Teutonic tool vibe of the Sector Pilot.
Additional points to Nodus for the revised placement of the drilled lug holes, which are no longer awkwardly high on the lugs. From those attachment points, the bracelet tapers from 20mm endlinks – equipped with quick-release springbars – to 16mm where it adjoins the Nodex clasp. I’ve reviewed multiple watches with Nodus’ proprietary on-the-fly adjustment system, and I’ve had mixed experiences. Early versions of the mechanism were prone to unintentional release if you flexed your wrist, particularly in a manner similar to a push-up position. While Nodus has worked to adjust the design to mitigate this issue, I experienced it a couple of times with this Sector Pilot review sample. There are two important caveats to note with this, though. The first is that I tend to wear bracelets on the tighter side, which increases the chances of incidentally engaging the release button. The second is that I didn’t experience this with the Contrail GMT I reviewed earlier in 2024. Despite my varied experience, I still have confidence in the Nodex design, and Nodus is also known for its excellent customer service, should you experience difficulties.
As they are wont to do, the Nodus executed a multitude of subtle changes to the Sector platform to deliver an excellent holistic result. The team never stops tinkering, yet they know when to keep a good thing going, evinced by their decision to carry over most of the Sector Pilot’s original dial design to this updated version. They could make a few further tweaks – improving the bezel’s grip is atop my list of recommendations – but the entire package is beautifully designed and well constructed. The improvements have come with a mild price hike to $500, but given overall inflation in the watch market, the Sector series still represents great value. As I’ve come to expect, Nodus has delivered another great watch with the updated Sector Pilot.
You can explore the Sector Pilot range here.
