The Nodus Sector II Dive GMT Is The Best Affordable Traveler’s Watch
With the Contrail GMT, Nodus delivered one of my favorite affordable GMT watches that is currently available. The Los Angeles brand showed that an awesome travel watch does not have to cost more than €1,000. On top of that, the quality and level of finishing of the Contrail is nothing short of impressive. Stating that it blows similar watches at double the price out of the water would be an understatement. But with the new Sector II Dive GMT, Nodus takes the term “affordable GMT” to another level. Another price level, that is. Coming in at less than €500, the Nodus Sector II Dive GMT promises a lot. Can it live up to expectations? Let’s find out.
I had one big advantage when I reviewed the Nodus Contral GMT “Terra” late last year. Usually, we do not get to spend large amounts of time with a review watch. Sure, it’s more than enough time to get a good impression, but with the Contrail, I had a chance to “test drive” it for longer. Only with longer-term wear can you discover whether a watch can impress you over and over again. To my surprise, that is exactly what happened with the Contrail GMT. It made writing the review and giving a more in-depth opinion on long-term ownership much easier. Not only did this hopefully lead to a better review, but it was also more fun for me as a writer, especially since I loved the Terra version of the Contrail GMT so much.
The Nodus collection in short
With the Sector Dive GMT II, Nodus gave me the same chance. We’ve had two of the models in the office for quite some time, making it easy to wear them on and off. But let’s start at the beginning. Currently, alongside the Contrail GMT, Duality II, and Unity models, the Nodus catalog consists of two bigger collections. The first is the Sector series, which includes the Sector II Dive GMT and a variety of Sector models built on the same platform. It ranges from the Sector II Field Titanium to the Sector II Pilot, the Sector II Sport, and the Sector Deep for hardcore divers. These are just a few of the available models, but you get the idea. Within the Sector series, there is a tool watch for every purpose.
The second collection consists of the Design Lab Projects. These are special collaborative efforts that often lead to great and surprising releases. I had a chance to review the Nodus × Raven TrailTrekker Clay. This Rolex Explorer II-esque adventurer’s watch quickly shook the initial impressions of its inspiration. Instead, it turned out to be a highly competent and fun watch that gave me a first taste of the incredible watches that Nodus creates.
The story of the Nodus Sector II Dive GMT
With the Sector II Dive GMT, Nodus reimagined what a modern dive watch could be. Creating a solid diver is one thing, but adding a GMT hand to keep track of time in a second time zone adds welcome functionality. Most people who go on diving trips have to travel through different time zones, making a GMT dive watch the perfect companion for such adventures. While I doubt that most of these watches will see our ocean’s dark, deep waters, I still enjoy this genre.
First, I am a fan of GMTs, but second, creating a well-designed GMT diver that flawlessly integrates both pieces of the puzzle has proven to be a challenge for many brands. They often end up with cluttered and unbalanced designs. A first glance at the Nodus Sector II Dive GMT will show you that there’s no such issue here. There is a clear hierarchy that shows the three available models are dive watches first and GMT watches second.
The options for the Sector II Dive GMT
Let’s quickly go over some details. The three available models are the Horizon with a yellow-to-orange gradient dial, the Tidal with a dark blue dial, and the Seafoam with a light green gradient dial. All three offer the option of a brushed steel or a black DLC-treated bezel insert. The latter makes them feel more like dive watches, while the former gives off more “adventurer’s watch” vibes. Whichever you prefer, there is no going wrong. It’s simply a matter of personal preference.
I was happy to take the blue-dial Tidal version with the brushed bezel insert for a spin. It has my favorite dial of the three and my preferred bezel, so I was happy that it was available for review. Immediately after picking it up, it gave me the reassuring feeling of holding a proper, well-made tool watch. Especially considering the sub-€500 price tag, that is an impressive feat. For me, it was a gentle reminder of the great quality that Nodus offers at affordable prices. If you ask me, the brand provides an almost unmatched level of quality and great attention to detail for less than €1,000.
The specs of the Sector II Dive GMT
The Sector II Dive GMT has a 38mm stainless steel case with a 40mm bezel, which makes it easier to grip both underwater and behind a desk. The case also has a neat 11.9mm thickness, a 47mm lug-to-lug, and a 20mm lug spacing. The case is water resistant to 100 meters, which will be fuel for debate. Is it a proper diver with that depth rating? As I will never go deeper than 100 meters, I have no problem with this. But I know some of you require at least a 200m depth rating to consider it a proper dive watch. Let’s just say that if you are that specific about specs, you will be missing out on a competent daily wearer due to what, for most, is a theoretical detail.
Topping the case is a 120-click unidirectional bezel with a steel insert. This insert features a 60-minute dive scale with a white lume pip. You will find the nicely knurled screw-down crown on the right side of the case. This knurling is necessary to grip the crown easily, as it partly sits underneath the bezel when fully screwed in. But its size and grip make it easy to unscrew and operate the movement. You will find a dark blue sector dial underneath the box-shaped sapphire crystal. While the other two models have a gradient dial, the Tidal dial is slightly different and clever.
The balanced and cleverly designed dial
The dial consists of a lighter center with the brand name and “GMT” wording as well as a darker ring that holds the Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade A hour markers and a date window at 4:30. An open minute track sits outside of the hour markers. Lastly, the rehaut is even darker and holds the 24-hour GMT scale. The design feels balanced and is easy to read. If you choose the steel bezel insert, there will be no mistakes in reading the different functions. That said, with the black bezel insert, the larger size of the numerals helps create a natural hierarchy that works well.
Rounding out the looks is a luminous handset with an arrow-shaped hour hand, a pencil-style minute hand, and a lollipop seconds hand. Lastly, there is a dark yellow arrow-tipped GMT hand that contrasts nicely with the dial.
The watch comes fitted with an Oyster-style bracelet featuring quick-release spring bars and the brand’s proprietary NodeX clasp. This fold-over clasp with two integrated push buttons features an easy-to-use micro-adjustment system that doesn’t require any tools.
A simple click of the button on the inside of the clasp lets you get the perfect fit. The fully brushed bracelet tapers nicely from 20mm at the case to 16mm at the clasp. Additionally, it feels sturdy and well made. It’s fairly safe to say that, in terms of quality and comfort, this is the best bracelet you can find on a watch under €500.
The Seiko NH34 GMT caliber
Inside the case, Nodus uses the Seiko NH34. This automatic caller-style GMT caliber is a go-to, affordable option for small brands. It operates at 21,600vph, has 24 jewels, and offers 41 hours of power reserve. As we have seen with other calibers that Nodus uses for its watches, the brand regulates them in its workshop in Los Angeles. For the NH34, the watchmakers regulated the caliber to be accurate to ±10 seconds per day, a significant step from the standard accuracy of +40/-20 seconds per day.
Wearing the Nodus Sector II Dive GMT
All these specs and details on the wrist come together in a comfortable daily wearer. What stands out immediately is the slim overall profile of the Sector II Dive GMT. The brand managed to slim the watch down compared to previous versions, and the sapphire crystal’s box shape lets the dial and hands sit closer to it. As a result, Nodus has released one of the slimmest watches powered by an NH34 GMT caliber. As you would expect, this slim profile translates to great wearability. The 38mm case ensures that even people with smaller wrists can wear the watch without problems.
But thanks to the larger bezel, the wrist presence is far greater. I constantly came back to the watch to admire its looks. It was easy to grow fond of the predominantly steel look, which is contrasted by the dark blue dial and the spark of yellow that is the GMT hand. Additionally, the production quality easily trumps that of competitors. The bracelet feels sturdy, the bezel rotates with reassuring clicks, and operating the crown is an absolute joy. It shows that Nodus pays great attention to detail when developing its watches.
Final thoughts on the Nodus Sector II Dive GMT
Overall, I found the Nodus Sector II Dive GMT very impressive. While I expected it to be good based on previous encounters with the Contrail GMT and the TrailTrekker, I didn’t expect it to be this good. Considering its price of US$525 (roughly €455), that makes it even better. If you ask me, there is no better option available at this price point. First, that’s because there simply aren’t that many, but the other available options also can’t match the specs or the incredible wearability of the Sector II Dive GMT.
In the sub-€500 price bracket, the watch competes with the Seiko 5 Sports GMTs, either the SKX-style versions or the field-watch models. Another competitor is the GMT version of the Zelos Blacktip diver, but not many more stand out. And even when they do, they are not as good as this updated Nodus Sector II Dive GMT. For me, this is an easy pick under €500. Even compared to the impressive Seiko 5 Sports models, this is the better option in my book. As with any watch, it all starts with looks, and I prefer the aesthetic of this Nodus model. On top of that, the size, proportions, and build quality are better, and the bracelet offers greater ease of use and comfort. All these things make this Nodus Sector II Dive GMT the best in its class. It truly is that simple.
