The landscape of independent watchmaking is often defined by a brand's ability to carve out a distinct identity and purpose. Nodus, a watch research and design company based in Los Angeles, has successfully established its presence since 2017 by adhering to a core principle: the creation of durable, purpose-built wristwatches. Their philosophy is not merely about assembling parts, but about a holistic approach that begins with rigorous research and testing of technical solutions, blending form and function into what they term "Efficient Design." This commitment culminates in their Los Angeles workshop, where a global supply chain ends, and each timepiece is meticulously assembled, regulated, and tested before it is ready for the world.
Within the Nodus catalog, the Contrail collection has long been positioned as the ultimate travel watch. Its design DNA was originally forged from the personal experiences and preferences of the Nodus team as they traveled the globe. Now, in its eighth year of operation, the brand's own horizons have expanded. With an international customer base, a growing network of manufacturing and retail partners, and the increasing prominence of their Intersect Watch Show, the need for a truly capable travel companion has become more acute than ever. This evolution has directly informed the next generation of their flagship traveler's watch.
Courtesy of Nodus
Enter the Nodus Contrail GMT Evergreen, a timepiece that represents a significant step forward for the collection. It takes the foundational strengths of its predecessors and refines them into a package that is both aesthetically compelling and functionally superior. The watch is a direct response to the demands of modern globetrotting, engineered to track multiple time zones with ease while maintaining a profile of remarkable comfort and versatility. This new iteration stands as a clear statement of Nodus's ongoing dedication to creating the definitive instrument for their community of global adventurers.
The most immediate and striking feature of this new model is its "Evergreen" colorway. The dial presents a deep, luscious verdant hue, reminiscent of rugged, forested landscapes seen from above. This is not a flat, simple green; it possesses a depth and richness that interacts with light, shifting in tone and character. The dial's construction is segmented, creating a visually layered effect that enhances legibility and dimensionality. This thoughtful architecture draws the eye inward and provides a sophisticated backdrop for the time-telling elements.
Further enhancing the dial's depth are the large, three-dimensional indices. Each marker is precisely applied, featuring polished facets that catch the light and provide a brilliant contrast against the green surface. These indices are not merely decorative; they are generously filled with Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9, ensuring that the watch remains highly legible in any lighting condition. The hands continue this theme of meticulous finishing, showcasing a combination of cleanly polished surfaces and fine brushing that demonstrates Nodus’s technical prowess and attention to detail. A vibrant yellow-tipped GMT hand provides a sharp, functional pop of color, making the second time zone instantly readable at a glance.
Surrounding the dial is the showstopping bezel, a key component of the watch's functionality and visual appeal. It features a bi-colored, sloped sapphire glass insert, with the top half rendered in a complementary dark tone and the bottom half matching the dial's evergreen. This 24-hour scale is fully lumed, a premium feature that transforms the watch in low-light environments, making it not only readable but visually spectacular. The sloped profile of the insert adds a tangible sense of depth and dimension, guiding the eye from the edge of the case down to the dial itself.
Courtesy of Nodus
The functionality of the bezel is as impressive as its appearance. It rotates bi-directionally, allowing for quick and intuitive adjustments when tracking a third time zone or making calculations. The mechanism operates on a 48-click system, which provides satisfying tactile feedback. This specific number of clicks is a deliberate choice, allowing for precise alignment to time zones that are offset by 30-minute intervals, a level of detail that seasoned travelers will certainly appreciate. The entire system is built on ball bearings, ensuring a smooth and reliable action that feels solid and well-engineered.
Nodus's ethos of "Efficient Design" is most clearly embodied in the case of the Contrail GMT. Forged from 316L surgical-grade stainless steel, the case measures a very wearable 40.5mm in width. The lug-to-lug distance is a compact 46.6mm, a critical dimension that ensures the watch sits comfortably on a wide range of wrist sizes without significant overhang. The lug width is a standard 20mm, allowing for easy strap changes and customization.
The most notable dimension, however, is the thickness. At just 11.8mm, the Contrail GMT offers one of the thinnest case profiles available for a watch utilizing the Miyota 9075 movement. This slimness is a direct result of meticulous engineering and design, allowing the watch to easily slip under a cuff and remain unobtrusive during daily wear or long-haul travel. It is a testament to the brand's ability to pack robust functionality into a sleek and ergonomic form factor.
Flipping the watch over reveals a solid, screw-down caseback that further reinforces its purposeful design. The center is deeply engraved with an artistic representation of an airplane viewed from above, with its contrails streaming behind it, a powerful visual nod to the watch's intended purpose. This central motif is framed by engraved text identifying the model as "NODUS CONTRAIL," confirming its "200 METERS" of water resistance, and proudly stating that it was "DESIGNED AND ASSEMBLED IN LOS ANGELES." Beyond what is immediately visible, Nodus has applied hand-finished perlage decoration to the movement holder and caseback interior, a hidden detail that speaks to a commitment to craftsmanship that extends even to unseen components.
Courtesy of Nodus
The impressive 200-meter water resistance rating is secured by a screw-down crown and a thick Viton gasket. This level of protection ensures the watch is more than capable of handling anything from a casual swim to more demanding aquatic activities, making it a true go-anywhere, do-anything travel companion. The combination of a slim profile and substantial water resistance is a challenging engineering feat and a key highlight of the Contrail GMT's design.
At the heart of the Contrail GMT Evergreen beats the Miyota 9075 automatic movement. This Japanese-made caliber has been a game-changer in the world of accessible GMT watches due to its "flyer-style" functionality. Unlike "caller" GMTs where the 24-hour hand is independently set, the Miyota 9075 features a jumping local hour hand. This allows the wearer to quickly advance or retard the main hour hand in one-hour increments to adjust to a new time zone upon arrival, all without stopping the seconds hand or disturbing the home time displayed by the GMT hand. This is the preferred style of GMT complication for frequent travelers.
The Miyota 9075 operates with 24 jewels and provides a reliable power reserve of approximately 42 hours. While the stock movement from Miyota is already a solid performer, Nodus takes the extra step of regulating each movement in-house in their Los Angeles workshop. They adjust the caliber to achieve an accuracy of +/- 8 seconds per day, a specification that is significantly tighter than the factory standard and demonstrates a clear commitment to precision timekeeping for their customers.
The complete functionality of the Contrail GMT allows for the tracking of up to three distinct time zones simultaneously. The primary local time is displayed by the main hour, minute, and second hands. A second "home" time zone is tracked by the yellow-tipped 24-hour GMT hand, which makes one full rotation per day against the fixed 24-hour scale on the slanted chapter ring. A third time zone can then be tracked by rotating the bi-directional 24-hour bezel to align with the GMT hand, allowing the wearer to reference another location's time at a glance. This layered functionality is intuitive and immensely practical for anyone coordinating across multiple regions.
Courtesy of Nodus
Legibility is paramount in a tool watch, and Nodus has paid close attention to every detail. The dial is protected by a box-style sapphire crystal, a feature that provides the scratch resistance of modern sapphire with a touch of vintage character from its raised, boxy profile. The underside of the crystal is treated with a blue anti-reflective coating, which significantly reduces glare and improves clarity, making the dial easy to read even in bright, direct sunlight.
The application of lume is generous and thoughtfully executed. Nodus uses Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade A, a premium phosphorescent material known for its bright, long-lasting blue-green glow. It is applied not only to the hands and the large 3D indices but also across the entire sapphire bezel insert. This comprehensive application ensures that every critical time-telling element—local time, home time, and the third time zone reference—remains clearly visible in dark or low-light conditions, an essential feature for a watch meant to accompany its owner through all hours of the day and night.
A watch's comfort is largely determined by its bracelet, and the Contrail GMT is equipped with a newly designed flat-link bracelet that complements the case perfectly. The solid steel links are predominantly brushed for a toolish look, but feature subtle polished bevels along their edges. This detail adds a touch of refinement, allowing the bracelet to play with light in a way that elevates the overall aesthetic.
The bracelet is engineered for maximum comfort, featuring a significant taper from 20mm at the lugs down to a sleek 16mm at the clasp. This taper allows the bracelet to conform more naturally to the shape of the wrist, eliminating bulk and improving the wearing experience. Sizing is made simple with single-sided screws, and the end links are fitted with quick-release springbars, enabling easy removal of the bracelet for those who enjoy swapping to other straps.
Perhaps the most user-centric feature of the bracelet is the proprietary Nodus Extension Clasp. This cleverly designed clasp provides 10mm of on-the-fly micro-adjustment, accessible without any tools. A simple push of a button allows the wearer to extend or retract a portion of the clasp, perfect for accommodating the natural expansion and contraction of the wrist throughout the day due to changes in temperature or activity. It is a feature that adds an immense amount of daily convenience and comfort.
Courtesy of Nodus
The Nodus Contrail GMT Evergreen presents itself as a cohesive and exceptionally well-thought-out package. It successfully merges robust, adventure-ready specifications like 200 meters of water resistance and sapphire crystal construction with traveler-focused features such as a true flyer GMT movement and a highly convenient extension clasp. The unique Evergreen aesthetic, combined with high-end finishing and a fully lumed sapphire bezel, sets it apart in a competitive market. It represents a compelling value proposition, offering a suite of features and a level of refinement often associated with watches at a much higher price point.
For those interested in acquiring this versatile travel watch, the Nodus Contrail GMT Evergreen is priced at $825.00. Ordering is scheduled to open on Friday, August 15, at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, directly through the Nodus website. The first units are slated to begin shipping on the following Monday, August 18, ready to embark on new adventures with their owners.
Case: 316L stainless steel; 40.5mm width x 11.8mm thickness x 46.6mm lug-to-lug x 20mm lug width; Box sapphire crystal with AR coating; Bi-directional 48-click luminous sapphire bezel; Screw-down crown; 200 meters water resistance.
Movement: Miyota 9075 Automatic GMT; 42-hour power reserve; 24 jewels; Flyer-style jumping local hour hand; Regulated by Nodus to +/- 8 seconds per day.
Dial: Evergreen color with large 3D applied indices; Swiss Super-LumiNova® BGW9 Grade A; Roulette date wheel.
Strap: Stainless steel flat-link bracelet with 20mm-16mm taper; Proprietary Nodus Extension Clasp with on-the-fly adjustment; Quick-release springbars.
Price: $825.00
Notes: Features a true "flyer" GMT complication. The 11.8mm thickness makes it one of the slimmest watches on the market with a Miyota 9075 movement. Designed and assembled in Los Angeles.