Based in Los Angeles, Nodus has been steadily building a reputation since its founding in 2017 for creating purpose-built timepieces. The brand operates on a philosophy that blends rigorous research with efficient design, aiming to produce watches that are durable and highly functional. Their approach is not just about sketching a design and outsourcing; Nodus is deeply involved in the process from start to finish.
A significant part of the brand's identity is its commitment to its Los Angeles workshop. This is where their global supply chain ends, and where the final, critical steps take place. Every watch is assembled, regulated, and tested in-house before it is sent out. This hands-on regulation, in particular, is a key differentiator, offering a level of quality control not always seen at this price point.
Courtesy of Nodus
The Nodus ethos is built on what they call their "Three Pillars." The first is Nodus Extension, the company's research and design division. This is the R&D arm responsible for developing proprietary solutions for components like crown tubes, bezel mechanisms, and clasp extensions. It's their internal engine for innovation, focused on creating cutting-edge, yet practical, technical solutions.
The second pillar is the Design Lab, which focuses on collaboration. Nodus uses this platform to work with other designers, watchmakers, and even their own customer community. The goal is to bring in diverse perspectives to explore new ideas, pushing the boundaries of what their watch designs can be. It's an open-door approach to a traditionally closed-off process.
Finally, the third pillar is Intersect, an initiative started in 2021 to foster community. More than just a simple trade show, Intersect is a gathering for collectors, creators, and brands to connect over their shared passion. Now a joint venture with other independent brands, it hosts multiple events annually, aiming to strengthen the dialogue and celebration of craftsmanship within the watch world.
This brings us to the Sector series, a core concept for Nodus. The entire series was created from the belief that a single, well-designed platform could be exceptionally versatile. The design philosophy is centered on an adaptive midcase, an architectural baseline that can be modified with different finishes and components to suit a variety of purposes, from diving to flying.
The "Sector" name itself is a nod to vintage sector dials. These historical dials were known for using physical boundaries—such as different textures, printing, or finishes—to divide the dial into distinct sections. This design was famously versatile, appearing on military-issue watches, formal dress pieces, and everything in between. The Sector Series from Nodus embraces this same "go-anywhere" adaptability.
Courtesy of Nodus
The latest addition to this family, and a returning favorite, is the Sector II Pilot DLC. This watch is a modern interpretation of an aviation timepiece, designed with the needs of pilots and travelers in mind. It packs in the essential cockpit features: a clear day-date complication, a functional countdown bezel, and extremely bold markings for at-a-glance time-telling.
This particular version is all about stealth. The entire watch, from the case to the bracelet, is coated in a matte black Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) finish. Visually, the watch is striking in its absence of reflection. It’s a deep, blasted black that absorbs light, giving it a serious, tool-like appearance. This isn't just a surface-level paint; it's an advanced coating.
So, what is DLC? Diamond-Like Carbon is an ultra-hard, carbon-based layer that is applied to the stainless steel. Unlike older, standard PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coatings, which can be prone to scratching or chipping, DLC is vastly more scratch and wear-resistant. It provides a long-lasting, durable layer of protection against everyday impacts, corrosion, and surface wear, making it ideal for a watch meant to be worn hard.
The case itself is crafted from 316L surgical-grade stainless steel, hidden beneath that tough DLC coating. It features clever dimensions that prioritize wearability. The case width itself is 38mm, but the bezel overhangs slightly to a width of 40mm. This design choice makes the bezel easy to grip and turn, even with gloves on, while the watch itself wears smaller and more comfortably on the wrist. The lug-to-lug measurement is a compact 47mm, with a 20mm lug width.
Courtesy of Nodus
One of the most impressive technical achievements of the Sector II is its slimness. The watch measures just 11.7mm thick, which is one of the slimmest profiles ever achieved for a watch using the Seiko NH-series movement. This svelte design was meticulously engineered and redesigned, all while maintaining a very practical 100 meters of water resistance.
Nodus achieved this thinness by rethinking the crystal. The watch uses a robust, box-shaped sapphire crystal. This specific shape creates an internal cavity, allowing the dial and hands to be pushed up closer to the glass than a conventional flat crystal would permit. This efficient design shaves critical millimeters from the midcase, resulting in a watch that sits low and comfortably on the wrist. The crystal also features a blue anti-reflective coating on its underside to cut down on glare.
Looking at the dial, you can see the Sector philosophy in full effect. The dial is divided into two distinct textures. The center portion is a granular, pebbled black, which contrasts with the smooth, matte black outer ring that holds the hour markers. This multi-layered design adds visual depth and aids in legibility.
The "Pilot" designation is backed up by that legibility. The dial uses large, applied Arabic numerals for the hours, which are bold and immediately readable. The hands are thick, blocky, and filled with white lume. At 3 o'clock, a day-date window is seamlessly integrated, using black date and day wheels to perfectly match the dial and maintain the stealthy aesthetic.
While the watch is predominantly black and white, it features sharp, functional pops of color. A thin, neon green seconds hand provides a high-contrast sweep, a color choice that Nodus says echoes the glow of aircraft instrument panels. This same neon green is used for small, precise lume plots located within the Arabic hour numerals, adding a unique detail in low light.
Courtesy of Nodus
There is also a surprising flash of bright blue on the inner sloped chapter ring, or flange. This blue highlights the first 15 minutes, adding another layer of visual information and a distinct character to the dial. The rest of the flange, from 15 to 60, is marked in white.
For timing, the Sector II Pilot features a 120-click uni-directional bezel. As this is an aviation-focused watch, it is a countdown bezel, with markings that run from 55 down to 5. This is used for timing events of a known duration, allowing a pilot to set the marker to their target time and easily track how much time is left. The bezel insert is made of steel, also coated in black DLC.
When the lights go down, the watch is designed to remain highly visible. It uses Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade A. This lume is applied to the hands, the large hour numerals, and the inverted triangle on the bezel, providing a strong, lasting glow.
Inside the Sector II Pilot is the TMI NH36 caliber. This is the well-known and reliable Japanese automatic movement, praised for its robust build. It features 24 jewels, a 41-hour power reserve, and hacking (stop-seconds) and hand-winding capabilities. The crucial Nodus difference is that they regulate this movement in their Los Angeles workshop to an impressive accuracy of +/- 10 seconds per day, a specification far tighter than the movement's factory standard.
The watch is secured to the wrist with a bracelet that fully matches the case's matte black DLC finish. It’s a modern, angular five-link design that should articulate well for comfort. The bracelet tapers from 20mm at the lugs down to 16mm at the clasp, a significant taper that reduces bulk and improves the overall wearing experience.
Courtesy of Nodus
That bracelet is equipped with two very user-friendly features. First, it has quick-release springbars, allowing for fast and tool-free strap changes. Second, it fastens with the proprietary Nodus Extension clasp, a high-quality, push-button-release milled clasp that includes an on-the-fly micro-adjustment system, perfect for getting a precise fit.
The Nodus Sector II Pilot DLC is priced at $625.00. This is not a limited edition; it is being added to the brand's core collection, which is welcome news for those who missed its previous run. Orders are set to open on Wednesday, October 22, at 9 AM PST on the brand's website, with shipping scheduled to begin on Monday, October 29, 2025.
Case: 316L surgical-grade stainless steel with matte black DLC coating. Dimensions: 40mm bezel width x 38mm case width x 11.7mm thickness x 47mm lug-to-lug x 20mm lug width. Screw-down crown. Box sapphire crystal with blue AR coating on underside. 100m water resistance.
Movement: TMI NH36 (day/date). 24 jewels. 41-hour power reserve. Regulated by Nodus to +/- 10 seconds per day. Antimagetic: ? 4800 A / m.
Dial: Matte black with bold markings. Day-date complication. Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 Grade A. Neon green accents.
Strap: Matte black DLC coated stainless steel bracelet. 20mm width tapering to 16mm. Proprietary Nodus Extension clasp. Quick-release springbars.
Price: $625.00
Notes: Designed and assembled in Los Angeles. Features an ultra-hard, scratch-resistant Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating. Engineered to be one of the slimmest Seiko NH-based designs at 11.7mm thick.