With quite a few profitable designs already beneath its belt, Nodus has reached a degree the place a lot of its cornerstone fashions have already entered their second generations. Nevertheless, updating fan-favorite designs can generally be tougher than creating fully new watches, and once I first heard that the Los Angeles-based model was bringing again its twin-crown Duality after a five-year hiatus, I used to be instantly curious to see if the up to date Nodus Duality II might fill the footwear of its predecessor and enhance upon considered one of my private favourite Nodus fashions.
People have a myriad of sayings that warning towards tampering with success; nevertheless, the “don’t repair what isn’t damaged” mindset doesn’t precisely lend itself to progress or innovation. Since nothing in life is fully good, each design theoretically has room for enchancment, however figuring out how one thing could be made higher is only one a part of really making a superior product. As all the time, implementation is the whole lot, and updating a mannequin that has already garnered a cult following includes incorporating the specified enhancements with out altering the basic design that made the watch successful within the first place. Typically the modifications could be minimal and downright underwhelming, however the main aim of a common replace isn’t to fully reinvent the wheel however slightly to create a tangibly higher expression of an already profitable product.
I’m a proud proprietor of the unique Nodus Duality, which I bought from the model again when it was nonetheless in manufacturing half a decade in the past. A part of what attracted me to the Duality was that it wasn’t a dive watch or journey companion however slightly a flexible and sturdy multi-purpose timepiece. The core blueprint of the Duality is rooted in classic dual-crown divers, though Nodus has expanded the design to be a way more open-ended idea. As you’ll anticipate, one of many Duality’s screw-down crowns is devoted to the motion, whereas the opposite operates its inner bi-directional bezel, and identical to the unique technology, the Nodus Duality II is out there with the choice of both a black or white dial, and consumers also can select between 60-minute and 12-hour bezels, with the latter additional separating the model’s dual-crown timepiece from its dive watch origins.
When Nodus was first deciding what updates ought to accompany the Duality II, the model initially thought of having the gathering lean additional into both its diving or travel-oriented spirit; nevertheless, this is able to finally remove what makes the Duality distinctive. Nodus already has very competent fashions which can be particularly designed for each of those actions, and even inside simply its Sector assortment, the model provides each divers and journey watches such because the Sector Deep and Sector GMT. The rationale why I bought the unique Nodus Duality for myself was particularly as a result of it wasn’t a diver or GMT watch, and it as an alternative represented a flexible and barely quirky dual-crown sports activities mannequin that was out there in two completely different bezel configurations and well-suited for all kinds of various mundane duties in on a regular basis life.
For probably the most half, the up to date Nodus Duality II very a lot follows within the footsteps of its predecessor, though each single facet of the watch has been barely revised or re-worked, with the collective modifications leading to a tangibly extra refined timepiece that provides improved proportions and a superior on-wrist expertise. Similar to the primary technology, the case of the Duality II is crafted from 316L stainless-steel with contrasting brushed and polished surfaces, and it’s fitted with a box-shaped sapphire crystal that has a blue anti-reflective therapy utilized to its inside floor. Equally, the reverse aspect of the Duality II receives a stable screw-down caseback that’s engraved with the gathering’s emblem, and water resistance for the up to date technology is available in on the identical 300 meters supplied by the unique model of the mannequin.
From a wearability standpoint, the largest replace to accompany the Nodus Duality II is that the revised mannequin is 1.6mm thinner than its predecessor, and the watch measures 40mm in diameter by 11.5mm thick, whereas its lugs (with drilled holes) stay an ordinary 20mm aside and prolong to create an general lug-to-lug profile of 48mm. The discount in top additionally shaves off a really small quantity of weight, and with out its bracelet, the Duality II is available in at roughly 65 grams. Realistically talking, you’ll nearly definitely not be capable of discover the 8-gram weight discount, though being 1.6mm thinner is instantly obvious when dealing with the watch, and the Nodus Duality II sits surprisingly flat towards the wrist, with the domed profile of its bezel additional mitigating the perceived top of its case.
The dual set of screw-down crowns on the Nodus Duality II has additionally seen a slight replace in comparison with what could be discovered on the unique mannequin, and they’re now barely wider and shorter to enhance grip and reduce their general profile. Not like the crowns on the unique Duality that have been furnished with small luminous inlays, the crowns on the up to date technology are merely engraved with both the Nodus or Duality assortment’s emblem. Whereas some may miss the novelty of luminous crowns, the up to date type undeniably provides a extra sturdy general design, and omitting the luminous inlays additionally allows the crowns to realize their shorter profile. Moreover, for the reason that crown situated at 2 o’clock operates the Duality’s inner rotating bezel, Nodus has geared up it with a decoupling design to make sure that no changes are made to the bezel when screwing the crown right down to the case.
Not like the unique Nodus Duality, which was fitted with a layered “sandwich” dial, the Duality II’s dial includes a extra conventional building with utilized hour markers and a framed date window at 6 o’clock. The sharply beveled indexes present the Duality II with a extra elevated general look, and having its hour markers raised above the floor of the dial (slightly than recessed into it) makes them seem bigger and improves at-a-glance visibility. To higher complement the up to date indexes, the Duality II’s fingers seem in a barely wider design, and the web results of these small modifications is a dial that’s extra legible and stylish than its predecessor. Similar to the unique model, two completely different colours of luminous materials seem on the Nodus Duality II, with blue-glowing BGW9 Tremendous-LumiNova on its fingers and hour markers, and inexperienced lume for the inverted triangle and the small dots inside its minute observe.
As an alternative of being fitted with an H-link bracelet like the primary technology, the Duality II’s bracelet follows a extra conventional three-link design that tapers from 20mm on the case right down to 16mm at its clasp, and it’s completed with brushed surfaces accented by skinny high-polished bevels operating down the sides of its outer hyperlinks. When it comes to its on-paper specs, the Duality II’s bracelet checks all the main bins that almost all collectors need, as of late, and it options fully stable elements, single-sided screws for the detachable hyperlinks, and built-in quick-release springbars connecting it to the lugs. Included with the bracelet are a set of half-links to assist homeowners obtain a snug match on their wrist, and connecting the 2 ends is a machined folding clasp that operates with a double push-button launch and consists of the model’s patented NodeX extension system, which Nodus licenses to different manufacturers to be used on their very own watches.
The Duality II’s clasp seems to be similar to what could be discovered on different just lately up to date fashions such because the Contrail GMT, and identical to the bracelet itself, the clasp checks all the main enthusiast-driven bins to create an general package deal that’s fairly a bit extra advanced than what sometimes exists on watches beneath the thousand-dollar value level. With that in thoughts, simply as I discussed in my assessment of the Contrail GMT, the clasp is arguably the least spectacular a part of the Duality II, and that is just because its corners are too sharp for my liking. As a passionate watch nerd, I can definitely respect crisp ending, though the corners are so sharp that I might possible break pores and skin by urgent towards them on the proper angle. Sharp edges apart, the Duality II’s clasp nonetheless represents a major enchancment in comparison with what could be discovered on the unique mannequin, which was a wholly unremarkable providing that lacked any kind of micro-adjustment system past just a few sizing holes to put the connecting springbar.
One space the place the Nodus Duality II hasn’t seen an replace is in the case of its internals, and powering the revised mannequin is identical Miyota Caliber 9015 automated motion that may be discovered contained in the earlier technology. Working at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with an influence reserve of roughly 41 hours, the 24-jewel Miyota 9015 provides the usual conveniences of a hacking seconds mechanism and the power to both be wound mechanically or by hand, and this confirmed Japanese “workhorse” caliber is a identified amount that’s trusted by all kinds of manufacturers all through the business. That mentioned, together with designing and assembling its watches in its hometown of Los Angeles, Nodus additionally regulates its actions in-house, and the Miyota 9015 contained in the Duality II guarantees an improved accuracy score of +/- 8 seconds per day.
On condition that the Nodus Duality II could be very a lot a refinement of the unique, I can’t think about that anybody will probably be actively ditching their first-generation fashions to get their fingers on the up to date model. Nevertheless, this additionally signifies that the Duality II remains to be the identical twin-crown sports activities watch that initially earned a cult following amongst collectors, and it continues to occupy a definite position throughout the model’s trendy lineup. No matter dial shade or bezel configuration, the Nodus Duality II has an official retail value of $800 USD, which locations it proper according to the model’s different fashions which can be powered by related actions. Whereas the up to date technology could lack among the quirky design components of the unique, the Duality II undeniably represents a extra refined expression of the model’s dual-crown idea, and it finally serves as a really worthy successor to the unique. For extra info on the Nodus Duality II, please go to the model’s web site.
