There’s Only One Bad Thing About This Affordable Fan-Favorite Dive Watch Revamp

Nodus offers a small fleet of affordable dive watches that massively outperform their price tags.

In recent years, the sleekest and most wearable option has been overshadowed by its flashier and more heavily marketed siblings. But a shadowy new revamp should finally draw the attention it deserves.

Nodus

The Duality II is Nodus’s only super compressor, making it the most streamlined and compact dive watch in the brand’s lineup. Its 40mm case is only 11.5mm thick, and curved lugs allow it to hug the wrist and wear even smaller.

As a super compressor, it also sports a unique dial with a rotating internal dive ring where the chapter ring would typically be. This is operated with a second screw-down crown placed at two o’clock.

Nodus

Thanks to a blacked-out makeover dubbed Night Shade that includes a DLC-coated steel case and matching bracelet, along with a matte black dive ring and dial, it is arguably Nodus’s best-looking watch, full stop.

The catch is that there are only 75 pieces made, and when they’re gone, Nodus has explicitly stated that the design will never be reproduced.

Back in black

Introduced in 2019, the Duality line has mostly only been available in a steel case with a black or white dial. This monochromatic simplicity enhanced the design’s versatility but also let it be drowned out by the colorful and complex designs of the brand’s other tool watches.

Nodus

The case shape has remained unchanged since the Duality was launched, with curved lugs designed to hug the wrist. The second generation introduced a three-link steel bracelet and adjusted the dial’s brand logo and date window.

Along with the stealthy case and bracelet, the Night Shade reference adds a few minor updates to the dial. The previously white filling on the hands, hour markers and dive ring is now a creamy off-white.

Nodus

A new dot is placed in the middle of the zero marker on the dive ring, which provides lume to the marker for the first time. Finally, the second hand is tipped with red.

Nodus

Each of these changes is small, but they add up to create more depth of detail to the overall design, helping make this the best Duality yet. I hope Nodus retains them for future regular production references.

Going deep

The Duality II may be the simplest-looking tool watch Nodus offers, but it is a low-key powerhouse. As a super compressor, it is equipped with a spring-loaded case back that gets more secure as water pressure increases, providing 300m water resistance in a relatively slight case.

Inside that mighty case is a Nodus-regulated Miyota caliber 9015 automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve and an accuracy of +/- 8 seconds per day. What’s more, the whole thing is designed and assembled in Los Angeles.

Nodus

Nodus did such an exceptional job with the Night Shade update to the Duality II that the only thing it got wrong was the limited edition status. If this were a regular production model, it would be the best watch of any variety in the brand’s catalog.

Availability and pricing

The Nodus Duality II Night Shade limited edition will be available for preorder starting June 18 for $875. Orders will ship out a week later, on June 25.

Nodus explicitly states that the Night Shade design will never be recreated, so this is the only opportunity — aside from resale — to land one of the best watches Nodus has ever made.

Nodus

Nodus Duality II Night Shade

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Miyota caliber 9015 automatic
Water Resistance	300m

• $875 at Nodus

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