The Nodus Avalon Automatic Dive Smart Watch

While it may be troublesome to stay up with the perpetually growing pool of micro brands taking drugs left and right, sometimes solely a couple of float up to the highest thanks to their standout quality, marketing, or distinctive styles. Brands like Helios, Oak , Monta, and Enigmatic come back to mind as brands United Nations agency have staked a claim as a fixture inside the microbrand universe for one reason or another. However, it appeared that on the face of it out of the blue, everybody I follow on Instagram had finished up with a Nodus watch, and couldn’t stop singing the praises of it. The sheer volume of individuals enamored with this brand’s watches intrigued American state, and when a few months with one in every of their latest releases, the Avalon, I perceive why Nodus quickly engineered up a cult following.

Nodus relies out of and was supported in could of smartwatch 2019. Like several micro brands, the team behind Nodes is very passionate, and it shines through within the quality of their watches. Wed & Cullen, the co-founders of Nodes, assemble all their watches in LA, regulate the watches to four positions, and are pushing the whole more with every unleash.

The Avalon on the surface sounds like simply another micro brand diver, within the below $750 vary, but it’s once you see it personally that the fanfare starts to form sense. unambiguously designed and finely machined cases, color matched matte ceramic edge inserts, a cushy bracelet, hell, the Avalon even has freaking brand on the case back cliche different helmets or fish be damned. Let’s dive into the Avalon and what makes it tick.

The majority of the case is finished up in an exceedingly nice tool watch titled brushed finish, with some polished accents on the facet of the case to feature some nice aptitude. one in every of my favorite aspects of this case style, is that the downward slope style of the facet of the case. This swooping style provides the profile that the watch is absolutely cuddling your articulation plane, and is in our own way that Nodus stands out from the competition with a lot of advanced case style created attainable by its CNC production methodology. One different detail i actually appreciate here is that the crown placement at the four o’clock position, this is often such a cushy place to place the crown and that i want a lot of brands would do that.

The dial of the Avalon continues the trend for top quality as set by the case style watch. Each hour marker is selected with associate degree applied indices, full of a hearty quantity of Super-LumiNova C3 (green) lume. The general style here is clean & basic, with a bottom quantity of dial text, solely having the Nodus emblem within the higher hemisphere, and “Avalon 300m” within the lower hemisphere.

Both the blue and inexperienced versions I have to be compelled to cross-check look nice personally and I’m glad to envision Nodes grasp fascinating color variants like these. Positively a welcome breath of contemporary air from my assortment of black dialed different, and makes the Avalon feel fun hearted. The hands area unit clear and full of a hearty quantity of lumen furthermore, and that i significantly just like the pop of color additional to the seconds hand. The dial of the Avalon overall isn’t over-designed, a lure that I feel several micro brands will fall under, and this restrained style approach conjointly flows through Nodus’ different models furthermore.

I’m happy to mention, astonishingly, that the edge action here is amazing. Every click is satisfying with no play between positions, it’s simple to grip and switch, and there’s a well loomed plot at the twelve mark. But the star here, in my opinion, is that the ceramic inserts that Nodus is giving on the Avalon. Sure, it’s on the market with a steel insert; however I’m an enormous sucker for matte ceramic edge inserts, and Nodus force it off all right. On the inexperienced unit I even have, the edge and dial colors match utterly, and every one the numerals area unit lumed (which isn't the case on the steel insert). That isn’t to mention that the steel inserts area unit unhealthy, they’re well done and appearance smart furthermore. Except for solely additional, I’d positively spring for the ceramic insert within the color that matches your fancy (I dig this green).

The Avalon is battery-powered by the automaticmovement, a twenty four jewel movement with an influence reserve of forty two hours, beating at twenty eight,800 bph. It’s pretty customary fare to envision a Miyota movement in an exceedingly microbrand lately, given Swatch’s adjustment on ETA distribution. Below my observation, the activity has been utterly fine, and it helps to stay the Avalon at a digestible value purpose.

Interestingly, Nodus includes a card within the box with the activity specifications of your specific watch, taken in four positions: crown up, crown down, 12H down, and dial up. Each my units square measure showing between; not too shabby, I’d say, a testament to Nodus’ in-house regulation method. One vital factor to notice here is that the Avalon could be a no date watch, and in contrast to several micro brands, there's no “phantom date” position on the crown once adjusting the time. Positively associate degree appreciated detail, albeit I miss having the date complication.

The clasp includes a flip-lock mechanism; with six small regulate holes (wow!). Despite being a dive watch, there's no dive extension during this clasp. Whereas I’ve ne'er had associate degree actual use for a dive extension, it will appear to be associate degree odd omission for a dive watch. But, the bracelet is overall handy and matches the fashion of watch well, and it options screw-in pins, a feature that I want that each bracelet, everywhere, utilized, because it makes the method of size the bracelet a breeze compared to ancient pin and collar titled bracelets.

The Avalon comes conferred in a very rather retiring cardboard box, branded with the Nodus emblem and model name. But once you crack it open, you’ll notice a slick Nodus branded canvas watch roll, containing the watch and work. This can be another detail that i actually appreciate regarding Nodus & the Avalon. I like once brands build their packaging practical outside of simply being pretty, and this two-pocket watch roll would certainly create a good travel companion to append your bag and keep watches safe. This can be a facet that I’ve seen many microbrands do (namely Oak with their watch wallets), and one thing that I want a lot of brands would do across the whole watch trade. What use could be a big luggage sized picket box? I’ll take a watch roll over an enormous presentation box any day.

Nodus was a whole that for the most part wasn’t on my measuring system. The styles didn’t significantly speak to American state in photos, however once defrayal time with the Avalon, I’m terribly affected by what the blokes over at Nodus do. From the finer style details of their cases, to its thoughtful parts wet throughout, and even the cardboard description out the precise activity of your watch, regular in four positions, it’s clear that Nodus is targeted on making associate degree enthusiast level watch.