Written by Furry Wrist Abroad

Prologue

You often hear the words “it was a simpler time,” only to hear rebuttals following such statements. It was a gorgeous April afternoon in 2018, and a group of enthusiasts, some of whom would go on to work in the industry, met the two young founders of the California-based brand Nodus. 

It was indeed a simpler time. Hearts were not burdened by a gruelling pandemic that only gave way to increased global instability and an uncountable number of deaths. Our hearts were lit aflame as we all came together in the unseasonably warm Toronto Spring afternoon to celebrate the dreams of two good people coming to fruition. 

Seated next to one of the two founders, Cullen Chen took out a prized procession and asked me not to share any photographs of what he was about to show me. On the table ahead of us were plenty of opened watch rolls filled with watches from the young brand, including their second release, the Retrospect. Cullen reached from a watch roll still on his person, revealing the prototype for the Nodus Avalon. He then went on to tell me about how he and Wes, the other founder of the brand, had long adored Seiko’s and how they were the inspiration for the upcoming Avalon. The Avalon was to be their love letter to Seiko but also an example of how they could outdo the storied brand. 

The Power of Dreams

Looking back on that weekend, I remember the look in the eyes of both Cullen and Wes resembling my nephew when he used to often sneak me away to show me a project he was incredibly proud of.  Six years and two generations later, the gentlemen behind Nodus created their flagship watch with a steel, then a bronze case. Little did we know that this dream watch would soon be discontinued.

Dreams fulfilled in capable minds can have an industry-wide impact. As the years would go on, Nodus would rise to become one of the most recognizable young watch brands. More importantly, Nodus would become a leader in innovation with their NodEx clasp being used by many others and for giving other brands an affordable way to reach their potential customer base with the Intersect watch fair. Nodus would also lead in other manners, including materials used at affordable prices.

All of this was made possible by the shared dreams of Cullen Chen and Wes Kwok, and those dreams are best personified in the Bronze Avalon, which was released in 2022. The watch we are reviewing today was the yardstick they set themselves up to. They not only met their hopeful aim, but they came to overtake it at a blistering pace, leading to legitimate luxury pieces such as the Canyon and the runaway cult hit the TrailTrekker. This led to Nodus being the first to use certain materials within the very competitive sub-$1000 mark. This included coloured ceramics in their Unity and the bronze case you see here.

Always Moving Forward

I had the good fortune of diving with the first-generation Avalon on several weekends. Throughout those dives, the Avalon kept impressing me with the highly thought-out details of Nodus’s experience. One of the operational highlights of the first-generation Avalon was that it was a sturdy dive watch that only measured 12.9 mm thick. Its Miyota 9039 movement proved incredibly reliable across my three examples; yes, I own three of the first-generation timepieces. I am truly proud of the work that the duo from Los Angeles accomplished. The second generation’s 9015 movement has proven just as reliable while adding a date window at six o’clock.

Fast forward a couple of years, and Nodus once again surprised me by making a new Avalon that felt exponentially more substantial than the first model and for any other watch under $1000 USD at the time. Coming in at 13.3 mm thick, the Avalon’s new case, caseback, and incredible bezel made a collector look down at the newly bought Tudor Black Bay on his wrist with deep regret. 

A Future Collectable 

The steel Avalon came on the wonderful bracelet featuring the NodEx clasp, while the bronze models came on their TecTuff hybrid straps. Available in a green and blue colourway, the matching bronze hardware of the strap blended in flawlessly. Once fastened on the wrist, the entire vault-like case of the Avalon seems to mould and graft itself on your wrist. The aforementioned thin nature of the watch makes the cushion case melt onto the contours of your arm, making it a seamless accessory on your body. I owned the steel variant of the second-generation Avalon before gifting it to a dear friend, and this did not happen with that model. Bronze, especially as it patinas, gains tones that blend well with human skin tones.

The aesthetic highlights do not stop with the case, for the brilliant dial and matching bezel elevate its rustic surroundings into an arena that even Panerai’s best struggles to keep up with. The applied gilt markers and hands somehow seem to subdue and tame the wild nature of the evenly applied lume, which glows in a splendid frost blue. Every aspect of the dial screams extravagance, but their efforts did not stop there.

The 120-click unidirectional bezel is finely tuned to the point that it sounds like an automatic weapon in the hands of an insect. As a working diver, I have encountered many impressive bezels, and Nodus created something special here. 

The Next Steps Onward

It is difficult to predict where Nodus will go from here and what the new flagship dive watch will be. However, one thing is for certain. The Bronze Avalon will be a highly sought-after collector item for those who value the industry’s history. The two childhood friends looked up to MKII’s Bill Yao as they started their business, and they have, in under ten years, stepped alongside Mr. Yao as one of the most important figures in the watch industry. Laypeople and regular consumers who frequent department stores and high-end authorized for their timepieces may scoff at this, but this is merely their ignorance at play. 

Sites like Mainspring exist because they recognize the importance of smaller brands, which are usually lumped together under the term microbrand. Traditional incumbent watch companies had to react to the level of quality and diverse creativity of microbrands. Entry-level luxury brands such as Hamilton and higher-end Citizens have had to step up their manufacturing on all fronts to avoid being overtaken by these young brands.

Every one of these microbrands has a singular model representing their coming of age and the fact that they have surpassed their initial ambitions beyond their wildest dreams. The Bronze Avalon is that piece for Nodus, and if you value horological history, this watch belongs in your collection.

Epilogue

With stomachs full of ramen and beer, we left the restaurant and were welcomed by the warm sun. All of us took a moment to rejoice in the meal that we shared, suspecting that the new faces we met that day would become familiar for many years to come. 

Adjacent to the restaurant was a second-hand watch and jewellery shop that made the hairs on the back of necks stand up upon entering. We did not let this spoil our mood as we looked at the vintage watches from brands like Omega, Rolex, JLC, Patek Phillipe and Audemars Piguet. As we were about to leave, Cullen turned and straightened his back as he usually does when assessing the situation.

“Well,” said Wes with a soft asymmetrical smile, who took his lifelong friend’s body language as the cue to leave. “Do you ever foresee our watches being in a place like this thirty years from now?”

Cullen’s brow wrinkled at the thought before letting out a blast of air and the words, “I dunno, let’s see where this takes us.”