Hands-On With The Brilliant Nodus Contrail GMT Terra
Let me give you a little look behind the scenes at Fratello. Usually, we have watches in the office for a relatively short time. That can be from a few days to a couple of weeks. But rarely do we have the chance to try out a watch for a longer period. I had that chance with the Nodus Contrail GMT Terra. The friendly people of the brand let me wear the watch over several months. This allowed me to determine what makes the Contrail GMT the best travel watch under €1,000. Let me explain why!
Back in May of this year, I wrote about the new third generation of the Nodus Contrail. In the article, I explained that this new generation introduces several welcome updates. It has made the popular series from the Los Angeles-based brand one of the best GMT offerings on the market. As I explained, this Contrail GMT features a new case design, a flyer-style GMT movement, and a luminous bezel for a cool-looking and functional update. In the article, I also expressed that I couldn’t wait to find out more in a hands-on review.
The Contrail GMT Terra edition
Before I had a chance to wear the Contrail GMT, I got a taste of why people love Nodus so much. We had the Nodus Trailtrekker Clay, which was created with fellow American brand Raven. The Explorer II-esque adventurer’s GMT was an absolute joy to try out for a couple of weeks. Besides its eye-catching presence, it gave me a good idea of the outstanding quality both brands offer for the money. If the Contrail GMT was going to be as good, I knew I would be in for a fun ride.
I was genuinely excited when the black-dialed Contrail GMT Terra landed on my desk. Along with the Laguna edition, it was probably my favorite of the four models that the brand unveiled. The Terra’s visual attraction over the Laguna is its contrasting bezel insert. While the Laguna has a red-accented sand-colored dial and a black and gray bezel insert, the Terra edition features a red-accented black dial and a black and white bezel insert. This adds a nice bit of contrast during the day and some extra visual brilliance in the dark, as we will see.
The Contrail GMT offers perfect dimensions and brilliant proportions
But let’s first discuss some basics. The Contrail GMT features a redesigned stainless steel case measuring 40.5mm in diameter, 11.8mm thick (including the domed crystal), 46.6mm from tip to tip, and 20mm between the lugs. The case is 0.8mm slimmer than the previous generation, which is impressive, especially considering that the Miyota 9075 GMT movement is 1.02mm thicker than the previously used Miyota 9015.
The watch is water resistant to 200 meters and has a 48-click bidirectional bezel with a luminous 24-hour insert made of sapphire crystal. Thanks to the 48 clicks, you can also keep track of time in parts of the world with half-hour time zones. As mentioned, the case and bezel are matched with a textured black dial with applied Super-LumiNova-filled indices. The rehaut features another 24-hour scale, allowing the watch to display three time zones simultaneously. Located at 6 o’clock is a trapezoidal date window with a roulette date disc. The numerals for the even dates are red, while those for the odd dates are white.
A familiar design that feels fresh and inspired
The sharp, angular hour and minute hands perfectly fit the overall look. They are accompanied by a slim seconds hand with a lume-filled counterweight and a red GMT hand with a lume-filled arrow-shaped tip. Overall, the watch’s look reminds me of Grand Seiko’s line of GMTs in the Sport collection, as I mentioned in the introduction. I consider that a good thing as that is the perfect look for a modern GMT.
However, after spending the last few months with the Nodus and having spent time in the past with the Grand Seikos, I can say that they are different. It might be a surprise, but I prefer the Contrail GMT over the Grand Seiko models because of its smaller case size and better proportions. On top of that, the price point is vastly different, making the Nodus my preferred pick for multiple reasons.
The Contrail GMT offers a proper luxury experience
Immediately upon taking the watch out of the box, I loved the looks of the Contrail GMT. Aesthetically, the Terra is my favorite of the four versions. The watch also immediately conveys how nicely made it is. At the Contrail GMT’s US$825 price point, the quality of the case and bracelet is unmatched. It’s at a level we don’t see often in the Fratello offices. That’s why the watch quickly began making the rounds, and all of the Fratello writers agreed that the quality is almost impossible to beat for the money.
But it gets even better because the attention to detail and the overall finishing are also super impressive. The comfortable and beautifully sculpted case features a wonderful mix of brushed and polished surfaces. In addition, the brushed flat-link bracelet features angled and polished edges that enhance the experience. The quality and finishing contribute massively to the feeling of wearing a proper luxury watch. If I had not known, I would have thought that this watch was at least 2–3 times as expensive as it is.
A fantastic bracelet and clasp and a trusty Miyota GMT movement
Speaking of the bracelet, this three-row flat-link design comes equipped with the brand’s NodeX adjustable clasp. It offers a 10mm adjustment, and the proprietary NodeX module ensures that finding the perfect fit is as easy as pushing a button. What’s nice is that the bracelet tapers from 20mm to 16mm, adding elegance to the sporty design. Sizing the bracelet is easy thanks to the screws in the links. Lastly, the quick-release spring bars also make switching from the bracelet to a strap easy.
Inside the case, Nodus updated the movement to the Miyota caliber 9075. This flyer-style GMT movement offers the practicality of an independently adjustable 12-hour hand for the local time. When traveling, you can simply change the time in your current zone by adjusting the hour hand forward or backward in one-hour increments. The automatic movement operates at 28,800vph, has 24 jewels, and offers a 42-hour power reserve. As most of you will know, the Miyota 9075 has quickly become the go-to flyer-style GMT movement for brands offering affordable watches. The reason is simply that there is no other readily available alternative yet, making the caliber incredibly popular.
Wearing the Nodus Contrail GMT Terra
I was impressed when I put the Contrail GMT on my wrist. First off, the watch has a very pleasing heft to it. The case sits nicely on the wrist too, and the flexible bracelet wraps smoothly around it. The large clasp closes with a confident click, and a quick peek at it reveals a nice mix of finishes you do not often see with affordable watches. While the clasp is substantial in size, it never bothered me as being too big because the ability to size the bracelet perfectly is so practical.
One subject of debate in the Fratello offices is the flush-fit push buttons because their style is not for everyone. They fit the overall look nicely in my book, but some people love the more classical buttons that stick out. In terms of functionality, though, they perform their task flawlessly. Once on the wrist, the watch doesn’t just feel good but also looks the part. All the elements fall nicely into place, and the overall black-and-white color scheme feels crisp. Furthermore, the red GMT hand offers enough contrast to read the home time easily.
Is the Contrail GMT a perfect watch?
One thing that is harder to read is the red Contrail name on the lower half of the dial. While that is not necessarily an issue, it does hint at the problem with the roulette date disc. On uneven dates, it’s fine because the white printing contrasts nicely with the black background. But on even dates, the red numerals are not always easy to read because of the lack of contrast. This was the only recurring negative point I found during my several months with the watch. While I understand the roulette date disc’s whimsical nature, I’d greatly prefer a simple white date for all days and leaving the hint of red for the GMT hand.
Another thing I kept returning to but in a positive way was the lume. The lumed sapphire bezel insert is a bit of a party trick, but it is rooted in functionality. As you can see, the BGW9 Super-LumiNova is impressive and lights up the markers, hands, and especially the bezel like a Christmas tree. I cannot tell you how many times I have played around with a UV flashlight to charge the lume and simply get a smile on my face from the effect.
Trying out all the different functions of the watch
Regarding functionality, the bidirectional bezel turns with solid but humble clicks. The grip on the bezel could be a bit better, but it was never a real issue. Once on the wrist, I loved the grippy feel of the knurled crown. It has a knurling you don’t see often, but it fits the style and works like a charm. As most of you will know, pulling it out to the first position once the crown is unscrewed allows you to adjust the central 12-hour hand backward and forward. Pulling the crown out to the second position lets you adjust the hour and minute hands simultaneously, including the 24-hour GMT hand.
I used to have an issue with the feel of Miyota’s 9000-series calibers when operating the crown of watches equipped with them. But with the Nodus Contrail GMT, I don’t have that issue. One full turn of the crown will adjust the time by one hour, which is quite a nice detail. On top of that, there is enough resistance to give a feeling of quality when turning the crown. Finally, there is hardly any play between the crown and the hands when adjusting the time. I was impressed by the overall feel; it perfectly complements the quality of the case and bracelet.
Final thoughts on the Nodus Contrail GMT
By now, you will understand that I was thoroughly impressed with the Nodus Contrail GMT. In short, this is, without a doubt, the best GMT watch under €1,000. I will even go as far as stating that it is among the best watches you can get under €1K in terms of overall quality. But the thing I loved the most was the feeling that this Contrail GMT gave me when I wore it. I love its looks, and that’s a great starting point. But you can see and feel the great attention to detail the team at Nodus put into developing the watch. Still, for me, the most apparent proof of that is not the impressive build quality or the list of practical solutions that make this watch a joy to wear.
No, what truly impressed me over and over again was the finishing of even the smallest details. This gave me the feeling of wearing a luxury wristwatch, which I haven’t witnessed often at this price point, especially not from smaller brands. Another watch that gives me that feeling is my Tissot PRX Powermatic 80. That watch punches well above its weight class, and the same goes for the Nodus Contrail GMT. This watch stood out for me among the many we’ve received for review over the years. That recurring feeling of being drawn to a watch is special and doesn’t happen often. But it perfectly captures how impressed I have been with this one. It’s a connection that is hard to put into words. I’ll let the superlatives in this story be the starting point.
Have you tried or bought the Nodus Contrail GMT? If so, what do you think of it? And if not, do you find it a tempting proposition? Let me know in the comments.
