Micro Tournament Round 2 Day 2: Nodus Vs. Halios

Check Out The Lineups Here:

• Nodus

• Halios

Get daily updates and see the updated bracket here.

Ooh this should be interesting 😲

Very even matchup on paper.

Nodus.

Not because I have them, but for the same reason why voted against Helm last year... availability. I love my Helm's, but a year + wait time is a lot to ask.

Also the same reason why I'm certain Sangin Instruments wouldn't fare well.

If you can't get one, you can wait. But for a brand in the micro space that has to compete with other micros AND mainline stuff it's hard to leave the realm of IFYKYK.

And yes, I understand the SW-300 is thinner, shock resistant, and better than the in house regulated Seiko/Miyota movements used by some micros. But for me, Halios' price point has stiff competition, and some of that competition keeps stock on hand with more regularity. YMMV.

Also pic cuz why the heck not...

Nodus x AWWC Sector Deep 35/51

Nodus. Availability.

Halios all day!!

What's the estimated wait time?

I don't know.

Halios seems to have a lottery/wait list setup similar to Helm, but I have never ordered from them.

I will say, they hardly ever show up for sale on eBay, and what that tells me is that owners love them. Which is always a good thing.

I have emailed Jason Lim and asked about the wait-list. You get the canned answer about signing up for their email. I'm still waiting to be notified about their next release and it's been two-plus years. I'm feeling like I'm on an AD's wait-list at this point.

That's very discouraging. It kills the mood of wanting to buy a watch when there is so much choice so many nice value propositions

I feel like Halios is pretty irrelevant at this point. Not to mention absent from the scene.

Some great points about the waiting list for Halios I think that no news is always bad news it does put people off a brand so I would go with Nodus as much more accessible

Nodus specifically for the Sector models.

Agree. I am a Halios owner and the purchase process is way more annoying than Helm, which at least provides you with a means to roughly track wait time. Jason is a one man band and getting a response from him feels like random luck. I think a setup like Helm could be useful for Halios. In terms of price, agree there is tons of competition but it’s hard to beat the Halios Seaforth at less than $800 if you’re looking for that style of diver. Excited for the redesigned Universa to drop.

Yep. It’s a shame imo. Someone said that you really have to love Halios as a brand to deal with the purchase process and snails pace release of updated models. I guess that’s the way Jason likes it.

Unexpected result tbh

Love both of these brands and have had very positive experiences with the guys on both sides. Halios isn’t for instant gratification, but what gets produced is terrific. Nodus has a far more expansive catalog and I appreciate the role they are playing in the industry more broadly. With apologies to the Seaforth I’m wearing right now, my vote goes to Nodus.

Ya, I expected this to run a bit closer. 🤷

Heads up… long comment incoming…

This is an even matchup and for me it’s very very close. I think when it comes to design & build quality I would put both #nodus & #halios on equal footing. Based on what I’ve read, I would say my vote goes to #nodus because of availability. As great & well designed a watch is, if one has to go through so many steps and wait for a long time to get one, I think that for me that takes away from the joy of purchasing the watch.

Some may disagree because the wait & purchase process adds to the experience and makes the watch even more special. BUT, let’s be honest we are talking about microbrands, yes very well made quality watches without a doubt, but these watches are certainly not on the same level as a #patekphilippe or #audemarspiguet (which also have long waits & a long purchase process). In the case of haute horology brands, even if I disagree with the process of having to build a purchase history to qualify for buying a watch from said brand, in a way it’s more understandable since these are high-end, meticulously finished fine works of engineering & art. This is not to take away from the fantastic quality of both brands but there are levels to this and I can understand why someone is willing to go through the process to purchase a $30,000-$40,000 dollar watch than jumping through hoops to purchase a $400-$600 dollar watch (Halios). So, all that said, my vote is for Nodus 👍🏼👊🏼

Halios really needs to up their website game -- it's like they didn't even bother to get a premium Wordpress or Squarespace template. I like both brands and virtual impressions count for a lot these days.

Great match-up!

And I find myself in the majority this round somehow. 😀

i voted halios cause i had a seaforth bronze once... i remember a few years back when this brand was the rolex of the microbrandworld and it was so hard to get one... now they lost track imo and it is even harder to get one and there are a lot of new microbrands out there which are amazing and easier to get like f. ex. serica, unimatic or maen... i wish halios would come back and offer better availabilty 😑 designwise they had a lot of potential

I have one of each. Both amazing, but Halios is better… although I understand the availability argument.

This one is brutal. These brands are pretty similar in design, and I really love them both. I’ve tried on a couple Halios and want one at some point. I have a Nodus Avalon II and it’s one of my favorite watches. I think Halios has slightly nicer finishing… and they’re harder to come by. Going Halios — but it’s almost a draw in my mind.

Tough but if you asked me wich one I'd want a watch from just from the gut I'd say Nodus plus points that they are California based.

Nodus, if only because I'm stalking their Pacific GMT. They seldom stay available on WatchEx. Comments here are not doing Halios any favors, but on sheer options, I think this is a one sided matchup to the detriment of Halios. I'm going with Nodus, I budgeted for them, so I essentially have voted with my wallet. #nodus

Everything everyone else has already said + I like the Nodus designs better, so this one was an easy choice.

Poll closed for this matchup. Congratulations to Nodus!

When we just started Nodus, I had ordered a Seaforth while Cullen ordered a KW from MK II. This was pre-Dink so the C4th did not sell out in seconds the way the following batches did. I actually wore mine during our first factory trip. Halios remains my favorite brand, though I do think the Tropik B is their best work.