Nodus Canyon by Matt Farah Forest Green Watch Review

As a subscriber to The Smoking Tire podcast and YouTube channel and a fan of the Nodus watch brand, I've had my eye on the Nodus Canyon by Matt Farah. A while back, I got to see the earlier colors and meet Matt at Intersect LA. Like many Nodus watches, they need to be seen in person to be appreciated fully. I didn't have a problem paying a higher price for a Nodus with an upgraded movement, but I wasn't ready to buy one at the time. Most recently, Nodus released the Forest Green variant, which caught my eye when I saw it on screen in one of Matt's car reviews.

I hovered over the "add to cart" button multiple times, but never pulled the trigger. It wasn't until we hosted an Intersect Watch Show in StrapHabit's home city of Columbus, Ohio, that I got to see the green version in person. Since I sold some watch straps at the show, it felt like the perfect justification for a new watch!

Nodus Canyon First Impressions

The green color looks deep and rich in person. I would not have thought to go with gold accents on the dial, but it works really well.

The 41mm case wears slightly bigger than I expected it to, but I think it's just the right size for my 7.25" wrist.

Nodus Canyon Details

After Mint, Sunset Orange, and Night Sky, Forest Green is the fourth colorway of the Canyon (fifth and final being the upcoming Black Pearl). Nodus says the green trees of Angeles Crest inspire the dial color, which is achieved by enameling and receives a fumé gradient effect like all Canyon models. Between the gradient and the two levels of the dial, an attractive feeling of depth is achieved.

The applied hour indices are very sharp and thick, giving a nice dimensionality. These, along with hands coated in a gold color, complement the green dial nicely. The hour markers are polished, reflecting light nicely, while the hands are brushed on top with polished facets to improve contrast.

A minor nitpick is that the second hand is too thick for my taste. Something thinner and fully polished would appear more cohesive with the otherwise elegant dial. This was likely done to allow lume application, but since it's not a dive watch, I'm willing to omit it.

The chapter ring features a color gradient from 0 to 15 intended to evoke the image of a tachometer. It's so subtle that I didn't notice it at first, but I prefer this. As I've said before, I don't prefer atches with a bunch of kitchy automotive styling cues. The gradient is something that looks cool, regardless of any connection to cars.

The case shape and finishing are similar to those of my Sector Deep, with polished chamfers down the side of the case, and brushing on the top and sides. It does not have any crown guards. The knurled crown is easy to grip and features a PVD bronze insert that echoes Matt's preference in wheel color.

The brushed bezel also features attractive polished chamfers, giving it a refined look without being too flashy. The watch is water resistant to 200m, but is labeled as "20 BAR", a nod to the metric units typically used for measuring things like boost pressure in a car.

The sapphire crystal is flat, but beveled edges create pleasing reflections and make it appear to be slightly domed at first.

Wearing the Nodus Canyon

As he has larger wrists, Matt chose to make the Canyon a few mm wider than the similarly styled Sector II Sport. While the large dial does make it appear large for a 41mm watch, the lugs are compact, and the bracelet uses female end links. It won't overhang even average-sized wrists, and should work well for most people.

Nodus is also great at making thin watches, and the 11.5mm dimension on the Canyon is no exception. It sits low on the wrist, too, making it feel well-balanced.

A large dial, large and distinctive markers, and long hands with brushed and polished finishing ensure excellent legibility.

Nodus is typically generous with its lume application, and the Canyon is no exception. The thick applications of blue BGW9 glow throughout the night.

Bracelet, Strap, and Replacement Straps for the Nodus Canyon

The Canyon includes a brushed 5-link bracelet with tightly spaced links providing excellent articulation. It tapers from 20mm at the case to 16mm at the clasp (now with TST logo), one of the specifics that Matt found most comfortable.

The Canyon has the most commonly-sized 20mm lugs, meaning you'll have a ton of good strap options. I'll be wearing it for a bit on a khaki and brown Deployant Sailcloth, as I think it coordinates nicely with the gold accents on the dial.

Nodus Canyon Movement

As a true watch enthusiast, Matt sought to upgrade the Canyon's movement. He asked for something that would provide improved specifications while keeping the case thin. Nodus delivered and equipped the Caynon with the Swiss La Joux-Perret G101 rather than the Miyota movement in my Nodus Contrail or the Trailtrekker. This is what MB&F did when going from the M.A.D.1 to the M.A.D.1S.

Although based on Miyota architecture, the G101 gives the Canyon a higher beat rate (28,800 vph) and over a day of additional power reserve (now at 68 hours). It also features upgraded anti-shock and regulator systems and improved accuracy (which Nodus then improves further by regulating to +/-8 seconds per day).

The G101 sits behind a solid caseback, which is where you'll find the only obvious connections to Matt Farah. I prefer watches with minimal branding, so the topographical map of Angeles Crest on the back is just enough to differentiate it (and it's one of the best roads I've driven).

It's not a big deal to me that the movement comes from Switzerland instead of Japan, but the specification upgrades support the Caynon's increased MSRP over a Sector series watch.

Nodus Canyon Conclusion

Matt was very involved in the design process of the Canyon, taking dimensions from some of his favorite watches but maintaining Nodus' DNA.  I appreciate that he didn't want to slap his brand on a watch and change the dial color, and that Nodus devoted investment to an entirely new case design for the collaboration.

I also like that the TST and car-related touches are kept to a subtle minimum. This makes the Canyon a desirable watch that could stand on its own in the Nodus catalog even if you took away the Matt Farah connection. This makes the Canyon an attractive and versatile watch that could be worn daily as your only watch (if you're into that kind of thing).

At just under $1,200, it's more expensive than other Nodus watches, but features a design and upgrades to justify the price tag. The Canyon by Matt Farah - Forest Green is individually numbered and limited to 100 pieces worldwide.  Visit the Nodus website to learn more.

Nodus Canyon Specifications:

Name: Nodus Canyon by Matt Farah - Forest Green
MSRP: $1,199
Diameter: 41mm
Height: 4mm
Thickness: 11.5mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Movement: La Joux-Perret G101
Power Reserve: 68 hours
Water Resistance: 200m
Crystal: Flat sapphire with blue anti-reflective coating on the underside
Crown: Screw-down with bronze PVD inlay
Bezel: Fixed stainless steel
Bracelet/Strap: 5-link Stainless steel, NodeX Clasp, QR springbars, and Horween leather strap

Shop Replacement Straps for the Nodus Canyon

Deployant FKM Rubber

Premium Sailcloth

Deployant Sailcloth