At times the vintage watch world can seem like the Wild West: rife with danger and opportunity at the same time. Many who have gone deep down the rabbit hole may have discovered incredibly interesting watches at good value in mid-century watchmaking stalwart Nivada Grenchen. Established in 1926, the Swiss-based brand made a name for itself by building robust timepieces and was one of the first to mass-produce automatically winding watches. Nivada Grenchen, like many others, struggled through the Quartz Crisis but was relaunched in 2018 with the help of entrepreneurs Guillame Laidet and Remi Chabrat. It has emerged from the gates with a core lineup composed of some of its most beloved watches from the 20th century, and from a vintage enthusiast’s vantage point, few brands are doing it like Nivada Grenchen. Every model and configuration oozes old-school cool and has been thoughtfully reinterpreted for today. The Windup Watch Shop is proud to welcome Nivada Grenchen and offer two of its most famous models: The OG Antarctic and the inimitable Chronomaster.
The Antarctic
The first major success for Nivada Grenchen, the Antarctic was marketed as a no-nonsense field watch that could handle the elements. The US Navy seemed to agree; Nivada Grenchen Antarctic watches were issued to explorers of the South Pole. The modern re-edition of the Antarctic retains its predecessor’s modest size, low-key styling, and capable specifications. Now you can configure yours to your heart’s intent. Want the old-school aged lume aesthetic? Check. Prefer a more modern Super Luminova? Sure. And why not take it a step to the next level and spec it out with Arabic 3-6-9 numerals? In addition to dial options, Nivada Grenchen also offers a multitude of strap and bracelet options so you can wear it exactly the way you want, every day.
The Chronomaster
If the Antarctic was Nivada’s first big hit, the Chronomaster was the culmination of the watchmaker’s expertise. Designed to fulfill any conceivable need known to man, the Chronomaster is at once a chronograph, a pilot’s tool watch, and a dive watch – all while keeping a 38mm size. If you spent an hour looking at the Antarctic’s configurations, you’ll spend two here. Bi-compax, tri-compax, “panda”-esque, funky 70s pops of color…if you can imagine it, you can build it. For the true nerds out there, Nivada Grenchen is even offering these chronographs in both automatic and manual winding varieties. Add in the strap and bracelet options and there’s no doubt everyone can find their perfect version of the watch that can do it all.
