Tag Archives: NIVADA GRENCHEN WATCHES

NIVADA GRENCHEN WATCHES – Models with Technical Specifications, Price, Brand Details, History, News and Archives

NOVELTIES 2023

Fratello x Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph

In partnership with Fratello, Nivada Grenchen has created a new chronograph watch inspired by a vintage timepiece made in the 1970s. The Fratello x Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph is available in five different dial variations.

Limited to 50 pieces, this timepiece retains some key features of the original 1970s Nivada chronograph. The new model however comes with a number of changes in terms of the dimensions, functions and color theme. Firstly, the historic watch has a 40mm diameter case where as the Fratello × Nivada Grenchen watch measures only 38mm. Secondly, the red dial accents of the dial have been replaced with the signature Fratello-orange.

Finally, the new watch comes with an external tachymeter bezel in steel where as the historic model features an external count-down bezel mounted on the case and tachymeter scale on the dial.

This racing chronograph is available in five dial colors: Full Black, Grey, Tropical Brown, Panda (black dial with silver counters) and the Reverse Panda with white color dial with black counters.

The Fratello x Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph houses the Swiss Made Sellita SW510 M b manual-winding chronograph movement. This 23 jewel calibre has a beating rate of 28’800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). It offers a power reserve of 63 hours.

Fratello will offer 10 pieces of each dial variation (50 pieces in total) for pre-order exclusively from the Fratello Shop on Monday, March 20th at 4:00 PM CET, for one week only. The pre-order window will close on 26th March at 00:00 AM CET.

Each of the watches will have a special pre-order price of €1,499 (excluding VAT). All watches will ship in early June 2023, when a further limited quantity of these watches will be available, priced at €1,875 (excluding VAT).

Technical details

Model: Fratello x Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph

Case
316L Stainless Steel
38mm Diameter, 44.3mm Lug to Lug, 13.75mm Thickness, 20mm Lug Width
Double-domed sapphire crystal front glass with anti-reflective coating
Display case back with flat sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 100 meters

Movement
Sellita SW510 M b Manual: 28,800vph frequency, 23 jewels, 63-hour power reserve

Dial
5 dial variations with SuperLuminova

Bracelet
Stainless steel 20mm “bullet” bracelet with signed safety

Price
€1,499 pre-order price excluding VAT (for residents within the EU, local VAT rate will be applied)

Warranty
Two-year international warranty

Availability
A limited edition of 50 pieces with exclusive, pre-order pricing in the Fratello Shop for the first week after release

NOVELTIES 2023

Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Aviator Sea Diver Meca-Quartz Limited Edition

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Nivada Grenchen presents a limited edition Meca-Quartz variant of its iconic Chronoking Aviator Sea Diver watch.

This timepiece houses a made in Japan meca-quartz movement that uses quartz technology for the main time functions and a mechanical module for the stopwatch functions.

Introduced in 1963, very first Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver was a highly sought after tool watch from Nivada Grenchen. It featured a legible dial with purpose-designed hands, tritium markers, integrated tachymeter scale, and a subsidiary hour-hand for dual-time zone indication. It also featured a bi-directional rotating dive bezel and a precision chronometer movement.

In 2020, Nivada Grenchen launched the re-edition of the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver featuring the Swiss made SW510 BH b Cam operated chronograph movement.

Inside the new Nivada Chronoking beats the Seiko VK64A hybrid movement with three years of power reserve. It combines the precision of quartz with the beauty of traditional watchmaking by integrating a mechanical chronograph module.

In the new Chronoking Aviator Sea Diver Meca-Quartz watch, the black dial features three sub-dials. Super-LumiNova® has been used instead of tritium for the dial markers. The red and black central second hand smoothly sweeps around the dial when the chronograph function is on.

Water resistant to 100 meters, the 38mm stainless steel case is fitted with a black aluminum bezel with its large distinctive numerals, and a screw-in caseback.

Technical details

Model: Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Aviator Sea Diver Meca-Quartz

Movement
Seiko VK64 meca-quartz, assembled in Switzerland

Functions
Hour, minute, second, date, chronograph, tachymeter

Case
316L stainless steel case
Finish: Polished and brushed
Diameter: 38 mm
Thickness: 12.95mm
Crystal: Double domed sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating
Bezel: Bidirectional rotating aluminium bezel
Case back: Full, screw-in case back
Water resistance: 10ATM, about 100 meters / 300 ft

Edition
Limited edition of 100 pieces

Retail price
437.95 €

NOVELTIES 2022

Nivada Grenchen x UNDONE Depthmaster Pixel Art Limited Edition

In collaboration with Hong Kong based watch brand UNDONE, Nivada Grenchen presents a unique collaborative edition of Depthmaster, better known as the “Pac-Man”. The Nivada Grenchen x UNDONE Depthmaster Pixel Art is a unique interpretation of the iconic diving timepiece of the 1960s

Introduced in 1965, the Nivada Depthmaster was the very first dive watch to be waterproof to 1,000 meters – or 3,300 feet. This heavy-duty diver came in a cushion-shaped steel case with a diameter of 38mm, a substantial crown, a thick metal bezel with a knurled edge and no insert, and beefy lugs.


It also stands out with the ‘Deco’ font used for the cardinal markers. This legendary dive watch is also known as “Pac-Man”, thanks to its Pac-Man style hour-markers at 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock.

Nivada, together with the team at UNDONE, has created a Depthmaster that truly gives meaning to the “Pac-Man” moniker. It has a 39mm diameter black DLC-treated stainless steel case with sapphire crystal glass and helium release valve.

Proposed in a limited edition of only 200 timepieces, this timepiece comes with a matt-black textured dial with the emblematic “Pac-Man Yellow” theme. The steel case-back highlights the text “NIVADA GRENCHEN x UNDONE” in the same yellow shade.

The watch is powered by the SOPROD P024 automatic movement. This new Depthmaster is water resistant to 1000 meters.


This new Nivada Grenchen x UNDONE Depthmaster watch is available in a very accessible retail price of CHF 950.

Technical details

Model: Nivada Grenchen x UNDONE Depthmaster Pixel Art
Reference: 14118A-UND01

Case
39mm, black DLC-treated stainless steel
Water resistance: 1,000m (3,300ft)
Helium release valve
Crystal: Sapphire

Dial
Matte black, yellow Super-LumiNova marker inserts
Hands: “Pac-Man Yellow”, coated with Super-LumiNova

Movement
SOPROD P024, automatic
Automatic winding mechanism with ball bearing, hacking seconds
26 jewels
Power reserve: 38 hours

Functions
Hours, minutes and center seconds, quick-set date

Strap
Black calfskin with fat “Pac-Man Yellow” stitching

Availability
Limited edition of 200 pieces

Price
CHF 950

NOVELTIES 2022

Nivada Grenchen x seconde/seconde/ CHAOSMASTER TIME+TIDE

In collaboration with seconde/seconde/ and TIME+TIDE, Swiss watch brand presents limited edition CHAOSMASTER watches.

Romaric André, the founder of seconde/seconde/ disrupts Nivada Grenchen’s CHRONOMASTER AVIATOR SEA DIVER watch with another hallmark pop-minimalist graphic twist. The CHAOSMASTER watch in stainless steel is available in three emoji variations, each one produced in a limited edition of 33 pieces.

This is the second collaboration between Nivada Grenchen and seconde/seconde/. Initiated in September 2022, the Super Antarctic “KEEP FROZEN” was the first one.

The CHAOSMASTER’s proportions and design, with its ‘Broad Arrow’ style hands, both sporty and casual chic, take us back to the 1970s when a real watch brought elegance to the wrist. The polished and brushed case of this chronograph measures 38mm diameter. It houses a Sellita SW510 BH B movement, which is both manual and self-winding.

The CHAOSMASTER comes on a Tropic-type rubber strap, directly inspired by the diving watch straps of the middle of the last century.

All three CHAOSMASTER versions will be available for the price of $1,995 USD, starting 30 November 2022, exclusively at: https://shop.timeandtidewatches.com/

Technical details

Model: Nivada Grenchen x seconde/seconde/ CHAOSMASTER TIME+TIDE
Reference: 86007M

Edition
Limited Edition: 33 pieces for each one of the 3 versions

Movement
Sellita SW510 M BH B
Chronograph, manual winding
Power reserve: 63 hours

Functions
Chronograph
Tachymeter
Yachting timer at 3 o’clock

Case
Material: 316L Stainless-steel
Finish: Polished and satin-brushed
Diameter: 38 mm
Thickness: 13.7 mm
Crystal: Double domed sapphire crystal
Bezel: Unidirectional, rotating, in aluminum
Case back: Stainless steel, screw-in
Water resistance: 10ATM, equivalent to about 100 meters

Retail price
1,995 USD

NOVELTIES 2022

Nivada Grenchen Super Antarctic 3/6/9

The new Nivada Grenchen Super Antarctic 3/6/9 model is a tribute to the first watch to set foot on Antarctica, the Earth’s southernmost, most hostile landmass and the last continent to be discovered. This timepiece features a 38mm diameter stainless steel case and SOPROD P024 self-winding mechanical movement. Two dial variants are available: Black and Tropical.

NIVADA ANTARCTIC

Ever since it was first discovered over two centuries ago Antarctica, continues to be a source of fascination for explorers, scientists, and historians. In 1955, the United States undertook a series of missions to Antarctica in support of the National Science Foundation.

Operation Deep Freeze, the first permanent base to be established in one of the coldest and most austere environments on planet Earth, has been in place since the 1950s. Polar explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd was President Eisenhower’s logical choice to serve as Officer in Charge of Operation Deep Freeze I.

During this exploration, Richard E. Byrd worn a NIVADA ANTARCTIC tool watch originally conceived for Antarctic exploration. This robust, shockproof and anti-magnetic timepiece was also able to withstand great variations in temperature and humidity.

Nivada Grenchen Super Antarctic 3/6/9

The new Super Antarctic 3/6/9 has a large gold medallion on the case back: a tribute to the vintage Antarctic model – the first watch to set foot, as it were, on the 5th continent – which sported such a decoration.

It is one of the most intriguing aspects of the watch, depicting a scene from Operation Deep Freeze I, the first of several missions to establish a permanent base in Antarctica: the engraving shows an airplane and an icebreaker under the stars and a crescent moon; a mountain range and glacier in the distance.

The medallion was originally incorporated into vintage Nivada Antarctic models to commemorate the International Geophysical Year (1957) and the impetus it gave to the exploration of Antarctica.

The watch is available in two versions: Super Antarctic 3/6/9 with a deep black dial mounted on black perforated leather strap; or Super Antarctic 3/6/9 “Cadran Tropical” – with an intense and shimmering brown dial, the color of dark chocolate, coffee beans or tobacco drying in the sun, mounted on a caramel leather strap.

Very often, prolonged exposure to light and humidity can cause the dial to age prematurely, the hands to fade and the indexes to yellow.

The developers at Nivada Grenchen decided to replicate this effect on the hands and indexes; the so-called tropical dial bears the imprint of an accelerated “chocolate” discoloration.

Technical details

Model: Nivada Grenchen Super Antarctic 3/6/9

Case
Material: 316L stainless steel
Case finish: Polished & satin-brushed
Lug width: 20mm
Case diameter: 38mm
Case thickness: 12mm
Lug-to-lug distance: 45mm
Screw down crown
Crystal: Double-domed sapphire
Case back: Golden medallion, representing an ice-breaker and a plane
Water resistance: 10 ATM

Movement
Automatic, SOPROD P024
Self-winding – 3 hands
Power reserve: 38 hours

Dial
Black dial (ref.32032A10) or tropical dial (ref.32031A23)
Indexes: Creamy color patina, 3/6/9

NOVELTIES 2021

Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster

Swiss watch brand Nivada Grenchen presents the re-edition of its iconic Depthmaster diving timepiece.

Introduced in the 1960s, the Nivada Depthmaster soon became one of the most desired professional diving timepieces, thanks to its impressive water resistance (1,000m), outstanding quality and craftsmanship.

Presently, this historical dive watches are much sought-after in the vintage watch market. Among them, most notable is the so-called ‘Pac-Man’, with its hour markers resembling the iconic Japanese video game character of the same name.

The Nivada Grenchen brand, which was recently revived by Guillaume Laidet and Remi Chabrat, has created a re-edition of the Depthmaster with modern standards. The new watch features a solid, cushion-shaped case made of marine grade stainless steel and houses the SW200 self-winding movement. Its case is 39mm in diameter where as the original model’s case measured 38mm.

The original Depthmaster watch was built to withstand water resistance up to 1,000 meters, which was an impressive technical achievement in the 1960s. The re-edition is also tested for a 100 atm (equivalent to 1,000 meters depth) pressure resistance, Further, it is equipped with an automatic helium escape valve for saturation diving.

The new Depthmaster watch is topped with a sapphire crystal glass. For the re-edition, the brand is offering two types of dial designs. First is the iconic “Pac-Man” art deco dial without date display. The second design features Arabic numerals for even numbers, rectangular indices for odd numbers and the date display at 3 o’ clock.

The “Pac-Man” version comes with a black dial. The second style comes with black or green dial color. Both versions are available with the choice of cream or white color hands and indices.

The Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster watch is presently available with leather strap, tropic strap or stainless steel bracelet.

Technical details

Model: Depthmaster

Case
316L stainless steel polished and brushed with screw down crown
Screw-down crown
Diameter: 39mm, 47 mm lugs to lugs
Thickness: 13mm
Caseback: Solid
Bezel: 39mm aluminum unidirectional Rotating 60 minutes graduated
Crystal: Sapphire glass
Water RESISTANCE: 100 ATM (1,000 meters) with automatic helium escape valve for saturation diving

Dials
PacMan Black with Cream color luminous indexes and hands
PacMan Black with white color luminous indexes and hands
Numerals Black with Cream color luminous indexes and hands with date
Numerals Green with Cream color luminous indexes and hands with date
Hands: Shiny silver color with cream or white Swiss Super Luminova treatment
Indexes: Swiss Super Luminova treatment

Movement
Self-winding SW200 no date (without ghost position) and date version
28’800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Functions
Hours, minutes and central sweep seconds
Date with quick setting
Self-winding mechanism with ball bearing
Stop second device
26 jewels

Strap
Brown & black leather, Tropic, Stainless steel Beads of Rice & Extensible Oyster bracelet
Lug width: 20 mm
Buckle: 316L stainless steel pin buckle

Retail price
850€ / CHF 920 / USD 1000 with leathers or tropic
1050€ / CHF 1135 / USD 1275 with Beads of Rice or Extensible Oyster bracelets

NOVELTIES 2020

Nivada Grenchen – Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver & Antarctic

The legendary Swiss watch brand Nivada Grenchen, which has recently re-surged with its full glory, presents its new collections: Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver & Antarctic.

By reviving this historic brand, Guillaume Laidet and Remi Chabrat aim to create contemporary re-editions of the timeless collections made by Nivada Grenchen back in the days such as the mythical Chronomaster Aviator See Diver, the legendary Antarctic, the Depthmaster, Datomaster, Travelmaster and many more …

Presently, the brand offers re-editions of the Chronomaster and the Antarctic models. The samples have been launched at the beginning of 2020. The core idea is to respect, as much as possible, the original designs and stick to authentic specifications while offering “affordable” prices.

The CASD manual winding chronograph costs around 1600€ with leather or tropic. The CASD automatic chronograph costs around 1800€ with leather or tropic strap and the Antarctic 3 hands at 650€ with leather. Adding 200$ for a steel jubilee bracelet.

The collections will be Swiss made of course, with Sellita movements and all the watches assembled in Switzerland.

You can pre-order the new watch models by visiting Nivada Grenchen website. Deliveries planned in December 2020.

Technical details

Model: Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver

Case
316L stainless steel polished and brushed
46.5 mm lugs to lug
Diameter: 38 mm
Caseback: Solid
Bezel: 39mm Rotating 12-hour / 60 minutes graduated
Crystal: Sapphire glass
Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 meters)

Dial
Black /Panda
Hands: Dauphine & batons with Swiss Super Luminova treatment
Indexes: Swiss Super Luminova treatment

Movement
SW510 BH b Cam operated chronograph
28’800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Functions
Hours, minutes and small second at 9 o’clock 60 seconds chronograph in the center 30 minutes counter at 3 o’clock, tachymeter scale

Strap
Brown & black leather, Tropic, Stainless steel bracelet
Lug width: 20 mm
Buckle: 316L stainless steel pin buckle

Price
1650€ – Manual Winding leather/tropic strap
1800€ – Automatic leather/tropic strap
Adding 200€ for a steel Grain de riz bracelet

Model: Antarctic

Case
316L stainless steel polished and brushed, 45 mm lugs to lugs
Diameter: 38 mm
Caseback: Solid with applied medallion
Crystal: Sapphire glass
Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 meters)

Dial
Black /Panda
Hands: Dauphine & batons with Swiss Super Luminova treatment
Indexes: Swiss Super Luminova treatment

Movement
SW200
Self-winding mechanism with ball bearing
Stop second device
26 jewels
28’800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Functions
Hours, minutes and central sweep seconds
Date with quick setting

Strap
Brown & black leather, Tropic, Stainless steel bracelet
Lug width: 20 mm
Buckle: 316L stainless steel pin buckle

Price
650€ – Automatic leather/tropic strap
Adding 200€ for a steel Grain de riz bracelet.

BRAND STORIES

NIVADA GRENCHEN WATCHES

Nivada Grenchen is a Swiss watch brand founded in the 1920s. Its origins trace back to 1926, when Jacob Schneider established the watch company Wüllimann Schneider Nivada S.A. in the town of Grenchen located in the north-east region of Switzerland.

The company mainly produced affordable mechanical watches using movements from manufactures like Phénix S.A. and Ebauches SA. It was one of the first Swiss brands to offer automatic watches.

Croton distributed Nivada Grenchen watches in the United States. Many of these watches featured the names of both companies on their dials to highlight the partnership.

Their notable watch collections are Antarctic (1950), Chronomaster (1963), Depthomatic (1964) and Depthmaster (1965). In the 1970s, with the introduction of Quartz watches, many Swiss watch companies had to cease mechanical watch production. The Nivada Grenchen Company found it difficult to survive despite its efforts to catch up the quartz revolution. In the 1980s, the brand rights were sold to a South Korean watch company and after some years, the Mexican business group Industrial Omega SA de CV acquired the NIVADA brand, and they still own it.

The new owners based in Mexico offers quartz watches bearing NIVADA SWISS brand name, especially for the Mexican domestic market. In 2018, two watchmaking entrepreneurs – Guillaume Laidet and Remi Chabrat – have decided to revive the NIVADA brand with its original legacy.

Guillaume Laidet is the founder of William L.1985 watch brand. Remi Chabrat is the owner of the Montrichard Group, the private label watch manufacturer with an immense experience in the production of wristwatches. As a private label watchmaker, Remi also has business relationship with the Mexican group (Grupo Industrial Omega SA de CV) who owned the Nivada brand. In 2019, the Industrial Omega SA de CV group gave Guillaume and Remi the license to use the Nivada Grenchen copyright.

As a first step to revive the iconic Nivada Grenchen brand, both Guillaume and Remi have announced the re-editions of the Chronomaster and the Antarctic watch models. The new collections are Swiss made and utilize Sellita mechanical movements.

Official website (Nivada Grenchen): https://nivadagrenchenofficial.com/