First released in 1963, the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver aimed to do it all, effortlessly traversing land, sea, and air. Known for its readable dial, purpose-designed hands, integrated tachymeter scale, bi-directional rotating bezel, and precision chronometer, the timepiece because a fast favourite for divers, aviators, and yachties. Bucking the “jack of all trades, master of none” maxim, the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver sought to be not only an all-rounder, but a master of all trades.
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The recently revived Swiss watch manufacturer — Nivada Grenchen went defunct in late 1970s and was resurrected by Guillaume Laidet and Rémi Chabrat in 2018 — has been making use of its niche but dedicated fanbase of late, reissuing some of its most covetable retro pieces, with the Antarctic and the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver at the top of the list. The latter has been iterated several times, with the new meca-quartz Chronoking a follow-up to the mecha-quartz Datomaster released last year.
Like its predecessor, the Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Meca-Quartz is designed to circumnavigate a plethora of terrains with ease. Crafted from stainless steel, the case of the Chronoking Meca-Quartz measures in at a wearable 38mm, staying true to its vintage aesthetic. A matte black dial plays host to three cream subdials and SuperLumiNova-coated dial hour markers. The black aluminium bezel is equal parts robust and stylish, emblazoned with oversized grey numerals. The watch is presented on a stainless steel beads of rice or leather strap.
While the appearance of the Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Meca-Quartz is an undeniable callback to its source material, the movement powering the timepiece offers something different. It’s powered by the Seiko VK64A, a battery-operated movement with a ‘mechanical’ feel, which boats three years of power reserve and offers the smooth sweep of the chronograph hand over the dial; a feature typically unique to mechanical watches. The meca-quartz movement — also known as a hybrid movement — offers the best of both worlds by combining the precision of quartz with the hallmarks of traditional watchmaking by integrating a mechanical chronograph module.
“I wanted to give all Nivada Grenchen lovers the opportunity to acquire an affordable chronograph that doesn’t look like a hockey puck on their wrist,” explained Guillaume Laidet, CEO of Nivada Grenchen. “The battery replaces the barrel, and the quartz replaces the balance. Everything else is gearing. It shows in the thinness of the case, and in the fine price point.”
Indeed, the Chronoking Meca-Quartz offers an unbeatable value proposition, priced at just €437.95 (approx. $690AUD).
The Chronoking Meca-Quartz has been released in a limited run of 100 examples and is available via the Nivada Grenchen webstore.
Words by John Deckard
