Nivada Revives a new 1970s Prototype With the new Chronosport

Since its comeback in 2020, Nivada Grenchen has become one of the most active accessible brands on the scene, with a focus on reviving classic designs of the past in faithful vintage-inspired watches. After bringing back icons such as the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver, the Depthmaster Pac-Man dive watch or the Super Antarctic, it is now time for the brand to dig even deeper into its archives. The latest watch to bear the name Nivada on its dial is somehow an elusive one, a re-edition of a rare 1970s model that never made it to full production, until now. Meet the new Nivada Grenchen Chronosport 38mm. 

The story behind this new Chronosport is once again a mix of past and present, and community-driven creativity. It all started when Guillaume Laidet, the man behind the resurrection of the brand, stumbled upon a rather surprising watch offered at an auction, a vintage chronograph named Chronosport. He posted it on Instagram, causing reactions from the community, asking for its return. This watch is said to have only been produced in about 20 examples and never made it to full-scale production, and never to be commercialized. But after 50 years of tests, these prototypes seem to be ready and it’s time now for Nivada Grenchen to finally release it.

Let’s travel to the present and take a look at what the brand has to offer. Once again, it’s a typical case of vintage-inspired design with modern construction. Looking at this Chronosport, some will immediately note the resemblance with another model, the Racing Chronograph produced in collaboration with our friends of Fratello – both watches share the same central case. At 38mm in diameter and 44.3mm in length, the new Chronosport is on the compact side for an automatic chronograph, remaining close to the dimensions of vintage watches. Sure, the thickness of 15.7mm (thanks to the 7750 inside) won’t remain unnoticed. The steel case is powerful, with a bulky shape and brushed surfaces with strong polished lateral bevels.

What sets this watch apart is its combination of features, including a fluted unidirectional black aluminium bezel with 60-minute and 12-hour scales (thus capable of timing dives or cooking pasta, but also calculating a second time-zone), in addition to a racing-oriented dial. The latter is protected by a double-domed sapphire crystal and this Nivada Grenchen Chronosport comes with a comfortable water-resistance of 200m. This makes this watch a multi-purpose instrument chronograph.

The dial of this Chronosport needs special attention too. The dial of the original watch was designed by Jean Singer, one of the most famous dial makers in Switzerland, responsible for exotic creations such as the Speedmaster Racing, the Heuer Skipper or the Paul Newman Daytona. There’s an undeniable “Singer touch” on this new Nivada, specifically for the markers of the sub-counters, which have been made in taupe with a hint of khaki (to give it a tropical look), and positioned originally at 9 and 12 o’clock. The grained black base also features a tachymeter scale and lumed markers and hands – note that Nivada offers the choice between white or yellow SLN. The date at 3 o’clock is faithful to the original model and somehow makes sense in the whole design.

Inside the case, no surprises. This Chronosport relies on the tried-and-tested Valjoux 7750, an automatic chronograph with a solid construction, 4Hz frequency and about 42h power reserve. More details to be discovered in this in-depth article. The watch is offered on a stainless steel bracelet or a wide choice of leather, textile or rubber straps.

The Nivada Grenchen Chronosport 38mm will be available for pre-order starting July 25th for one month, with all the watches being individually numbered. After this date, this chronograph will join the permanent collection but without individual numbering. Delivery of the first pieces is expected in October 2024. It will be priced at EUR 2,035, USD 2,180 or CHF 1,960. For more details, please visit nivadagrenchenofficial.com.