Nivada Grenchen X Analog:Shift Chronomaster 'Big Eye' Yachting Limited Edition
SKU : 18730001
Article Number : 18730001
ref : 785.00.031.20
case size : 38 MM
movement : Manual-winding
approximate age : 2020s
dial color : Exotic
material : Stainless Steel
style : Chronograph
category : New
bracelet : Metal
lug width : 20 MM
Includes : Stainless steel 'beads-of-rice' bracelet with signed push-button deployant clasp. Also includes inner and outer boxes, hangtag, and guarantee card
overall condition : The case is in new, unworn condition overall. Bracelet is unsized and unworn. Luminous satin silver 'exotic' dial with applied indices and radial subsidiary registers is in new condition with matching handset with orange chronograph hand. Signed crown. Individually numbered caseback /100 Why We Love it
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In the post-War era, as yachting became a preferred summertime activity of the leisure class, a new type of chronograph function was developed specifically for skippers: the regatta timer. These special watches were essentially modified chronographs meant for counting down the start to a boating race, but their colorful and creative designs from myriad brands have ensured that they became popular with all manner of outdoorsmen, and in the years that followed, enthusiast collectors.
In the spirit of these vintage regatta timers, Analog:Shift is proud to present the Nivada Grenchen X Analog:Shift Chronomaster “Big Eye” LE. An edition of just 100 pieces, this watch is the result of a partnership with the reborn independent brand Nivada Grenchen, a watchmaker with a reputation for creating some of the most capable tool watches on the market, designed with a nod to their vintage predecessors.
One of Nivada Grenchen's most beloved heritage designs is the Chronomaster , which boasted an impressive 200m of water resistance and contained features for divers, drivers, and aviators. Though the brand fell dormant for some years, it was relaunched under the leadership of Guillaume Laidet, who marked this rebirth with the recreation of the Chronomaster in various guises.
Our Chronomaster “Big Eye” Yachting Limited Edition captures all that we love about Nivada Grenchen in a single piece. Built upon the platform of the brand’s most iconic model, the “Big Eye” Yachting
gives off both a sporty and casual chic vibe, taking us back to the 1960s when the tool watch became an elegant addition to every wrist.
Inside its polished and satin-brushed 38mm case beats a manually-wound Sellita SW510 BH B chronograph movement with a 63-hour power reserve. Vintage watch enthusiasts will surely appreciate this subtle detail, as it's notoriously difficult to find
a vintage homage piece of this variety paired with a manually-wound movement. Lucky for us, Nivada Grenchen is prepared to go the horological distance to connect their contemporary watches with tool watch past.
The watch's satin silver dial is a riff on vintage examples, featuring historically-accurate elements from their back catalog while refreshing the design and colorway with a look to the future. The dial is set under a domed sapphire crystal, a piece of modern technology that echoes the aesthetic of
acrylic used on the original models while offering improved durability and scratch resistance. The dial itself is clean and uncluttered, making it both a focal point of the watch, and highly legible. With applied indices, a luminous 'baton' handset, and a printed black 1/5th-seconds scale, it immediately recalls classic, 20th-century chronographs.
The bi-directional rotating bezel, meanwhile, boasts not only a 60-minute diving scale, but also a 12-hour scale, which can be used to track a second time zone. Its aluminum surface is finished in light grey, giving it a 'ghosted' patina-like vibe.
A bright orange seconds lollipop hand adds a flash of color to the handset, while two subsidiary dials — including a multicolored oversized 'Big Eye' 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock and a black 60-minute register at 9 o'clock — are accented in contrasting colors to further aid in legibility. Look closely at the 3 o'clock counter and you'll notice a 10-minute countdown scale used to time the start of a regatta.
The most recent addition to our line of new timepiece collaborations, the 'Big Eye' Yachting also marks the first time that Analog:Shift branding has been used on a dial - a nod to Nivada's rich history in private label manufacturing and retailer editions. We're thrilled to be starting our collaboration with Nivada Grenchen with such an exciting and meaningful chronograph - just in time for a season on the water!
This handsome limited edition is presented on a stainless steel beads of rice bracelet to reinforce the underlying vintage theme, but would look equally at home on a variety of straps that can be used to pull out the bright colors on the dial. Vintage-inspired with modern appointments and killer looks, we think it's the perfect summertime watch, sure — but will do faithful duty all year round.
Be sure to nab one before they're gone!
