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Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster White Pacman 39mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. 14102A10
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The original Depthmaster came out of the 1960s, when Nivada Grenchen was producing serious tool watches for professional divers rather than chasing the dress-watch market. This re-edition preserves the detail that made the original memorable: the Art Deco Arabic numerals, where the 6 and the 9 are drawn in a style so rounded and open that they have been read as Pac-Man ever since the comparison was first made. It is an odd thing to say about a saturation diving instrument, but the dial is genuinely charming, and the cushion case — soft-cornered, slightly baroque — suits it. At 39mm with a 47mm lug-to-lug, this wears closer to a medium-sized sport watch than anything overbuilt, which makes the 1,000-metre rating feel almost absurd. The unidirectional bezel runs 120 clicks for fine elapsed-time resolution, and the automatic helium escape valve means the watch is genuinely equipped for saturation diving work rather than merely rated to a depth that implies it. On leather rather than a rubber or steel option, it reads less like a working instrument and more like a collector's piece — which is probably the honest reason most buyers will choose it.
- Reference
- 14102A10
- Brand
- Nivada Grenchen
- Collection
- Depthmaster
- Case size
- 39mm
- Case thickness
- 13mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Soprod P024
- Water resistance
- 1000m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 47mm
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
Learn more about Nivada Grenchen
Nivada was founded in Grenchen in 1926 by Otto Wüllimann, Hermann Schindler and Jakob Schneider, registered as Wüllimann, Schneider, Nivada SA. It was among the first Swiss firms to build automatic watches at scale, and it built its reputation on watches meant to be used rather than admired.
American sales came through the Croton Watch Company, an arrangement forced by Movado, which objected to the phonetic similarity of the two names. This is why vintage examples turn up signed Croton, Nivada, or both, and why Grenchen was eventually appended to the name.
The Antarctic of 1950 was the brand's first water-resistant automatic, and it earned its name properly: the model was worn by personnel on the US Navy's Operation Deep Freeze expedition to the South Pole in 1955 and 1956. The Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver followed, a chronograph that tried to be a pilot's watch, a diver and a regatta timer at once, and the Depthmaster reached 1,000 metres.
The quartz crisis ended it. Production in Solothurn closed in the late 1970s, the name changed hands repeatedly, and Nivada Grenchen effectively disappeared while its vintage watches quietly became collectable.
Guillaume Laidet and Rémi Chabrat bought the name and back catalogue in 2018 and relaunched with faithful reissues rather than reinventions — the Chronomaster in 2020, the Antarctic in 2021 — at prices aimed squarely at the microbrand buyer.
- 1926
- Founded in Grenchen as Wüllimann, Schneider, Nivada SA.
- 1950
- The Antarctic, the first water-resistant automatic.
- 1955
- Worn on the US Navy's Operation Deep Freeze.
- 1970s
- Production closes during the quartz crisis.
- 2018
- Laidet and Chabrat buy the name and relaunch the brand.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster range (5), Back in Stock (3,714), Stainless Steel Watches (2,629), Automatic Watches (1,627), Leather Strap Watches (857), Sports Watches (744) and Dive Watches (529).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 1000m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 39mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster White Pacman alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 14102A10 | SPB507J1 | C0374071728010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £985 | £850 | £930 |
| Case size | 39mm | 39.5mm | 43mm |
| Water resistance | 1000m | — | 500m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | — | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 72 hours | 80 hours |
| This watch |
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Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 1000m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 47mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 39mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £985, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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