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Nivada Grenchen White Pacman Depthmaster 39mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. 14102A20
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The original Depthomatic of 1964 was the first diver watch to carry a built-in depth gauge — a significant enough claim that Nivada Grenchen built the modern Depthmaster directly from that lineage when the brand returned in 2018. The "Pacman" name follows naturally from the dial: rather than conventional indices, large Art Deco numerals fill the matte black surface, their geometry somewhere between bold graphic design and mid-century instrument dial. On this White variant they are packed with crisp white Super-LumiNova, with an orange seconds hand as the single deviation from the monochrome palette — a combination that reads with unusual immediacy in low light. At 39mm with a 47mm lug-to-lug, the case runs a little longer than its diameter suggests, so it will occupy more wrist than the case size alone implies; the mixed polished and brushed finishing keeps that presence from feeling heavy. The double-domed sapphire gives the dial a pleasingly vintage profile, and 1,000 metres of water resistance backed by both a screw-down crown and an automatic helium escape valve makes this a functional tool watch rather than a diver's aesthetic exercise. The Soprod P024 inside is a reliable Swiss automatic with a stop-seconds device, which matters on a watch whose legibility is one of its central arguments.
- Reference
- 14102A20
- 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
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 1000m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 47mm
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
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 5 collections
This watch appears in the Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster range (5), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Automatic Watches (1,417), Sports Watches (667) and Dive Watches (486).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
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
Nivada Grenchen White Pacman Depthmaster alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 14102A20 | SPB507J1 | FC-301N3B6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,185 | £850 | £1,795 |
| Case size | 39mm | 39.5mm | 38.5mm |
| Water resistance | 1000m | — | — |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | — | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 72 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
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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