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Nivada Grenchen F77 Chrono Mecaquartz MK 38mm Mens Watch Grey
Ref. 68001Q77
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Stepping up in Nivada Grenchen's range
The F77 silhouette first appeared in 1977, and Nivada Grenchen has kept it in production long enough that adding a chronograph felt like completing something rather than starting it. This particular variant is not a reissue of anything — the F77 never existed as a Mecaquartz before — so despite drawing on nearly fifty years of visual continuity, it is genuinely new. The octagonal case with its riveted bezel sits at 38mm but reads smaller on the wrist thanks to downward-sloping lugs that keep the 46.2mm lug-to-lug span close to the skin. At 12.2mm thick, it disappears under a shirt cuff in a way most chronographs do not. The anthracite dial has an embossed woven texture that reads as plain grey at a distance and reveals itself in raking light — depth without complication. The VK64 Mecaquartz is a Seiko TMI movement that regulates through quartz but runs the chronograph through a mechanical module, which is why the central seconds hand sweeps rather than steps, and why the pushers have a proper mechanical click. Quartz accuracy, mechanical feel, no chrono servicing. The battery lasts around three years, and the rest of the watch will outlast many more than that.
- Reference
- 68001Q77
- Brand
- Nivada Grenchen
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 12.2mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Anthracite
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- VK64
- Functions
- Chronograph
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 46.2mm
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 4 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,629), Chronograph Watches (968), Sports Watches (744) and Grey Dial Watches (203).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 38mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Nivada Grenchen's range as we list it
Nivada Grenchen F77 Chrono Mecaquartz MK alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 68001Q77 | T1019172211600 | VEDV00619 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £685 | £630 | £649 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 37mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Mesh bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for 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?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWill it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 46.2mm, 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 38mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £685, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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