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Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 38mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. 69011A77
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The F77 began in 1977, when Nivada Grenchen built an angular, integrated sports watch that belonged to the same moment as the Royal Oak — octagonal bezel, eight exposed screws, bracelet flowing directly from the case. It was revived in 2023 after the brand's relaunch, then refined again for the MK2: the case grew from 37mm to 38mm, dropped from 12.65mm to 12.2mm in height, and the lugs were recontoured and drilled to address a specific complaint from owners of the first revival, who found the bracelet sat away from the wrist rather than hugging it. The basket-weave dial is the watch's defining surface. Embossed across the entire black ground, the tressed texture catches raking light in a way that shifts as the wrist moves, making the applied indices and Dauphine hands — both additions for the MK2, replacing the baton hands of the original revival — read with unusual clarity against a dial that might otherwise read as flat. White Super-LumiNova dots the perimeter track, and the balance wheel is visible at 6 o'clock through the dial rather than behind a caseback, which rewards the wearer more than any exhibition back would. The Soprod P024 inside is an independent Swiss movement occupying the same space as an ETA 2824-2 — a known and proven architecture, serviced through normal channels. The date mechanism exists in the movement but is not connected, leaving the dial uninterrupted. Micro-adjustment on the folding clasp requires no tools, and drilled lugs mean the bracelet can come off without a spring-bar tool if a rubber or fabric strap is wanted instead.
- Reference
- 69011A77
- Brand
- Nivada Grenchen
- Case size
- 38mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA 2824
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- 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 3 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,007), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833) and Automatic Watches (1,417).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 38mm 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 F77 MK2 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 69011A77 | B80-MOD-BLK-AQU | R12160103 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,230 | £1,250 | £1,400 |
| Case size | 38mm | 39mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Fabric strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 56 hours | 80 hours |
| 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?
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?
22mm. 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.
Is 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
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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