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Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Mecaquartz Racing 38mm Mens Watch Silver
Ref. 87046Q23
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Stepping up in Nivada Grenchen's range
Nivada Grenchen's Chronoking has roots in the hard-edged sport chronographs that Swiss houses were producing in the early 1970s, and this Racing variant leans into that lineage directly — the coin-edge tachymeter bezel, the guilloche sub-dials, the blue chronograph hand all read as period-correct without tipping into pastiche. The interchangeable bezel is a practical carry-over from the original concept: owners can swap between configurations without tools, which suits a watch designed to be used rather than preserved. The VK63 Mecaquartz is the movement that makes this proposition coherent. It runs on quartz regulation but drives the chronograph hand with a mechanical module, so the sweep is continuous rather than stepping through the seconds. At 38mm the case is correctly proportioned for the era it references, sitting close enough to the wrist to work under a cuff, and the vertical sun-brushed silver dial shifts between flat grey and something closer to white depending on how the light falls — the applied indices and the blue accent hand both read clearly across that range.
- Reference
- 87046Q23
- Brand
- Nivada Grenchen
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 13.4mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- TMI VK63
- Functions
- Chronograph, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
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 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,714), Stainless Steel Watches (2,629), Chronograph Watches (968), Leather Strap Watches (857), Sports Watches (744) and Silver Dial Watches (572).
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
Worth knowing
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Mecaquartz Racing alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 87046Q23 | T1019172211600 | C0454104404100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £560 | £630 | £525 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Titanium bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
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 comparedIs 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 £560, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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