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Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Mecaquartz Racing 38mm Mens Watch Green
Ref. 87051Q10
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Stepping up in Nivada Grenchen's range
The Chronoking is Nivada Grenchen's reading of the bold, colour-saturated rally chronographs that defined the 1970s, brought forward with interchangeable bezels — five of them, in different colours — so the watch can be dressed differently without changing what it is at its core. The VK63 meca-quartz is the right movement for this kind of watch. Quartz accuracy drives it, but the chronograph seconds hand sweeps rather than steps, which is the only way a racing chronograph should look in motion. The dark green dial has a carbon-fibre texture that keeps the surface from reading flat, and the double-domed sapphire sits slightly proud of the case, giving the dial a depth it would not have under a flat crystal. At 38mm with a 46.5mm lug-to-lug, it sits close to the wrist rather than perching above it — a proportion that suits a brown leather racing strap considerably better than the dial colour alone might suggest. The solid caseback carries the engraved Chronoking signature, and the quick-release system means swapping between the supplied bezels or changing the strap takes seconds rather than a trip to a watchmaker.
- Reference
- 87051Q10
- Brand
- Nivada Grenchen
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 13.40mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Green
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- TMI Seiko VK63
- Functions
- Chronograph, Small seconds, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 46.5mm
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), Sports Watches (744), Green Dial Watches (362) and Limited Edition Watches (187).
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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 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 | 87051Q10 | T1019172211600 | C0454104404100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £560 | £630 | £525 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | 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 comparedWhat 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 46.5mm, 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 £560, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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