The quartz crisis has a lot to answer for in modern watchmaking, a 1970s disaster whose repercussions are still felt today. One of the brands affected was Nivada Grenchen, who were never able to release their prototype dual-register chronograph, the Autochron. However, modern Nivada Grenchen aren’t content to let the story of the Autochron end there and so they launched a new collection with the same name. As part of that collection, they have now introduced a collaborative special edition, the Nivada Grenchen x WatchGecko Autochron Teal.
Getting hands-on with the watch, it’s an intriguing timepiece because it’s not a reissue of those early prototypes from the 70s. It’s a reimagining of what the watch could have become if the quartz crisis had never interfered.
The case is a vintage appropriate 38mm in steel with a curving, tonneau case shape and a round 60-minute bezel surrounding an internal tachymeter scale. This WatchGecko collaborative special edition features a grainy teal-blue dial and cream subdials, which heightens the neo-vintage vibe. There’s a date window at 3 o’clock, small seconds at 6, 12-hour counter at 9 and 30-minute counter at 12.
It wears nicely on the wrist thanks to a modest thickness of 12.75mm without glass and comes with both a three-link steel bracelet and a custom WatchGecko x Nivada branded Highley Suede strap. The steel bracelet gives it a bolder, more impressive appearance when worn but the strap is personally the more comfortable option and gives it a more relaxed attitude – as if it’s cruising in a classic car.
Inside is the VK67 meca-quartz movement, giving you the action and feel of a mechanical chronograph but the reliability and precision of a quartz regulator. Somewhat ironic that a watch that was never originally released because of the advent of quartz would end up using that same technology. The WatchGecko special edition is only available in meca-quartz, but WatchGecko do also retail the full Autochron range alongside this version, and the full collection does contain some automatic models with the ETA Valjoux 7750.
For pricing, the Nivada Grenchen x WatchGecko Autochron Teal is £685, which is the same price as the standard meca-quartz editions on steel bracelets. Meaning you’re essentially getting the additional WatchGecko strap for free. However, this special edition is also limited to just 100 pieces, making it far more exclusive than any other version, so don’t wait to buy one if you’re interested. It’s also only being sold via WatchGecko.
Price and Specs:
More details at Nivada Grenchen.
