Hands-On With The Charming Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT
As a fan of GMTs, I will take every opportunity to check out watches that feature my favorite complication. When the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT landed on my desk, I was intrigued. This remake of a rare 1970s watch combines a Super Compressor-styled case with a rotating internal 24-hour GMT bezel. Combined with the charming ’70s style, this new Nivada Grenchen Antarctic model is an interesting retro take on a classic GMT. It’s time to find out more.
Leave it up to Nivada Grenchen to release a modern watch that respects the looks and dimensions of its vintage inspiration. The brand has garnered much praise from watch fans who love their vintage-inspired reissues. I am one of them because I love the brand’s retro chronographs. I especially adore some of the more extravagant options that the brand released. The Valjoux 72-powered Worn & Wound Limited Editions immediately come to mind, and the Chronoking “Paul Newman” Orange is another great example. But I also enjoy the regular tropical-dial version of the Chronomaster Broad Arrow on a beads-of-rice bracelet. These watches prove that Nivada Grenchen is not scared to play with the aesthetics of its retro chronographs.
A remake of a rare bird from the 1970s
The new Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT is not a reimagining of a vintage design. Rather, aesthetically, it is a one-to-one remake of a classic that was available in the early 1970s. Guillaume Laidet, the brand’s current CEO, apparently discovered the vintage version online at the Hodinkee Shop some years ago. Fast-forward to today, and the watch is now the latest addition to the modern Nivada lineup.
The brand introduces two versions. The first is a 99-piece limited edition with a tropical dial, and the second is the regular model with a black dial. We had the latter in for review. I was happy with that because I feel it is the original watch, and it has an overall aesthetic that I prefer over the tropical-dial version.
The original Antarctic GMT had a Super Compressor case made by the famous manufacturer EPSA. As you would expect from Nivada Grenchen, the designers have respected the original dimensions of the case. This new version has a 36mm Super Compressor-look case with a 40mm lug-to-lug, an 11.6mm thickness (crystal included), and a 50m water resistance rating.
The straightforward tonneau-shaped case is nice and flat, and a notable portion of the thickness comes from the massive box-shaped Plexiglass crystal. I love this detail because it adds a ton of retro charm. It’s nice to see how Nivada Grenchen brought this watch back as much in line with the original watch as possible.
The undeniable, quirky charm is hard to resist
On the right side of the case, you will find two slightly recessed screw-down crowns located at 2 and 4 o’clock. The upper one controls the rotating 24-hour inner bezel, while the lower one allows you to change the date and GMT hand in the first position and the time in the second position. Inside the case sits a black dial with small applied markers and slightly off-white lume. The markers are placed among a white minute track with a date window at 3 o’clock. This aperture features a white frame that matches the white disc that features black printing. The logo and text on the upper and lower halves of the dial are slightly raised and painted white.
Then, we find a bidirectional bezel divided into yellow and black halves that indicate day and night. The retro yellow color and the short, checkered red and black GMT hand define the funky aesthetics. Two stick-shaped hands accompany the GMT hand for the hours and minutes. They are filled with the same color of lume as the markers. Finally, a thin seconds hand completes the handset.
Overall, the dial and bezel’s retro look is busy but not cluttered. As a result, you can quickly read the local/home time and the date. Another nice detail is the “Antarctic” text in a funky retro font that adds so much character. Although we know the font from the other Antarctic models, it’s always a nice detail that stands out immediately.
The Soprod C125 GMT caliber powers the Antarctic GMT
Whereas the watch’s face follows the original design, the case back is slightly different from the original. I must add, though, that it has changed for the better. The original watch had a full stainless steel case back with the engraved penguin image. Unlike the original, the brand used a gold-colored medallion in the center of the new Antarctic GMT’s case back. It adds a nice bit of color to the rear of the watch. Hidden behind the case back is the Soprod C125 caliber. This automatic caller-style GMT movement operates at 28,800vph, has 25 jewels, and offers 42 hours of power reserve.
As most of you know, Soprod is part of the Festina Group and provides movements to various brands. Both Serica and Oak & Oscar are known to have used the C125 for their watches. The caliber is based on the automatic Soprod M100, and a GMT module has been added to it. As a result, it’s not the much-wanted flyer-style GMT caliber that allows you to adjust the local time in one-hour increments. However, as an owner of multiple watches with caller-style GMT movements, it’s never bothered me too much, despite the added practicality of a flyer-style movement.
Wearing the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT
As usual, Nivada offers multiple strap options for the Antarctic GMT. The first is a stainless steel beads-of-rice bracelet that will undoubtedly look great. Additionally, you can choose a brown or black leather strap with or without white stitching. Lastly, there is the option of a brown or black racing strap. We had the watch on the brown racing strap that comes with a branded buckle that fits the overall style nicely.
The leather strap is nice and supple, making the watch comfortable. Once on the wrist, I was immediately impressed by how much wrist presence the watch has, both in size and design. Usually, 36mm watches on a leather strap look quite small on my wrist, but the Antarctic GMT has plenty of presence because of its case shape. On top of that, the design simply pops with the bright yellow color and the standout dial design, leaving me pleasantly surprised by how good the watch looked and felt on my wrist.
A watch with plenty of character
Once on the wrist, the watch’s nice profile truly shines through. At 11.6mm, including the crystal, it is a slim watch with a ton of character. While a Plexiglass crystal is not the most practical choice these days, it adds the right touch of vintage flair. Additionally, the dial design has plenty of retro character, but it certainly hasn’t lost its relevance in a world full of vintage-inspired watches. On top of that, it is a great addition to the brand’s lineup, which is full of vintage reissues.
Practically speaking, the crowns are best operated when the watch is not on your wrist. They both unscrew easily but feel very decent in terms of quality. Turning the upper crown is very easy. However, as it’s a freely rotating bezel, you must be precise when setting the additional time zone. To make that easier, the numerals have little dots underneath them to align them with the hour and minute markers.
Since the GMT hand is quite short, it doesn’t reach the bezel. While a bit impractical, it is certainly not a make-or-break factor for me. Also, once you’ve turned the bezel to where you want it, you have to be somewhat careful when screwing in the crown. Make sure you push down properly before you start turning the crown. If you don’t, the bezel will rotate. A little bit of practice will do the trick.
Final thoughts on the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT
I liked spending time with this new Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT. I had my initial reservations about the size, and it’s not my preferred stylistic execution of a GMT watch. But after spending a few days with it, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the watch wears and how relevant its style still is. The latter should not be a real surprise in a watch industry that thrives on bringing back brands and designs from the past.
Nivada Grenchen is one of the brands that does that the best. The new Antarctic GMT is no exception to that. This faithful remake looks great, has nice proportions, and wears like a charm. With a list price starting at US$1,600 on the leather strap, this new Antarctic GMT will undoubtedly find its way to fans quickly. It is another great addition to a collection of reinterpretations of watches from Nivada’s fascinating archives.
Let us know your thoughts on this vintage-inspired Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT in the comments section.
