Hands-On With The New Nivada F77 Black Ceramic

I first saw the new Nivada F77 Black Ceramic during this year’s Geneva Watch Days. It must have been one of the earliest prototypes, if not the first, and it took me a while to understand. Let me explain. A ceramic watch looks like a PVD/DLC-coated piece to the naked eye. That is until you pick it up. The unmistakable feel of ceramic hits differently from any coating I have seen in the industry. I needed to put my hands on a ceramic F77, so I asked nicely, and Nivada delivered.

I’ve been a fan of the F77 since its initial release. Yes, I know people like to compare it to iconic integrated-bracelet models from other brands, and that’s fine. It’s a bit of an outdated argument at this point, but whatever floats your boat. Since its initial release, I had the pleasure of reviewing both the inaugural model and the stone-dial versions earlier this year. In a way, this new F77 Black Ceramic is a continuation of those. Let me explain.

Nivada F77 Black Ceramic

The fact that the F77 is a re-edition of a bygone Nivada watch is not news. However, the company never made a ceramic F77 back in the day. It never had a ceramic model, period. So for that, if nothing else, the new F77 Black Ceramic is a milestone model for this historic Swiss brand. Furthermore, it is a new case material for the line after steel and titanium. Is it the right next step? This, I will let you decide. Brands like Nivada need to push the boundaries on things like case materials. We were led to believe that ceramic is expensive to produce, so only watches costing five digits and up should have this privilege. The truth, as always, is more complex than that.

This topic is more complex than a paragraph in my article would allow. Also, I wish to avoid getting into a debate on producing cases in certain materials. I’m just saying that a ceramic F77 is an exciting new approach, and I am thrilled to see it on offer. While we are on the subject, Nivada is not the only brand that has put an affordable ceramic model on the market. Just think of the new Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Ceramic, many Rado models, or even a Longines HydroConquest. Ceramic is here to stay and has finally reached a new price segment, so we should celebrate that. The rest is up to us, the consumers.

The basics

Now, let’s look at the basics of the new Nivada F77 Black Ceramic. For the most part, this new model is the same as the first F77. Size-wise, we have a 37mm case with a 45mm length. Remember, the original F77 from the ’70s used to be larger. When creating the re-edition, the brand reduced the diameter by almost 2mm. The thickness is less than 13mm, which is fine for an automatic timepiece. It’s not too thick, and it feels great on the wrist. Like some versions of last year’s first model, the new ceramic F77 has a no-date layout. Three Super-LumiNova-treated hands rotate above its black “braided” dial with applied polished indexes and small luminous dots. There are other options as well (more on that below). Lastly, the bracelet in both cases is integrated with minor changes. Let us go backward and have a look at that first.

The bracelet

This new F77 has a case and a bracelet made of ceramic, and to the naked eye, it looks the same as the steel version. There are a few tweaks, though. The steel version has a Nivada-branded single-deployant clasp with micro-adjustment holes and a push-button release. The ceramic F77 also has buttons, but this time, it’s a dual-deployant (butterfly) clasp with no logo or micro-adjustment. That also means you must be very specific when sizing the bracelet as it gives you no wiggle room. The second thing and what may bother more of you, is the design of the end links.

The steel model had end links with a partially articulating piece in the center. However, on the F77 Black Ceramic, each end link is one T-shaped piece. Consequently, the end links protrude more, increasing how long the watch feels on the wrist. It’s no big deal for me as my wrist is large. However, if yours is on the smaller side, you should try to get your hands on the watch before ordering it. During my last visit to London, I took the ceramic F77 and showed it to Mike, who has a wrist much smaller than mine. Despite the end links, he loved it on his wrist.

The movement

Inside the new F77 Black Ceramic is Soprod’s P024. Based on the ETA 2824-2, this caliber offers 38 hours of power reserve, hacking seconds, 25 jewels, and a 28,800vph frequency. It is a trusty movement that gets the job done, but it is simple enough to service, which is not an issue for most watchmakers. Remember that movements like those from Soprod do not represent the pinnacle of watchmaking. Instead, they are, for lack of better expression, workhorse calibers. They have little decoration, which does not matter as the F77 has a steel case back. On the other hand, as they are cost-effective choices, they can keep the price down, allowing brands like Nivada to offer their watches very competitively.

Good things to know

Aside from the braided dial, Nivada has launched the F77 Black Ceramic with two other dial options. For full disclosure, I did not see these in person except when they were offered in the steel F77 models a few months ago. The black ceramic case is complemented by lapis lazuli and meteorite dials. Both iterations are breathtakingly beautiful in person. In the ceramic case, they look equally great, if not better. While the braided version I had for review is a regular-production model, the stone dials are both limited and available only for the one-month pre-order period. We need to talk about one last thing — the price. Nivada offers the regular F77 Black Ceramic model for €1,370 / US$1,450. You need to pay a few hundred more for the limited stone-dial editions.

I wore this watch almost exclusively for weeks and was very happy with how it felt on my wrist. The matte black finish is not “loud” and does not draw a lot of attention. The weight distribution is on point as well. Keep in mind that due to the black case and bracelet, it may feel smaller on the wrist than the steel model; at least, this was my observation. Still, it is comfortable and easily legible. While the regular model is in stock and ready to be shipped, the limited-production models will be delivered around February. You can check out the other variants and find more information here.

What do you think of the F77 Black Ceramic and ceramic watches in general? Are you happy to see them becoming more accessible? Share your thoughts in the comments section.