Nivada Grenchen Chronosport Salmost
I have a fascination with watch complications. Not complicated watches, necessarily—just the little detrails that go beyond telling time. For some reason, I’ve always been drawn to watches with subdials. Years later, I’ve learned this makes me a sucker from chronograph. Yet before I knew what these watches are called, I picked up my first chronograph on eBay: a Casio Edifice EF-503 (photos at the end of the post, because I know you’re curious).
Like the inexperienced eBay shopper I was back then, I made a rookie mistake. The watch came with a resized bracelet, but the seller didn’t include the removed links. Always check the measurements. One link too small. Just enough to make it unwearable with the original bracelet. These days, it lives on a Nick Mankey hook strap in red that matches the seconds hand of the Casio, and honestly? It might be better this way. The original bracelet isn’t the nicest. Quick tangent: if you don’t own a hook strap, you’re missing out. It’s the sweatpants of the watch world. He’s usually back ordered but it’s worth the wait for an unreasonably cozy watch strap.
As my taste in watches evolved (read: got more expensive) and I started to learn about and get into the lore behind them, it was an unmitigated disaster when I learned about the Omega Speedmaster. A precision-manufactured timepiece that went to the moon? Sign me up for three. Well, even affording even one would be nice. Instead, I settled for the Casio Edifice—a solid, affordable homage to the Speedy.
Most chronographs I see these days don’t tempt me. I admire them, appreciate the design, and move on. They’re not a Speedmaster. But recently, that changed. I was window shopping for a watch for a friend when I stumbled across the Nivada Grenchen Chronosport Mecaquartz Salmon. Nivada, for those (like me) unfamiliar, is a classic Swiss brand that got eht vintage-revival treatment in the late 2010’s—a little like a movie studio resurrecting (read: ruining) old IP for a new audience. I didn’t know much about them, and I was skeptical. To be honest, the Reddit and Hodinkee reviews are mixed. But, one thing is undeniable: the Chronosport has it.
This is a textbook chronograph—three subdials (mercifully, no pointless 24-hour counter), a tachymeter, and two plungers. If you look up “chronograph” in the dictionary, you’ll find some variant of this. But the beauty is in the details. The Art Deco-inspired subdial numbering is perfect. Just look at the detail of the 6. It’s not fully closed and whatever font they’re using is pure chef’s kiss. The black dial is subtly textured and balanced perfectly by the salmon subdials (though they also have a more classic yellow subdial version).
The movement is mecaquartz, which means it’s not a pure automatic, and I can already hear the purists grumbling (fair). But it also keeps the watch from being thicker than a hockey puck, and makes it more affordable. Trade-offs. The integrated bracelet is another selling point—very much in right now. Hot enough that Rolex just dropped an integrated bracelet watch a few days ago. Enough said.
The Chronosport nearly jumped into my cart. But, in the end, the Speedmaster still holds my chronograph-loving heart, and I’m holding out for that. For now.
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