Autochron

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The Autochron is a bold reminder of a Nivada Grenchen sports chronograph in the 1970s. It was tool watch that was ahead of its time, from its bold case to its unique dial, it truly stood out as special. The only problem is that only 10 were ever made—until now. Nivada Grenchen has brought this mythical watch back and kept all of its distinct personality.

The dial of the Autochron is eye-catching with its atypical sub-dial layout and coloring. Rather than the standard 3-9 or 12-6-9 positioning, the Autochron features sub-dials at 9 and 12 for the active seconds and 30-minute totalizer, respectively. They are also an attractive dark khaki, which complements the otherwise matte black dial, and feature very specific typography and index design best known for its use in the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona. Printed markers, and a date at three round out the design. For the reissue, the Autochron is available with white or “vintage” colored lume.

The dial is only part of the fun, however, as the Autochron also features a 38mm, 200m stainless steel barrel case with an especially rugged design. Tank-like in its proportions, large polished bevels add refinement. A rotating dual-purpose bezel sits on top, giving both a 60-minute/second and hour index, the latter of which is great for tracking a second timezone while traveling. It comes mounted to a brushed steel three-link bracelet with flat links, which adds to its aggressive demeanor.

Powering the Autochron is the venerable Valjoux 7750, modified to have a two-sub-dial layout. A Swiss-made automatic chronograph first released in the 1970s, the Valjoux 7750 features hand-winding, hacking, date, 48 hour power reserve, 25-jewels, and a frequency of 28,800 bph.