Nivada Grenchen

Nivada Grenchen was founded in 1926 in Grenchen, Switzerland by Otto Wüllimann, Hermann Schindler, and Jakob Schneider, initially operating as Wüllimann, Schneider, Nivada SA. The brand focused on producing reliable, accurate timepieces at accessible prices using quality Swiss movements from suppliers like ETA, Valjoux, and A. Schild. In 1939, Nivada partnered with Croton Watch Company to distribute in the United States, with watches sold under the Croton Nivada name. The brand gained significant recognition when the Antarctic model accompanied Admiral Richard Byrd's Operation Deep Freeze expedition to the South Pole in 1955-1956. The 1960s marked Nivada's golden era with the release of the iconic Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver (1963), Depthomatic (1964), and Depthmaster (1965). The Chronomaster became the brand's most iconic model, while the Depthmaster achieved 1000m water resistance—a remarkable feat that predated the Rolex Sea-Dweller's comparable rating by 13 years. The Quartz Crisis of the 1970s devastated the brand, leading to the closure of production facilities in Solothurn by the late 1970s. After decades of dormancy, Guillaume Laidet and Rémi Chabrat revived the brand in 2018, launching reissues of the Chronomaster, Antarctic, and Depthmaster to enthusiastic reception from collectors.