Nivada Grenchen isn't a household name the way Tudor or Longines is, but it's exactly the kind of independent Swiss brand that rewards customers who like to discover something before everyone else has one — and this week's centenary release is a good excuse to introduce it. Founded in 1926, Nivada Grenchen built its reputation on tool watches before fading from view for decades and re-emerging in recent years as a favourite among collectors who want genuine vintage-inspired design without vintage-watch headaches.
To mark 100 years, the brand has refreshed its F77 MKII with what's easily its most interesting update yet: dials cut from real natural stone. Buyers can choose from azurite, labradorite, jade, black opal, shungite black, or smoky quartz as permanent options, with an extra-special ice agate dial reserved for a 100-piece anniversary edition only. Because every stone dial is cut from a natural slab, no two watches are ever completely identical — a small but meaningful point of difference from a mass-produced dial.
It's not just a cosmetic refresh either. Nivada swapped out the previous Soprod movement for the newer La Joux-Perret G101, which bumps the power reserve from 42 hours up to a genuinely useful 68 hours — meaning the watch can sit in a drawer over a long weekend and still be keeping time when you pick it back up. The case has also been slimmed down to 11.5mm, and a closed caseback has been replaced with a sapphire window engraved for the anniversary, so you can see the upgraded movement doing its work.
At $2270 on a strap (around $2560 on a bracelet), this sits comfortably in "first serious watch" or "interesting second watch" territory — a great talking point for customers in Singapore who've already got a Tudor or Longines on the wrist and are curious about what else is out there in the independent space without stretching into five-figure territory.
