It’s not embarrassing for me to admit that I’ve basically sworn off vintage watches altogether at this point. Too many headaches, too much money for too little reassurance in terms of reliability. That’s why I thoroughly enjoy modern reissues that help me cement that stance. The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Broad Arrow – Inter.Bezel is exactly that kind of watch—a freak show of a design that somehow balances pilot-inspired cues, a chronograph’s busy energy, dive-watch robustness, dual-time tracking, and a set of snap-on interchangeable bezels in more colors than I expected to care about.
Brand Heritage
Nivada Grenchen is one of those old names that was bound to resurface eventually. Founded back in 1926 by Otto Wüllimann, Hermann Schindler, and Jakob Schneider, the company was actually among the pioneers of automatic watch manufacturing. They built their reputation on instrument watches—pieces that weren’t only pretty, but useful: water resistance, chronographs, and precision that meant something to the people who wore them. By 1939, they were already showing up at national exhibitions in Switzerland, staking their place in the industry. Fast forward to today, and it feels like the brand’s revival is taking those same qualities seriously rather than just coasting on nostalgia.
Case Presence and Party Trick Bezels
On paper, the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Broad Arrow – Inter.Bezel comes in at 38mm across, with a lug-to-lug span of 46.5mm and a thickness of about 14.5mm. It reads small, but in reality, the case feels solid and wears with enough presence to silence any doubts about size. The stainless steel case has heft, sharp lines, and finishing that feels right in line with pieces that easily cost more. The caseback is no afterthought either—deeply etched with the Nivada logo, it avoids the “blank canvas” problem that many brands let slide. And then there’s the bezel, which is really the star of the show. Friction fit, bi-directional, and completely tool-free, you just pop one off and snap another on with the palm of your hand. No tools required.
Options include black, red, a faded blue that gives off the charm of a ghosted vintage insert, a dark green that almost reads black until it catches full light, and even a black-and-red world-time version that retains an elapsed time scale. The blue quickly became my favorite, capturing that worn-in character without actually being worn out, while the red delivers a confident splash of color and the green keeps things subtle until the sun brings it alive. I actually managed to swap them out while still wearing the watch—something I never thought I’d be doing on my wrist.
A Dial That Manages Controlled Chaos
The dial itself is a lightly textured matte black canvas for a whole lot of information. You get a tachymeter scale on the inside, two sub-dials (minutes and running seconds), and the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver text stacked neatly at 6 o’clock. Somehow, it doesn’t collapse under its own weight. The broad-arrow hour hand keeps things grounded, and while the polished sub-dial hands can disappear depending on the light, legibility overall is solid. The domed sapphire crystal adds a bit of distortion at angles, which only pushes the vintage charm further. And though it took me a while to get used to the way the scales, bezels, and markers all work together, it’s one of those watches where the complexity eventually becomes second nature.
A Tropic Strap I Actually Like
I usually hate tropic rubber straps. They’re stiff, short (or too long), and just never seem to sit right. But this one changed my mind. Quick-release, long enough to actually fit properly, and soft enough to wear without complaint, it’s the first tropic strap I haven’t immediately wanted to swap out. That said, Nivada Grenchen offers flat-link and beads-of-rice bracelets, and I can only imagine how good this case would look on steel. My only gripe? I wish they had included a set of standard spring bars too, just to open the door for NATOs or leather. Not a dealbreaker.
The Landeron 70 Movement
Under the hood of the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Broad Arrow – Inter.Bezel is the Landeron 70, a hand-wound chronograph movement with a 48-hour power reserve. Some folks will call it a budget choice, and maybe it is, but it hasn’t let me down. Mine ran at about minus five seconds a day on the timegraph, which I’ll take. Winding it each morning became part of the fun, and the oversized crown makes that daily ritual even more satisfying. The chronograph pushers are equally enjoyable, crisp and tactile in a way that makes you want to use them just for the sake of it. I’ve definitely been guilty of this during my time with the watch. Why not?!
Quirks That Start to Make Sense
What I didn’t expect to enjoy as much were the quirky details that start to make sense with time. The chronograph’s minute counter has a red five-minute subdivision, which initially felt like unnecessary clutter but proved surprisingly useful when I wanted to track short intervals at a glance without staring into the scale. Same goes for the interchangeable bezels: it’s easy to write them off as a gimmick, but once you start using them, it clicks. And it’s not like Nivada pulled this idea out of thin air—they had a women’s watch in the 1960s, the Coloroma VI, that played with colorful interchangeable bezels. This just feels like a modern, more adventurous riff on that history.
A Revival That Works
At $1,975, it isn’t exactly cheap, but it lands in that sweet spot where you feel like you’re getting a lot of watch for the money—especially given the finishing, movement, and versatility built in. After a month with the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Broad Arrow – Inter.Bezel, I’m convinced Nivada’s revival isn’t just smoke and mirrors. This watch gave me confidence in the brand’s modern, revitalized direction and even got me curious about some of their quieter releases, like the time-only Antarctic 35mm (drool). For me, this piece would sit comfortably alongside staples like my Doxa, Speedmaster, or IWC Pilot’s Chronograph—different personalities, but all sharing that mix of history and utility that keeps me hooked.
If you’re into vintage-inspired watches but don’t want the stress of vintage ownership, the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Broad Arrow – Inter.Bezel might be the sweet spot. It has something for just about every kind of collector: a dive-ish case with real water resistance, a chronograph complication, dual-time bezel scales for travelers, and enough nostalgic flavor to scratch that itch without veering into cosplay territory. For me, it would be a keeper. I’ll be watching Nivada Grenchen a little more closely now.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.