# Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver



## Luka (Feb 11, 2006)

A few weeks ago this Nivada landed overhere:

The complete name and type of this one is very long:
Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver

Because of the Aviator I thought it would be interesting to post it here ?



















I was looking for a vintage chronograph for a while, but most of the vintage chrono's are a bit small or a bit to dressy. Not much Pilot of toolwatch style. This one is slightly under 40 mm without crown.

Well, I was happy when I ran into this. It surprised me about the lack of information on the net when searching for info. I have no clue how old it is, but I guess it is from around 1965-1969. People who know this, please tell me.
Nivada still excist AFAIK, but nothing to serious anymore IMO.

The watch had some minors problems, like sticky pushers and a freewheeling bezel. These problems are fixed and the Valjoux 92 movement has been serviced.










The lume on the minute hand had fallen out, I fixed that also. Tonight is the first time I can wear it.

I cleaned the leather strap "to" good, the paint came of the strap. But I like the vintage / old look of the strap. Goes well with the watch.





































It is always a special feeling when wearing such an old watch.
I sometimes think about the watch's life and were it has been into in about 40 years. It seems that this one hasn't seen very much very hard action, looking at its condition.


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## Ernie Romers (Apr 27, 2005)

That is a very interesting watch! You did all the restoration work yourself? Forgive me my ignorance, but where did you learn to do that and how long did it take you?

Excellent watch indeed!


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## Ernie Romers (Apr 27, 2005)

BTW, this is what I found with Google:

http://buckup32.at.infoseek.co.jp/nivada.htm (Japanese)
http://www.antique-watches.ch/hsite/wrist.html
http://www.antique-watches.ch/wwrist/htm/wrist031.html

and there is much more to find!
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-03,GGLD:nl&q=Nivada+Grenchen+Chronomaster+Aviator+Sea+Diver


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## Luka (Feb 11, 2006)

Hi Ernie,

thank you for the links.

Yes, I did everything myself. 
I learned it through the years. It started when I bought a bag of old Seiko Divewatches and no watchmaker around here was willing to look at it. So I started working on watches and yes, I also messed up some things in the past O| O| . I paid some learning money :roll: 

This one took me about 1-2 days, I guess. Sometimes when you have done a few things to a watch with very good result, you have to stop for that day. There is no hurry to finish such a project, when you are in a hurry.....something goes wrong.

At the moment i have enough projects to keep me of the street for at least one year.:-S


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## BruceS (Feb 11, 2006)

Really impressive work Luka and a beautiful vintage piece! Also, great pics :-!


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## Ron Engels (Apr 29, 2005)

Luka said:


> A few weeks ago this Nivada landed overhere:
> 
> The complete name and type of this one is very long:
> Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver
> ...


You've got that right! Very nice 'Aviator'. I'm not sure about the 'Diver' part, but I wouldn't put it to the test ;-) .
But what a nice watch. I really like these old chronographs. Nice 3-9 sub register lay-out, and gorgeous hands. The movement is beautiful, and I love the bezel with minutes and hours scale. Congratulations, and you've done a great job I must say.


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2006)

*That´s a great watch, here´s the little brother>>>>*

Nivada Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver with Valjoux 23:




























...and a pic in 896x600


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

Greazt Watch, Luka!



Ron Engels said:


> I love the bezel with minutes and hours scale.


Seconded. Very practical. :-!


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## XTrooper (Feb 8, 2006)

An absolutely beautiful, vintage watch! Congratulations and thanks for sharing! :gold


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## Janus (Oct 24, 2006)

I've got one for a week (but no pics for the moment)

mine is from 1970 and got a valjoux 72 i think... but i'm not a specialist, so i can mistake about the caliber O|

Yours seems to be in very good condition, the mine looks more... vintage lol !

good watch, but not really waterproof, i do not sweam, or dive with... even if it is called "seadiver" :rodekaart


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

Welcome to the forum, Janus!


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## Guest (Nov 3, 2006)

Janus said:


> I've got one for a week (but no pics for the moment)
> 
> mine is from 1970 and got a valjoux 72 i think... but i'm not a specialist, so i can mistake about the caliber O|
> 
> ...


Well, these Nivada chronos have been produced with a lot of movements, so a Val. 72 is quite possible. Nice watch btw and welcome to Watchuseek.


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## Janus (Oct 24, 2006)

:thanks thx for the warm welcome :thanks


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## langlaisjc01 (Apr 17, 2006)

hello to everyone,

I bought the same watch yesterday on ebay!i was looking for a vintage chronograph and this one just punched me!

it seems to be in good condition now I am waiting for it.Here are the ebay pictures already.


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## Guest (May 6, 2007)

Congrats with your vintage chrono. It´s one of my famous vintage watches !


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## jrbond21 (Jun 12, 2010)

I have the same watch but with a white face. I purchase it originally in 1963 and paid $135USD for it. Just wondering what the going price is that was paid.

Regards,
James


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## johnee (Jan 1, 2009)

that really is a great looking watch, i especially like how the pushers are set out a bit exposing the shaft.


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## MJK737 (Apr 29, 2010)

I was watching Flipper with my kids and noticed this watch. The character that plays the father wears it, there was an entire screen shot of it on season one episode three. He wears it on an oyster bracelet, pretty cool watch!


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## Strela (Apr 30, 2005)

*Here's the watch from the show!*

Rolex blogger Jake E had a feature a few years back he called Flipper Friday's chronicling all the cool --now vintage-- watches. Check it out here: Welcome To RolexMagazine.com...Home Of Jake's Rolex World Magazine..Optimized for iPad and iPhone: Flipper


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## internet.interface (Aug 28, 2015)

Necromancing this old thread, but, hey...at least I am using the search function!

I just got one of these. Everything looks ok, including the "Chronograph" label versus the Chronomaster, and my "Swiss" marking is under the "120" of the Tachymetre scale. I have seen plenty of these on the web and it appears correct. What is dubious is the bezel. The pip is broken and it does not have the hours under the minute markings. I have seen two others on the web with this or similar bezel (regatta sector), but I suspect it is a replacement. I think mine has the Venus 210 movement, but I have not opened it yet. I traded it for a Chronographe Suisse that I was not wearing and a couple of other watches that were less expensive. I might keep the bezel, but welcome any opinions, if there are some Croton / Nivada gurus and historians monitoring this thread.


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## Strela (Apr 30, 2005)

The bezel is a Submariner style, and as you can imagine, it came off a "Rolex Sub style" watch. While the bezel is incorrect, finding an actual NGCASD bezel will be very tough. The watch looks to be in decent shape otherwise. And thank you for using the search fuction.


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## internet.interface (Aug 28, 2015)

if anyone has a spare bezel laying around …


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## aero-engineer (Jan 22, 2015)

My dream is to get someday Panda Chronomaster


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## drbojangles (Jul 8, 2014)

A very nice watch indeed!


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