There aren’t many revived brands that have enjoyed such an incredible second wind as Nivada Grenchen. Brought back from dormancy by industry impresario Guillaume Laidet, the man who can also count the revivification of Excelsior Park and the foundation of SpaceOne among his many successes, Nivada Grenchen has not just become one of the most popular brands in the entry-level price bracket but has also seen many of its releases quickly achieve cult status.

A mixture of excellent, heritage-inspired design, accomplished execution, and extremely competitive pricing has positioned Nivada Grenchen as the brand to beat whenever other brands, new or old, think about releasing a price point competitor. Additionally, the sheer number of high-profile releases gives the impression that NG is a brand on the move. In dark times for the industry, that kind of optimism is welcome — positivity oozes from the brand. Better still, it appears that the creative well within the company is deep. There hasn’t been a single release from the brand that feels tired, rehashed, or rushed.

Nivada Grenchen keeps surprising those of us who wonder how such a breakneck release pace can be maintained long-term by bringing something new and exciting with every drop. With the release of the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT, we get another entrant to a catalog loaded with barely believable value propositions on every page.

A new GMT joins the fan-favorite Antarctic line

The Antarctic collection has been highly favored since it debuted. The standard models are simple three-handers in a host of vintage styles. A time and date model (known as the Spider because of its unusual eight-legged “sector” dial) joined soon after and became the most recognizable of the bunch. These models were joined by the Antarctic Diver, which, to be frank, looks so significantly different from the family’s bread-and-butter pieces, it could likely have existed as a stand-alone piece, separate from the Antarctic range.

However, with the release of the Antarctic GMT, the Diver now feels less isolated. That’s despite the fact the new GMT itself doesn’t share many aesthetic codes with either the Diver, the Spider, or the time-only models. What binds them, perhaps, is their purity. The chronographs made by the brand are markedly different and the F77 Sports watch is a much more futuristic concept. The Antarctic range is a throwback. The GMT version may even be the most retro-inspired of them all.

A soft, stout-lugged cushion-shaped case evokes the 1970s. The twin-crown design suits the overall aesthetic perfectly and also makes an already comfortable, low-lying watch wear even more elegantly against the wrist. The tall-walled, double-domed Plexiglass crystal makes a statement with the way it interacts with the moveable 24-hour chapter ring (operated by the crown at 2 o’clock). The chapter ring, which is also domed, seems to hover above the dial. The visual impact of viewing this component’s curves through the camber of the Plexiglass is truly memorable. The attention paid to the depth of view of this piece doesn’t end there. Nor too does the sensitive way the watch’s designers have used light as an active element in the creation of the Antarctic GMT.

Tall, polished, and applied hour marker studs, filled with SLC3 lume, interact with exquisitely finished hands. Together, they pull the polished surfaces of the case middle into the center of the watch, which is otherwise dominated by the matte black time dial. The checkered GMT hand is a bizarre thing of beauty that looks like it could only have been deployed in the decade of this watch’s inspiration. Given its uniqueness and the fact it couldn’t possibly be confused with any of the other hands, I would have liked to see it extend a bit closer towards the GMT ring for improved legibility, but the height and length of the six, nine, and 12 o’clock markers put paid to that possibility.

The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT measures just 36mm in diameter and stands 11.1mm tall on the wrist. The lug width is 20mm and the strap tapers to 16 mm at the buckle (although a beads of rice bracelet is also available). There will be two dial variants made. An unlimited black dial will join the core collection and keep the Diver company in the Antarctic family, and a 99-piece limited edition Tropical dial will launch simultaneously. The watches are powered by the Swiss-made automatic Soprod C125 movement, which has a 42-hour power reserve. Prices start at $1,600 and watches are available directly from Nivada Grenchen’s website.

Tech Specs: Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT

Movement: Automatic-winding SOPROD C125; 42-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; central seconds; second timezone; date
Case: 36mm × 11.1mm; stainless steel; 50m water-resistance
Dial: Black or “tropical”
Strap: Brown or black leather strap (with or without white stitching); “beads of rice” steel bracelet; Tropic rubber strap
Price: CHF 1,400