Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT

ANTARCTIC GMT: Nivada Grenchen’s First GMT Watch. Purpose-designed for its time, and now timeless.

Since 1926, Nivada Grenchen has been dedicated to crafting professional watches, each designed with a clear purpose. Whether it’s perfect water resistance for diving, an alarm for daily life, or exceptional durability for extreme sports, every Nivada Grenchen timepiece has been meticulously engineered to meet the exacting demands of its users.

Vintage Antarctic GMT 'Tropical'

Vintage Antarctic GMT 'Black'

The Antarctic GMT is a rare gem. During research into Nivada's historic collections, Guillaume Laidet, the brand’s CEO, discovered this vintage treasure on the Hodinkee Shop. Captivated by its 1970s design and GMT complication, he saw the perfect opportunity to enrich the Antarctic range with this standout model.

Designed for Time-Zone-Hopping in the Jet Age

The Jet Age, which began after World War II and peaked between 1955 and 1972, sparked a demand for GMT watches among frequent travelers and jet-setters as they traversed more and more time zones in shorter timespans.

Nivada Grenchen joined the ranks of these horological pioneers by introducing the Antarctic GMT in the early 1970s, powered by the AR-1146 movement. This movement didn’t allow for independent adjustment of the 24-hour hand—it moved in sync with the 12-hour hand, making it a true pilot’s GMT watch.

Expedition-Ready – from Pole to Pole, from Mountain Peaks to the Ocean Floor

As always, Nivada paid great attention to detail. They went one step further, offering a GMT watch encased in a dive-ready case developed by Ervin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA). This iconic case features two crowns—one to control the 24-hour bezel for tracking a second time zone, and the other for adjusting the watch’s settings.

Renowned for its high quality and water resistance, EPSA produced "Super Compressor" cases. Their patented technology leveraged the water pressure at depth to compress the case against its gasket. The deeper the dive, the greater the pressure, and the better the seal.

Production ran from the early to mid-1970s, but was cut short by the quartz crisis. With limited numbers produced, the Antarctic GMT remains a true unicorn among vintage timepieces.

Iconic, Self-Assured, Pure Nivada

The first thing you notice when strapping on the new Antarctic GMT is its presence. It seems like a time capsule from the late 1960s-70s, yet fully in tune with today’s aesthetic codes.

With a 36mm diameter, a slim profile of 11.1mm, and a perfectly balanced weight, it’s the ideal companion for crossing time zones with style.

In terms of design, the new Antarctic GMT is a faithful homage to the original. The iconic red-and-black GMT hand remains, but now features a Plexiglass insert on the internal bezel for tracking the second time zone. The matte black dial, contrasting with the amber-toned 24-hour bezel, immediately draws the eye, while the thick Plexiglass crystal enhances the watch’s retro appeal and avoids the distortions common with overly thick sapphire glass.

At its heart is a Swiss-made SOPROD GMT movement.

The Antarctic GMT comes with three strap options:

Brown or black leather with or without white stitching
"Beads of Rice" steel bracelet
Tropic rubber strap

Special thanks to Aashdin K. Billimora, Watchmaker, Collector, Historian, and Archivist, for helping us trace the history of this GMT and for creating the book Nivada Antarctic: "The Antarctic by Nivada Grenchen."

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT 'Tropical'

Technical specifications

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT 'Tropical'

Case

Material: 316L Stainless steel, brushed
Diameter: 36 mm
Thickness: 11.10 mm
Glass: Plexiglass
Caseback: Engraved with a penguin
Water-resistant to 5 ATM (~50 metres)

Dial and hands

'Tropical' brown dial
Applied silver-tone indexes with SLC3 Lume

Movement

SOPROD C125
Automatic winding movement
Power reserve of 42 hours

Functions/Indications

Central hours, minutes, sweeping seconds; independent central GMT hand; date

Strap and buckle

Brown racing leather strap

MSRP

CHF 1'400 / EUR 1'500 / USD 1'600

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT 'Black'

Technical specifications

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT 'Black'