Introducing: The Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph
We’re beyond excited to introduce the Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph, an electrifying new collaboration! For one week only, we will have 50 pieces available exclusively in the Fratello Shop at an early-bird price of €1,499. The week-long pre-order period will be open from Monday, March 20th at 4:00 PM CET to Sunday, March 26th at midnight, ahead of a larger-scale release in June 2023. This time, we have worked with Nivada to create a new line that is not based on just one vintage timepiece. Instead, it take inspiration from two vintage models from the brand’s immense catalog — the vintage Chronosport (for the case) and the Racing chronograph (for the dial) — and provides a modern twist. We are incredibly proud of this collaboration and hope that you’ll love it!
Most of Nivada Grenchen’s modern watches are re-editions of vintage pieces. This collaboration, however, is a new model line for the Swiss watch brand. With each of our collaboration, it’s important for us to offer something that we or the brand have never done before. The new Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph is a testament to this mission.
Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph
I have been following Nivada Grenchen since the relaunch of the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver and the Antarctic back in 2020. I was lucky enough to receive most of the brand’s releases, which I’ve reviewed for Fratello. This business partnership eventually became a friendship with Guillaume Laidet, the man behind the brand. So it was a given that, finally, we would do something together. The new Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph is the fruit of this relationship. While most Nivada models are direct re-editions of vintage models, we wanted to do something different here.
Instead of just picking a vintage model, we launched a new watch. It comes in a case with a dial that has not been made before. The inspiration came from a couple of models that the brand introduced in the 1970s. We used the case of the Nivada Chronosport for our new watch. The dial, however, is inspired by another Nivada model from a bygone era. That piece had a distinctive square case, a black dial, and a red and white racing scale. We took elements from these two timepieces and put our Fratello twist on them. Among other things, we changed the red on the dial to our signature Fratello orange. The result is what you see here today.
Five dials to choose from
Doing just a single model was not what I had in mind. It took a little while to persuade Guillaume to go one step further. Eventually, we ended up designing five different dial variations. We created a panda and a reverse panda alongside the original black version. All three look brilliant and should appeal to most watch lovers. After those came a white-dial version for those who like a crisp look and, lastly, a tropical brown for all of you who want something different. I firmly believe that these five versions offer enough versatility that anyone, whether a vintage enthusiasts or a fan of modern timepieces, can find a watch they can associate themselves with. The aim was to keep the vintage vibe while creating a modern-looking chronograph. Finally, for a bit of contemporary flair, we added a steel tachymeter bezel, which was not part of the original Chronosport case.
One size for everyone
Keeping the vintage vibe alive also meant staying as close to the old models’ measurements as possible. So instead of blowing the watch up to over 40mm, we went with a 38mm case that is only 13.75mm thick and 44.3mm from lug tip to lug tip. As a result, the new Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph works well on smaller and larger wrists. Furthermore, we have certainly noticed the industry moving away from oversized watches. This 38mm case, we think, hits the sweet spot. Fans of vintage watches and a younger, more engaged audience can equally enjoy the timepiece thanks to its size and dial variations.
Inside our chronograph beats Sellita’s SW510 M B caliber. This is a hand-wound chronograph movement with three sub-dials, 23 jewels, and a 63-hour power reserve. The future owner will have the pleasure of enjoying the view of the movement through the display case back. I’m thrilled to have a manual-wind watch that we can offer our readers. I believe this creates an even closer connection between the watch and its wearer.
Comfort first
All the above looks great on paper. However, as we know, there’s only one test that counts — how the new Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph feels on the wrist. According to all of the Fratello team members that have tried it on, the final product is incredibly comfortable. The iconic 20mm bullet-style bracelet tapers down to 16mm at the buckle, again creating the look of a vintage timepiece.
The looks mean nothing if the watch and bracelet do not work well together, but here they do, creating a visually cohesive and wearable package. The orange chronograph hand with the matching racing scale is easily legible and complements the bracelet and the vertically brushed steel case.
Only 50 pieces of the new Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph
For the presale between the 20th and 26th of March, 10 pieces of each dial variation (50 pieces in total) of the new Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph will be available. You have one week to prepare for the prelaunch and be quick. We do not doubt these new beauties will sell out quickly, especially since the introductory price will be €1,499 (excluding VAT). All watches will ship in early June 2023 when an additional limited quantity will be available, priced at €1,875 (excluding VAT).
I’m incredibly proud and happy that we can finally introduce this new model, our first-ever Nivada collaboration, to our audience. We here at Fratello feel honored that Guillaume agreed to launch a brand-new model through this partnership, and we can’t wait to see you with our new Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph on the wrist.
Let us know what you think of the result in the comments!
