Some watches become icons through commercial success. Others build their legend in the shadows, through a handful of prototypes glimpsed by a few collectors. The Autochron belongs to this second category. Long kept as a well-guarded secret of Nivada Grenchen, this chronograph with a whiff of motor racing is now making a notable comeback to mark the manufacture’s centenary.
After a first reissue praised by enthusiasts, Nivada Grenchen is now expanding its collection with a new generation of the Autochron. On the menu: four brand-new meca-quartz versions and an automatic variant driven by the legendary Valjoux 7750. An evolution that confirms the brand’s determination to bring its finest archives back to life without ever distorting them.
On this page
- A forgotten prototype turned object of fascination
- A design true to the racing chronographs of the seventies
- Four new meca-quartz versions with a strong character
- Meca-quartz: a particularly appealing compromise
- The Valjoux 7750 makes its grand return
- A true everyday sports watch
- A collection that democratizes the pleasure of the chronograph
- The heritage of a century of watchmaking
- Frequently asked questions
A forgotten prototype turned object of fascination
The Autochron’s story is an unusual one. In the early 1970s, Nivada Grenchen developed a chronograph aimed at motorsport enthusiasts. But the project never made it to full-scale commercial release.
Only around twenty examples are said to have been produced, quickly turning this watch into a genuine horological “unicorn,” known only to the most knowledgeable collectors.
It would take several decades for this model to resurface. It was Guillaume Laidet, the architect of Nivada Grenchen’s spectacular revival, who discovered an example at an auction. His enthusiasm was immediately shared by the brand’s community, who insistently called for a rebirth of this near-mythical piece.
The modern Autochron was born from this shared passion, blending historical fidelity with contemporary requirements.
A design true to the racing chronographs of the seventies
From the very first glance, the Autochron proudly claims its 1970s heritage. Its 38 mm 316L stainless steel case retains particularly well-balanced proportions, faithful to the original model and perfectly suited to today’s expectations.
The wide chronograph counters, the graduated bezel, the tachymeter scale and the sub-dial graphics immediately evoke the automotive chronographs that accompanied racing drivers of the era.
Enthusiasts will also appreciate several details that reinforce its authenticity, notably the “660 ft = 200 m” marking on the dial, a deliberate nod to the true tool watches of the 1970s, as well as the graphic treatment inspired by the famous “exotic” dials.
This new generation also benefits from a 120-click rotating bezel, offering more precise and more pleasant handling day to day.
Four new meca-quartz versions with a strong character
The collection is mainly built around four new references fitted with a VK67 meca-quartz movement.
Nivada Grenchen offers very different personalities to satisfy every type of collector.
The Blue version stands out with its elegant, contemporary textured matte blue dial.
The Orange variant features a matte black dial enhanced by a striking orange gradient, directly inspired by the world of motor racing.
The unmissable Panda and Reverse Panda pay tribute to the most iconic racing chronographs with their particularly legible and timeless contrasts.
This diversity allows the Autochron to cater both to vintage enthusiasts and to fans of more contemporary sports watches.
Meca-quartz: a particularly appealing compromise
For several years now, meca-quartz movements have been enjoying a genuine surge of interest among collectors.
The VK67 caliber indeed combines the precision of a quartz movement with the mechanical operation of the chronograph module. The feel at trigger, the instant return of the hands and the behavior of the chronograph provide a user experience very close to that of a traditional movement.
The movement offers a central fifths-of-a-second hand, minute and hour totalizers, a small seconds, a date display, as well as a battery life of about three years for an announced accuracy of around ±20 seconds per month.
A particularly relevant solution for a watch meant to be worn regularly without constraint.
The Valjoux 7750 makes its grand return
The real surprise of this new collection undoubtedly lies in the Autochron Automatic Orange.
Nivada Grenchen chose to place its trust in one of the most famous chronograph movements in watchmaking history: the Valjoux 7750.
Beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, it offers a 48-hour power reserve and brings a more prestigious dimension to this variant.
Its matte black dial, enhanced with an orange gradient and applied indices coated in Super-LumiNova, further strengthens its sporty identity while giving it a more modern presence than the meca-quartz versions.
A true everyday sports watch
Beyond its vintage aesthetic, the Autochron fully meets contemporary requirements.
The double-domed sapphire crystal effectively protects the dial while preserving the charm of period plexiglass.
Its 200-meter water resistance makes it a watch capable of accompanying its owner well beyond the racetracks that inspired it.
Depending on the version, it can be fitted with a black leather Racing strap, a steel bracelet specifically developed for the model, or Tropic rubber straps that reinforce its neo-vintage spirit.
A collection that democratizes the pleasure of the chronograph
With pricing starting at €550 for the meca-quartz versions and €2,705 for the Autochron Automatic Orange on a Racing strap, Nivada Grenchen continues its strategy of offering watches with strong personality without giving in to the price inflation currently affecting much of the market.
This policy allows a particularly wide audience to access a watch directly inspired by a nearly unobtainable historical prototype.
The heritage of a century of watchmaking
On the occasion of its centenary, Nivada Grenchen once again demonstrates that the richness of a manufacture is measured not only by the number of its iconic models, but also by its ability to bring forgotten chapters of its history back to life.
With this new generation of the Autochron, the brand is not merely reissuing a vintage chronograph. It is resurrecting a model that never truly had the chance to write its own history.
This is undoubtedly what makes this collection so endearing: it finally gives a little-known prototype the career it deserved for more than half a century, while reminding us why Nivada Grenchen now holds such a singular place in the hearts of vintage watch enthusiasts.
Frequently asked questions
The Autochron is a vintage chronograph originally developed by Nivada Grenchen in the early 1970s for motorsport enthusiasts, of which only around twenty examples were ever produced. It now returns as a new collection to mark the brand’s centenary.
Four references use the VK67 meca-quartz movement, while the Autochron Automatic Orange is powered by the Valjoux 7750, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 48-hour power reserve.
The meca-quartz lineup includes a Blue version with a textured matte blue dial, an Orange version with a black dial and orange gradient, and the classic Panda and Reverse Panda contrast dials.
The case measures 38 mm in 316L stainless steel and offers 200 meters of water resistance, protected by a double-domed sapphire crystal.
Pricing starts at €550 for the meca-quartz versions and reaches €2,705 for the Autochron Automatic Orange on a Racing strap.
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