1970s Nivada Grenchen Antarctic III "Linen" Dial

Nivada Grenchen's roots reach all the way back to 1879, when the Nivada family opened up a watchmaking workshop. The watch brand itself, however, was officially founded in 1926 in Grenchen, Switzerland – and was actually one of the first brands to manufacture automatic watches. Nivada is also responsible for the creation of a handful of wristwatch innovations, including creating waterproof and “rustless” watches that would stand up to the rigors of the outdoor adventures for which they were created.

In the early 1950s, a global organization called the International Council of Scientific Unions was created. This organization aimed to unite scientists and physicists from around the globe in an effort to democratize and share scientific findings. One of the places that attracted a lot of interest was Antarctica, as it was still largely unexplored and played home to many unique phenomena. The scientists that would embark on the expedition to explore it would need stout, element-resistant tools and equipment to help them in their experiments. That, of course, included watches.

So, Nivada set out to design a new watch line to rise to the occasion, based on their best-selling Aquamatic watches, with three key tenets guiding its creation: the watches had to be waterproof, self-winding, and anti-magnetic. They then named the line Antarctic, for obvious reasons, and went even further by creating rugged ads showing it off as "the watch that went to the Antarctic," not too unlike the famous rock-climbing ads done for the Rolex Explorer—a watch that was a kindred spirit both in aesthetic and intention.

This particular model is part of what is colloquially known as the Roman Numeral series—hence the "III" appended to the Antarctic name on the dial. The Antarctic III models were a slightly more formal option compared to some of the other variants, with a larger dial, thin bezel and lugs, as well as its distinctive linen dial. While it's mostly restrained and classic in design, the giant, eye-catching rounded deco numerals certainly add a classy midcentury feel. This watch shows off all the classic hallmarks in stunning fashion, showing very little wear on the case or the dial. It's a timeless watch with a unique history that could be dressed up or down and worn just about anywhere. Even the Antarctic.

SPECS

Stock # NVDAGANTIII
Brand Nivada Grenchen
Style Antarctic III
Model N/A
Serial N/A
Size Men's
Material Stainless Steel
Dial Silver "Linen"
Millimeters 35.5
Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap
CASE & BRACELET

The excellent stainless steel case remains in very strong overall condition, showing only light signs of honest use with no notable evidence of previous polishing present. The case retains its original unsigned crown. The UFO-esque case back exhibits minimal wear and retains its original engravings still in legible condition. The watch comes supplied on a two-piece handmade leather strap.

DIAL & HANDS

The original silver linen dial is in exceptional condition, exhibiting only light age and no damage. The dial features art deco-style Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock with matching "icicle" markers at the remaining hours, all of which are clean and in fantastic condition. The tritium lume plots have achieved a lovely dark cream patina and exhibit nominal degradation in the 3 and 9 o'clock plots with the rest of the plots remaining fully present when inspected under UV light. The original hands show light oxidation and the inlaid tritium lume that matches the dial perfectly.

ACCESSORIES

None. The watch is keeping time but previous service history is unknown.

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