The editorial staff of Chronos Japan freely reviews Nivada Grenchen's limited edition "Depthmaster Pixel Art." In collaboration with Andern, this timepiece is a pop remake of a classic 1960s diver's watch. Contrary to its Pac-Man-like appearance, it's a watch with serious specs that will appeal to even the most discerning watch enthusiasts. It's a great buy for anyone looking for a playful yet well-crafted watch.
Text by Yoshiko Agata
Article published on June 2023, 3
Despite its pop appearance, it has full-fledged specs that will delight otaku
Hosoda
The Depthmaster Pixel Art that I'm wearing this time is a collaboration model between Nivada Grenchen and Andon. Originally, the Depthmaster was nicknamed "Pac-Man" because of the font of its Arabic numeral indexes, but this time, in collaboration with Andon, we really did create a "Pac-Man" model (※).
*This is not an official collaboration with Pac-Man (Bandai Namco), but is sold as a model inspired by Pac-Man.
(I.e.
Index is even more similar to Pac-Man, right?
HosodaNo, the font is originally this shape, but I changed the color and added a pixelated look. The numbers at 9 and 6 look like Pac-Man.
Doi
The font of the standard model is a beige color.
HosodaAt first glance, it may seem like a gimmicky watch, but it's actually water resistant to 1000m and equipped with a Soprode automatic movement. And yet, with a case thickness of 13.5mm and a diameter of 39mm, it's a spec that any otaku fan would be thrilled with. Plus, at 156,200 yen including tax, I think it's a pretty good buy as a diver's watch.
(I.e.This is pretty unbeatable in terms of specs and price. It's a nerd magnet, and the Pac-Man is cute too. Is this something you can buy on the market?
Hirota
You can buy it from Andon's website. It's already on sale.
HosodaIt's limited to 200 bottles, but they're not sold out yet.
HirotaThis is a must buy.
(I.e.That's right.
Automatic movement (Cal. Soprod P024). 28,800 vph. Power reserve: approximately 38 hours. Stainless steel + DLC case (diameter 39mm, thickness 13.5mm). Water resistant to 1000m. Limited to 200 pieces worldwide. Price: 156,200 yen (tax included).
DoiI tried to find a model with similar specs in this price range, but I couldn't find one.
HosodaThe case is coated with DLC instead of PVD, making it highly durable, and the buckle is also DLC.
HirotaSuzukiIt's done properly!
(I.e.It has incredibly good specs, but it looks so cute at first glance. It has specs that make it a serious diver, but it's also full of fun.
The charm of Nivada Grenchen, awakened from dormancy
HirotaThis company, Nivada Grenchen, was founded in 1879, but went dormant for a period due to the popularity of quartz. In 2019, a young man named Guillaume Reidet revived it and created the current brand.
HirotaHe's also involved in the restoration of Excelsior Park, and is a watch enthusiast who is also good at business. He's also a watch enthusiast, so he has a good sense of what to look for.
HosodaBy the way, Nivada Grenchen can basically be purchased at H°M'S WatchStore, but this model can only be purchased from Anderon's official website.
HirotaAndon is also doing some interesting things with customized watches. I've spoken to the founder, Michael Young, and he's a great guy.
HosodaHe's also a watch enthusiast, and he started the brand through the crowdfunding site Campfire, right? The brand was originally started to make vintage watches available as modern timepieces at affordable prices, so in that sense I think it's a collaboration that is well-matched.
HirotaWhat they're doing is similar to what Chronoswiss did back in the day. Basically, they use generic movements, give them interesting cases and dials, and make unique watches at affordable prices. Chronoswiss has gone down the route of making their own movements, though.
(I.e.Yeah, they were affordable back then. They used ETA.
HirotaIt's great that they're still doing it now.
Is phosphorescence just a design priority?
HirotaThe background to this is unique, but even as a product, there aren't many flaws.
HosodaWell, if I had to pick one thing that bothered me, it would be that the glow-in-the-dark material doesn't glow at all.
(I.e.But it's actually quite common. Surprisingly, other brands also have problems with lights not glowing.
HosodaThe way glowing paint glows varies depending on the combination of the glowing color and the base color, so I think it's still difficult to make a yellow base glow green.
DoiThe lack of thickness of the luminous material may also be a reason why it is difficult to glow.
HirotaIf you fill it up with luminous material, it will lose its pixelated look.
HosodaIt seems they placed importance on how Pac-Man looks. Well, if it's really for diving, not having a luminous dial scale is out of the question. In that sense, it has impressive specs, but it's really just a joke.
(I.e.It's good enough for a land diver.
Compact and lightweight case, yet waterproof to 1000m
HosodaHow was the balance between the head and the strap? It's light considering it's waterproof to 1000m.
HirotaA light watch can hide many flaws, so it was totally fine.
(I.e.The case diameter is small so it didn't bother me at all.
HosodaUntil recently, diver's watches were fairly thick even when water resistant to 300m, and 1000m was thought to be close to 20mm. However, this one is finished at 13.5mm. Perhaps this is due to the improved case fit.
HirotaI think the evolution of processing technology is clearly evident.
(I.e.This is the result of cutting the case and improving the packing.
HirotaLast year, Tag Heuer released a 15.5mm thick 1000m diver and was praised for it, but it was surprising that the Nivada Grenchen somehow surpassed it (laughs).
