Why This Watch Matters The Chronomaster we have here is a rare variant complete with Broad Arrow-style hands. It was the only Chronomaster reference distributed by Croton in the United States to feature the Valjoux 23 movement. The Full Story The Croton Watch Company was founded in 1878 by Jacob Horton in New York City. In need of a larger office, the company moved to a suburb of New York City, Croton-on-Hudson, in 1963. Croton had an ongoing partnership with the Swiss brand Nivada and, as a result, many Nivada watches sold in the United States were branded Croton. The Chronomaster was made in numerous case, dial, and movement variations throughout its production years. Today's watch is considered to be more rare than the typical Chronomaster because of the Broad Arrow-style hands, the Valjoux 23 movement under the hood, and the stepped sub-dials with radial-style numerals. The hands are similar to those found on the first variation of the Omega Speedmaster, which is one of the reasons these Chronomasters tend to be more desirable. The sub-dial hands are in a similar style to the "Alpha" hands found on early Speedmasters, too. Additionally, the three o'clock register has a five-minute regatta countdown section in red, giving the dial a nice pop of color. The movement on this watch is stamped "COW," indicating it was meant for the U.S. market. These Croton Chronomasters offer great value for a quality Swiss chronograph in a versatile case size. We paired this Chronomaster with our black Reid goat leather strap to enhance its sporty style and add some contrast with its white stitching. Source: Chronomaster Only: The Super-Chronograph by Nivada & Croton by Grégoire Rossier and Anthony Marquié The Fine Print Maker: Croton Model: Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Reference: 105-9870 Year: 1960s Case No: 105-24932Material: Stainless steel Dimensions: 38mm diameter; 13mm thicknessCrystal: Plexiglass Lume: Yes, tritium Caliber: Manually wound Valjoux 23 Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE Reid in Black Lug Width: 20mmBox/Papers: No What we Love and What You Should Know This Chronomaster is in overall good condition. The case is strong with scratches. The caseback shows some signs of wear; some of the writing is faint, but the case number is fully intact. The crown appears to be original and has a slight nick in it. The pushers have some wear on the edge. The dial is in good condition and has developed patina throughout. The lume on the dial has developed patina. The hands are in good condition with patina. The lume on the handset has been color corrected to be closer in color to the lume on the dial. The bezel is in overall good condition with some scratches and signs of wear around the edges. The crystal has light scratches.
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