***As featured on HODINKEE's Bring A Loupe*** Brand: Nivada Grenchen Model: Depthomatic Diver ref. 104 "Waterproof" Automatic (RARE); Swiss Made circa early 1960s Case: Solid stainless steel diver case with screw-down back is approximately 38mm excluding the original domed winding crown Strap: 21mm handmade textured tan calfskin strap with contrast stitching and polished stainless steel tang buckle Movement: ETA cal. 2451 self-winding automatic movement (17 jewels) with center sweeping-seconds; 18,000 BPH; Swiss Made Features: Stunning original bright white dial with luminous "telephone" hour markers and vibrant red depth indications; original luminous hands with incredible yellow lume; original red sweeping-seconds hand designed to be highly legible; oversized 38mm unpolished stainless steel case with rotating bezel that displays elapsed time (i.e. during dives); innovative original acrylic crystal contains outer chamber for instant depth rating based upon water pressure Condition: Fantastic original condition overall with minor honest wear consistent with age and light use; large solid stainless steel case appears to be completely unpolished with razor-sharp edges and great lugs; excellent caseback remains clearly legible; beautiful original bright white dial with crisp printing throughout and gorgeous original lume; original luminous hands with matching yellow lume; rotating diver bezel is in very nice condition and rotates as it should Other: Nivada Grenchen has become a household name within collector circles and rightfully so - They made some truly amazing watches and this extremely rare and cool Depthomatic is no exception. This was the only skin diver watch with built-in depth gauge at the time. A notch in the side of the crystal near 3 o'clock allows access to a chamber along the outer edge to show your depth at all times up to 660 feet! The external metal bezel rotates in either direction to record elapsed time (useful in underwater diving applications). This watch was even recommended by the famous Swiss Underwater Sports Association for diving. The overall design was both innovative and contemporary for the era. This particular example is incredibly well preserved and among the best that we've ever seen. The original bright white dial is in pristine condition with vibrant red printing, and the lume has aged to a very attractive shade of yellow. This watch is as unique as it is stunning on the wrist and a bonus to know that you won't run into anyone else wearing the same watch!
