A vintage Chronograph.. Why not? the Nivada Chronomaster
I am not usually a fan of vintage watches, there I said it, I don’t baby my watches and the idea of having a very expensive mechanical piece on my wrist that is older than me gives me the chills, I do like the aesthetics and also like the sizes but is usually a no no for me. Also adding to the controversial statement, I am not so fond of chronographs, I like simple 3 handers usually with no dates, that said there is something about a manual old school watch, it just oozes coolness, something like a manual car, its more involved more true to itself. If you want to go the route of vintage chronographs you have to be ready to spent quite a bit and be really careful, but there is hope, a handful (and I mean just a few) of manufacturer are out there and they are doing this right. Omega is the first that comes to mind with their speedmaster professional but at 42mm feels nothing like old school, then of course you have your Seagull/Venus movements which in terms quality leave something to be desired and then here is where I found out about the Nivada Chronomaster, a re issue of a classic with proportions and looks that are not only close but equal to the original. I was lucky to spend time with their current offerings and I have to say that my wallet started itching, here are my impressions.
Specifications:
At 38.3 mm the case and the watch feel incredible, it gave me that feeling I was looking for, not clunky not too small, just perfect. The watches is packed with vintage cues for those who love it but also offered with several configurations that make it look more like a modern watch.
The movement inside (depending which one you go for) is a Sellita SW510, no date and of course manual, a domed sapphire crystal completes the vintage look and those markers with tachymeter scale really make you feel you are ready to race. The bezel includes also a 12 hour scale so you can track a second time zone which makes me wonder why people don’t do this more often. The Chronomaster is also a torch with good amount of luminescence.
On the wrist:
The watch really shines on my 6.25 inch wrist, perfect for almost every activity. Nivada was kind enough to let us try the tropical and metal strap, it just looks good on anything, basically a strap monster. The watch is also thin and the action of the movement and winding are very solid, easy to grip and modern. Legibility is guaranteed with the 2 sub dials and no date, yes there is a lot of information and text on the dial but nothing that prevents you to read the time at a glance, I was wearing the watch for a full week and never felt uncomfortable, it just felt right, even when looked down to see the time I forgot that I was wearing a modern piece, yes the effect is that good.
Conclusions
Nivada got it right the first time, this is a watch for watch lovers who really want to go out and do stuff without having to worry about the piece, it can really take a beating. The white version has captivated my thoughts lately and I think I will add one to my collection soon enough, if you guys have been following me you'll know that my latest purchase a Vacheron FiftySix has been taking a bit of a rest lately which is not an easy thing to do for me. There is a Chornomaster for everyone who is looking for this type of watch, hope you also enjoy the video. Very sad to see it go but I am sure you'll be seeing one of this bad boy soon.
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