Worn & Wound end the year with two Nivada Grenchen collabs, a Valjoux 72 and mechaquartz for different budgets
Zach Blass- These two Nivada Grenchen watches are the last Worn & Wound limited edition collaborations for 2023.
- 15 Valjoux 72-powered Chronomasters are up for grabs for US$6,900.
- 150 Datomasters are available for US$499.
The term #watchfam can seem a bit fluffy and cliche at times, but even in an industry where we may find ourselves going head-to-head, racing to publish first or secure an exclusive, this proportionally small industry of watch journalism, at least far more often than not, is a very tight-knit group. Our friends over at Worn & Wound are genuinely some of the nicest people on the planet, an outstanding team I have had the pleasure of crossing paths with over the years. We also have had the pleasure of working with Nivada Grenchen, a storied brand recently revived by Guillaume Laidet. With Nivada Grenchen, and the help of designer seconde/seconde/, we brought our own twist to the Chronomaster chronograph with a trio of ‘Chaosmaster’ limited edition collaboration watches powered by a hand-wound Sellita movement. The advantage of a Sellita movement is that you can keep pricing, at least for a mechanical chronograph, as entry-level luxury.
Last year, Worn & Wound also had collaborated with Nivada Grenchen, but, technically speaking, their Chronomaster collab took things up a notch with a very limited run of 20 watches powered by restored Valjoux 72 movements – a legendary column-wheel chronograph movement used in iconic references such as the Rolex Daytona and Heuer Carrera back in the day. Today, Worn & Wound introduce a follow-up to this collaboration with a new Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2. In their diplomacy and kind-hearted spirit, they have recognised that the pricing and quantity can be restrictive for some, so to complement the Valjoux 72-powered sequel Worn & Wound is also launching alongside it a new Datomaster VK63 – limited to a sizably larger run of 150 pieces that is more accessibly priced thanks to its mechaquartz chronograph movement.
Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2
With a sand and teal colourway, the Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2 brings a racing-inspired twist to the Chronomaster that, in some ways, I find reminiscent (but by no means a copy) of the TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Montreal Limited Edition. This is a good thing – that TAG Heuer remains one of my favourite modern Carreras. The predominantly sandy colour of the dial creates a vintage sense of expression, which on its own could perhaps feel tame. But with bold accents of teal, red, yellow, and orange, the sand colour allows these accents to have more punch without compromising the overall legibility. The racing through line is immediately clear with a chequered outer minutes track. At 9 and 3 o’clock, with running seconds and a 30-minute elapsed counter respectively, the two sub-dials have colour-bordered rings. At 6 o’clock, however, the elapsed hours counter tonally blends into the backdrop.
With a legendary Valjoux 72 within, Nivada Grenchen and Worn & Wound have aptly elected to offer a full view of the chronograph calibre via an exhibition caseback that limits any backside branding to a subtle laser-etching on the outer rim of the sapphire crystal. As a lateral clutch movement with minimal real estate given to bridges, effectively every component of the 48-hour calibre can be seen in action. As a vintage movement, it is very rare to have a watch where it is exhibited, and is therefore a neat offering from a horological perspective. And, as a robust 100 metres water-resistant chronograph, you can have this experience with a vintage calibre without all the pitfalls of owning it in a vintage watch. This is a Valjoux 72 watch you can wear without worry.
The Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2 is a limited edition of 15 pieces. They will be available for purchase beginning December 19, 13:00 ET through the Windup Watch Shop and will begin delivering in May 2024. Price: US$6,900
| Brand | Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound |
| Model | Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2 |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm (D) x 14mm (T) x 46.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Dial | Sand and teal |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal and exhibition caseback |
| Strap | Stainless steel “beads of rice” bracelet and burgundy suede leather rally strap |
| Movement | Valjoux 72, restored and warrantied by Nivada Grenchen, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph |
| Availability | Limited to 15 pieces |
| Price | US$6,900 |
Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Datomaster VK63 V2
The same sand and teal colour scheme can be seen in the Datomaster VK63 V2. The register layout and colour scheme is nearly identical, with one subtle difference. As a nod to the remixed functionality of the 9 o’clock counter which is a 24-hour indicator, the yellow-orange accent is instead used to convey day hours while the other half of the bordering ring is executed in dark teal to convey night hours. At 6 o’clock, tastefully embedded within the small seconds counter is a date aperture.
While the Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2 is compact by modern standards, clocking in at 38mm in diameter and 46.5mm lug-to-lug, the Datomaster VK63 V2 is even more so, measuring in at 36mm in diameter and 43.5mm lug-to-lug. It is also more slender at 12mm thick, rather than 14mm. Obviously the two stainless steel cases have different case and lug profiles, and the Datomaster does not have a bi-directional bezel like the Chronomaster. The VK63 within the Datomaster’s nomenclature refers to the mechaquartz movement within, a hybrid calibre that is quartz-driven for all timekeeping indications (hours, minutes, small seconds), while the chronograph mechanism is fully mechanical. So, while the small seconds will be deadbeat, when the chronograph is activated, the central chronograph seconds will sweep.
The Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Datomaster VK63 V2 is a limited edition of 150 pieces. They will be available for purchase beginning December 19, 12:00 ET through the Windup Watch Shop and will begin delivering in May 2024. Price: US$499
| Brand | Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound |
| Model | Chronomaster Valjoux 72 V2 |
| Case Dimensions | 36mm (D) x 12mm (T) x 43.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Dial | Sand and teal |
| Crystal | K1 mineral crystal |
| Strap | Brown leather rally strap |
| Movement | VK63, mechaquartz |
| Power Reserve | 3-year battery life |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, 24-hour indicator, date, chronograph |
| Availability | Limited to 150 pieces |
| Price | US$499 |