Hi guys, just wondering if any on here have come across this variant of the Nivada monoblock divers watch dial. I can only find about two images on line and they both show the dial with Nivada at the top and underneath it automatic. On the bottom above 3 they have Antarctic whereas mine just shows automatic !? Apart from this it all seems to check out and looks pretty right. (apart from the wrong crown) I am just wondering if this is a lemon or did perhaps earlier versions only have that configuration with no Antarctic on the dial. Would greatly appreciate any opinions and photo's if poss, just need to clarify before I pull the trigger . Thanks Phil
Like you, my gut is telling me that the dial is legit - the logo and printing look good. Most likely it is just a variant, but I certainly can't rule out the possibility that it is a legit dial transplanted into a different reference. So I will leave a bread-crumb for @Tony C., who is an aficionado of Nivada Antarctic models.
Thanks Dan, yes I did think a possible transplant but couldn't find any other Nivada dials of that style on any other Nivada watches, but then I probably missed some.
I haven't yet posted this to https://nivadanirvana.blogspot.com/ but I do have an image of something very similar, though the hands are significantly different. I believe this watch featured in a Watches of Knightsbridge auction - perhaps if you scour that site you'll find out more? Good luck - I think it's a fine looking Nivada.
Wish I could help, but these variations are not as familiar to me as the earlier, and more traditional Nivada divers. On a broader note, though, I will say that I have seen some anomalous dial variations in the Antarctic model line. I own, for example, a rare 18k Antarctic chronometer in near-mint condition, and yet it reads "Aquamatic" on the dial, rather than Antarctic. The distinctive case back confirms that it was part of the latter model line, and I suspect that is was an early version that overlapped with another line.
Thanks Tony & Davy, great input and I will live with this dial anomally and hopefully one day will come across more similar examples. I note the dial on your photo Davy also has red minute plots, yes, this is going to be interesting exercise. It has a fabulously fast high beat movement, hardly any recoil on the second hand. I have yet to work out how to lift the bezel, it's recesed into the block, unlike most divers bezels which one can just flick off with a blade to remove, this one is going to need a special tool, I will show it to my watch maker tomorrow as I have yet to see the movement. I also need to find a bigger crown, that little shit is irritating me on such a fine watch A couple of better images...