Community Stories

Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver

SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
Landed today.

First impressions:

Upsides: Feel, size, look are all very impressive. Bought it on their leather strap but also ordered their rubber tropical strap as well... both are nice but I've already switched it over to the tropical as it just feels better.
Packaging/Presentation is nice - creative, minimal, economical, I like it.
Shipping was as slow as my mother-in-law in a sprint at Walmart on a Black Friday but in all fairness the States got clobbered with that polar blast cyclone vortex thingy.
Our local FedEx knuckle-dragger driver is apparently down a chromosome these days as he left the package not only outside our vestibule but in the damn driveway near the public sidewalk.

Downsides: The SuperLumaNova ain't feeling very super... I blasted it with a UV light for about 45 seconds and it didn't last long at all.

**(read below for updated edit on this)**
Far more concerning though... fully wound (yes, got the mechanical version) then seconds hacked to Zero, then set to an atomic clock, the seconds sub dial is spot on while the minute's hand is always & consistently halfway between the minute's indices on the dial when the second's hand hits zero. Said differently, seconds are accurate but the minute hand is consistently 30 seconds behind.
I guess I could hack it either with the seconds at 30 on the sub dial and the minute hand on the indice or hack the seconds at zero and have the minute's hand directly in between the minute's indices?
Disappointing either way.

This kinda shit is why I am always putting these types of watches away and putting an Omega back on the wrist.

**Did not know about back winding (or as I now like to call it, "Back Setting"). The issue is seemingly solved. Thank you OF Masters of The Universe for helping me!

Photos...

20221228_140329-01.jpeg 20221228_140409-01.jpeg 20221228_140450-01.jpeg 20221228_140515-01.jpeg 20221228_140546-01.jpeg 20221228_140634-01.jpeg 20221228_140658-01.jpeg 20221228_140831-01.jpeg 20221228_140855-01.jpeg 20221228_140914-01.jpeg 20221228_141024-01.jpeg 20221228_141030-01.jpeg 20221228_141112-01.jpeg 20221228_141221-01.jpeg 20221228_141304-01.jpeg 20221228_142145-01.jpeg 20221228_142154-01.jpeg 20221228_142203-01.jpeg 20221228_142210-01.jpeg 20221228_142218-01.jpeg 20221228_142226-01.jpeg 20221228_142305-01.jpeg 20221228_142314-01.jpeg
Edited:
 
janice&fred
Posts
4,593
Likes
10,789
Nice watch, and yes, simply hack the thing and set the minute hand where you want. Watch lesson 101 馃榿
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
janice&fred janice&fred
Nice watch, and yes, simply hack the thing and set the minute hand where you want. Watch lesson 101 馃榿

Definitely not opposed to that but on a brand spankin' new watch it kind of makes my brain feel angry.
 
janice&fred
Posts
4,593
Likes
10,789
SC1 SC1
Definitely not opposed to that but on a brand spankin' new watch it kind of makes my brain feel angry.

Well just think, when you start and stop, reset the chronograph function a few times you will be screwed again with misalignment of yet another second hand. 馃榿
 
__ryan__
Posts
417
Likes
2,107
Congrats. That's a handsome watch.

Edit to add:
Is the alignment issue with the central seconds/minutes, or the sub-dials?
Edited:
 
JwRosenthal
Posts
16,245
Likes
44,711
Lovely watch. Not understanding the hacking issue unless as Ryan said you hack and then when it passes the 60 mark the next minute the minute hand isn鈥檛 aligned.
If that bothers you too much, I have a lovely digital Casio that keeps perfect time and will trade that one for your wonky Nivada.
 
JwRosenthal
Posts
16,245
Likes
44,711
And I also noticed your bezel is misaligned

B4D73549-6873-4156-AF3B-65DA486DC141.jpeg


That watch is trash. I鈥檒l up it from my Casio to a Swiss Army quartz watch to ease your pain.
 
janice&fred
Posts
4,593
Likes
10,789
I remember a vintage version in presentable shape that was on Craigslist in NJ a year or two ago for less than $300. Like a strunz I hesitated since I was traveling. That mistake happens very rarely for me and certainly won't happen again for a few years.
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Lovely watch. Not understanding the hacking issue unless as Ryan said you hack and then when it passes the 60 mark the next minute the minute hand isn鈥檛 aligned.
If that bothers you too much, I have a lovely digital Casio that keeps perfect time and will trade that one for your wonky Nivada.

Smartie.

Yes, I hack the seconds to 12 or 0 and then set the time to whatever and specifically have the minute's hand on the indice for the upcoming time/minute, atomic on my phone hits zero and I push in the crown... the second's sub dial is perfectly in sync with the atomic but when it comes around to 12 or 0 the minute's hand is in between indices on the dial and not where it should - or one would expect it to - be, on the next minute indice. Always 30 seconds behind the second's sub dial hand.
I get that this wouldn't be a thing on an older piece but this is brand new... and to further add to my brain's OCD, no other watch I own does this besides my Serica 5303 (among its host of other issues) -- and my two Omega chronos definitely don't.

Beyond my mental issues, serious question (two actually)...

1. Why wouldn't this bug you on a new watch?

2. Is it an alignment issue with how the hands were put on or is it a movement issue?

Maybe @Archer could offer an opinion?
 
Dan S
Posts
20,237
Likes
46,923
This is normal behavior for any mechanical watch and has been discussed before. It involves backlash in the gear train. There is often a delay before the minute hands starts moving, as the gears take up the slack. I think you can reduce it depending on which direction you approach from.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/sho...-exactly-on-an-indice-when-second-hand.24255/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/syn...017-speedmaster-professional-moonwatch.93309/
etc.
Edited:
 
BlackTalon
Posts
5,363
Likes
9,142
SC1 SC1
1. Why wouldn't this bug you on a new watch?
Because I don't set my watches by the atomic clock?

Did I win?

馃槈
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
Dan S Dan S
This is normal behavior for any mechanical watch and has been discussed before. It involves backlash in the gear train. There is often a delay before the minute hands starts moving, as the gears take up the slack. I think you can reduce it depending on which direction you approach from.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/sho...-exactly-on-an-indice-when-second-hand.24255/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/syn...017-speedmaster-professional-moonwatch.93309/
etc.

Very interesting, thank you!
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
Dan S Dan S
This is normal behavior for any mechanical watch and has been discussed before. It involves backlash in the gear train. There is often a delay before the minute hands starts moving, as the gears take up the slack. I think you can reduce it depending on which direction you approach from.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/sho...-exactly-on-an-indice-when-second-hand.24255/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/syn...017-speedmaster-professional-moonwatch.93309/
etc.

This has worked perfectly and solved my issue... wish I could say what I did right but it's working.

Man I must be old because I am not sure what made sense and clicked in my brain but everything is now synchronized.
I think I noted that my minute's hand was precisely on the dial's minute indice when the second's hand (in the sub dial) was at 15 seconds. So I hacked it there, set the minute's hand to the next upcoming minute and then with my phone's atomic clock released the crown back in when the atomic was at the new time plus 15 seconds past it.
Jesus does that make sense? Is that what I did? If that's what I did why did it work? Feel like I am mind f蠀cking myself now.

I am clearly out of my domain now.

I need to sell everything and just buy a G-Shock.
 
Aroxx
Posts
2,721
Likes
11,989
I feel your pain. I also like my minute hand to precisely align with the indices when the seconds hits zero. I can survive if it鈥檚 off by a second or two otherwise I have to reset it. I鈥檝e never had a watch with this problem so definitely sounds annoying on a brand new watch. I do have one that can be tricky to push the crown back in without inadvertently moving the minute hand and messing it up. I鈥檇 hack it at 30 seconds or wherever it needs to be to get it lined up.
 
Dan S
Posts
20,237
Likes
46,923
SC1 SC1
This has worked perfectly and solved my issue... wish I could say what I did right but it's working.

Man I must be old because I am not sure what made sense and clicked in my brain but everything is now synchronized.
I think I noted that my minute's hand was precisely on the dial's minute indice when the second's hand (in the sub dial) was at 15 seconds. So I hacked it there, set the minute's hand to the next upcoming minute and then with my phone's atomic clock released the crown back in when the atomic was at the new time plus 15 seconds past it.
Jesus does that make sense? Is that what I did? If that's what I did why did it work? Feel like I am mind f蠀cking myself now.

I am clearly out of my domain now.

I need to sell everything and just buy a G-Shock.

I'm happy that you are happy, and however you did it, I hope you can reproduce your method. 馃憤
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
Dan S Dan S
I'm happy that you are happy, and however you did it, I hope you can reproduce your method. 馃憤

Figured it out (because I am dumb and like rust, I never stop until nothing remains ~ in my case, brain cells)!
I accidentally back wound it when setting the minute's hand... and now everything lines up pretty damn close to perfect if not perfectly.

Okay, now I love this little Swiss SOB. Do wish the lume was a touch more robust but that's about all I have in the Bitch List.

Thank you folks again... never knew about back winding before this.

Of course I do have another question... if this is a known thing that happens with mechanical movements how come my Speedmaster Professional does not have this issue? Is it an occasional thing, a specific movement or a specific type of mechanical movement, anyone know?
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
__ryan__ __ryan__
Congrats. That's a handsome watch.

Edit to add:
Is the alignment issue with the central seconds/minutes, or the sub-dials?


Hopefully it is all now a was issue but to answer your question:

central minutes and sub dial seconds.
 
Dan S
Posts
20,237
Likes
46,923
I've also noticed a lot of variability, but backlash is always present to some extent in a mechanical gear train, some slack is necessary. If you tighten things too much, it will bind. Perhaps sometimes the play is just so minuscule that it's really not noticeable. It makes sense that higher quality movements might have parts with higher tolerances, that could be assembled more precisely, but I don't really know if that's the case. And I would also expect that play would increase over time as parts wear. Maybe some of the forum watchmakers have a better sense of this issue.
 
SC1
Posts
1,910
Likes
5,697
Dan S Dan S
I've also noticed a lot of variability, but backlash is always present to some extent in a mechanical gear train, some slack is necessary. If you tighten things too much, it will bind. Perhaps sometimes the play is just so minuscule that it's really not noticeable. It makes sense that higher quality movements might have parts with higher tolerances, that could be assembled more precisely, but I don't really know if that's the case. And I would also expect that play would increase over time as parts wear. Maybe some of the forum watchmakers have a better sense of this issue.

That makes sense to me... would love to hear what watchmakers say.
 
BlackTalon
Posts
5,363
Likes
9,142
My Chronomaster and Tintin are the two best watch purchases I have made. The two currently account for ~95% of my watch wearing. And a modern NV Antarctic Spider is gunning for that last 5%. I have not worn the Sinn UX or PO in ages; they were my foul weather watches until the Chronomaster came to town.
 
17 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

SC1

Nivada Grenchen - Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver

SC1 Other Watch Brands Forum
SC1
SC1
Posts
48
Views
9K
Scarecrow Boat

1961 Croton Nivada Grenchen "Chronograph" Aviator Sea Diver

Scarecrow Boat Private Watch Sales
Scarecrow Boat
Scarecrow Boat
Posts
2
Views
4K
CBM1590

Austin Premier (Nivada Gretchen) Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver

CBM1590 Wanted To Buy
CBM1590
CBM1590
Posts
0
Views
2K
smitty190373

Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster with T 25 mc dial. Serviced with warranty.

smitty190373 Watches For Sale
smitty190373
smitty190373
Posts
1
Views
3K
Skipper_S

Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver (Paul Newman dial)

Skipper_S Private Watch Sales
Skipper_S
Skipper_S
Posts
3
Views
6K
JimJupiter

Nivada Grenchen Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Valjoux 23

JimJupiter Private Watch Sales
JimJupiter
JimJupiter
Posts
3
Views
5K