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This Ultra-Rare Vintage Explorer’s Watch Just Got the Faithful Upgrade It Deserves

Hodinkee inspired Nivada to revive the Antarctic GMT, then helped design a modern version.

Close-up of a wristwatch with a black dial featuring silver square hour markers, a date window displaying "28," and the text "AUTOMATIC GMT" and "SWISS MADE." The watch has a brushed stainless steel case, two crowns on the right side, and a textured gray fabric strap.Hodinkee
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By Brad Lanphear

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Nivada Grenchen’s Antarctic series is well known among enthusiasts as one of the most influential and storied explorer’s watches ever made.

But the Antarctic GMT was so obscure before its 2024 revival that only one example is known to have hit the vintage market.

A close-up of a wristwatch with a black dial and silver hour markers. The watch has two crowns on the right side and a date window at the 2 o'clock position. The outer ring displays 24-hour markings in black and white. The watch strap is a textured gray fabric. The dial features the text "Nivada Grenchen," "AUTOMATIC," "GMT," and "SWISS MADE." The watch is resting on a surface of clear, textured ice.
The Antarctic GMT was virtually unknown before Hodinkee sold an example that led to its revival.
Hodinkee

Hodinkee sold that singular vintage example and inadvertently inspired Nivada’s owner, Guillaume Laidet, to resurrect the short-lived dual timezone variation.

Nearly a year after the Antarctic GMT relaunched, Hodinkee and Nivada are once again crossing paths, but this time in a far more deliberate way. The renowned watch publisher helped design an upgrade that looks more modern while staying true to the original spirit.

Stainless steel wristwatch with a black dial and silver hour markers, featuring a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The watch has two crowns and a rotating inner bezel with 24-hour markings. It is worn on a textured gray fabric strap. The watch face displays the brand name "Monta de Grenchon" and the words "Automatic GMT.
The Antarctic GMT has a 36mm steel case.
Hodinkee

Nivada’s 2024 Antarctic GMT revival is nearly identical to the reference sold by Hodinkee. It has a 36mm elliptical steel case, applied indices, a framed date window at three o’clock and the Nivada shield logo at twelve o’clock.

The distinguishing features of this deep-cut design are the roulette-inspired inner rotating 24-hour bezel, controlled by a second crown at two o’clock, and the checkered, cigarette-style GMT hand.

Stainless steel wristwatch with a black dial featuring rectangular hour markers and white hands, including a checkered GMT hand. The watch has a date window at the 3 o'clock position and a 24-hour scale around the outer edge of the dial. It is paired with a grey fabric NATO strap and has two crowns on the right side of the case. The brand name "Nivada Grenchen" is visible on the dial.
The Explorer GMT is distinguished by its roulette-inspired inner rotating 24-hour bezel and checkered GMT hand.
Hodinkee

On Hodinkee’s redesign, both standout features are bleached of their color, creating a sleek black, white and gray scheme. Not only does this make the watch easy to wear with anything, but it also sets up a stark dichotomy when viewed in low light.

Glowing like the Northern Lights

Nivada re-branded its tough-as-nails three-hand watch as the Antarctic in 1955 after it successfully withstood a U.S. Navy research expedition to the world’s southernmost continent.

A wristwatch with a glowing green dial and numerals, featuring a black strap. The watch face displays the date "28" and has two crowns on the left side. The brand name "Norda Gerlach" and the words "AUTOMATIC GMT" are visible on the dial. The watch hands and hour markers are also illuminated.
Every white detail on the Explorer GMT LE dial is coated in green-glowing Super-LumiNova.
Hodinkee

In keeping with the polar theme, Hodinkee’s limited-edition Antarctic GMT is monochromatic in the daylight, but illuminates beautifully at night.

Every white detail on the dial — the indices, the hands, the GMT bezel, the logo and even the frame around the date window — is coated with green-glowing Super-LumiNova, lighting up like the Aurora Borealis.

Silver wristwatch with a black dial and beige leather strap, featuring rectangular hour markers, a date window at 3 o'clock, and a yellow 24-hour GMT scale around the edge. The watch has two crowns and a red GMT hand.
The 1960s Nivada Antarctic GMT that was previously sold by Hodinkee.
Hodinkee

Two more subtle dial changes are the brand logo switching to the full name under the shield, and the script Antarctic logo changing to read “Automatic.”

Fit for the field

One of the coolest features of the original Antarctic GMT is that it used a genuine super compressor case provided by EPSA. The reproduction mimics the look with dual crowns and an inner rotating bezel, but it is not a genuine super compressor.

a Nivada Antarctic watch caseback.
The Antarctic collection penguin icon on the caseback is steel, like the original, not gold, like the reissue.
Hodinkee

Hodinkee wanted to enhance the reproduction’s water resistance, which stood at a meager 50m, to be more in line with the original. Engineering a super compressor case is very costly today, and is unnecessary with the advancement in gasket technology. The new watch’s water resistance stands at 100m.

The crystal has also been swapped out from the original’s acrylic to a scratch-resistant sapphire. But like the original, the new crystal is massively domed, giving off vintage vibes as well as a nice, clear view of that ultracool dial.

A wristwatch with a black dial and silver case is worn on a person's wrist. The watch has a gray fabric strap and features a date window at the 6 o'clock position. The person is wearing a cream-colored knitted sweater. The watch face includes a 24-hour scale on the inner bezel and has two crowns on the right side of the case.
The Antarctic GMT LE comes on a gray nylon NATO strap, and an additional gray leather strap is provided.
Hodinkee

Completing the color scheme is a gray nylon NATO strap with steel hardware. An additional gray leather pin-buckle strap is provided with the watch.

Since its revival in 2020, Nivada has built a substantial following by faithfully reproducing designs from the brand’s rich archive. But this Hodinkee collaboration proves that elaboration on those fan-favorite designs can be just as successful.

Availability and price

The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT LE for Hodinkee runs on a respectable, Swiss-made Soprod Caliber C125 automatic movement with a caller GMT complication and a 42-hour power reserve.

It is available now exclusively through Watches of Switzerland, Hodinkee’s parent company, for $1,740. The watch notably marks Hodinkee’s return to creating collaborative watches with brands, something it had not done since before it was purchased by WoS last year.

This is a limited edition run of 225 pieces.

Nivada Grenchen automatic GMT wristwatch with a black dial, luminous square and rectangular hour markers, and a date window at 3 o'clock. The watch features a 24-hour rotating bezel with black and white sections, two crowns on the right side, and a gray fabric strap. The hour, minute, second, and GMT hands are visible, with the GMT hand having a checkered pattern. The case has a brushed stainless steel finish.Hodinkee

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT LE for Hodinkee

Specs

Case Size 36mm
Movement Soprod caliber C125 automatic
Water Resistance 100m
About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

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