Way back in 1955, the American Navy took a trip to the Antarctic (presumably to get a head start on the cold plunge trend) and the watch they chose to rely on in the South Pole was the original Nivada Grenchen Antarctic.
The latest iteration of this unlikely tool watch is a faithful recreation of the vintage piece, with the same case dimensions (except it’s slightly thinner) and anti-shock/anti-magnetic features. In short, it’s an absolute workhorse in disguise. Powered by the Landeron L21 hand-wound movement and empowered by a solid steel case and simple, legible dial, there’s very little room for failure here. The Antarctic is the kind of watch that makes you wonder why other tool watches need to be so bulky and over-engineered - keeping it simple seems to be working pretty well for the small American firm.
This account is verified. WatchCrunch has confirmed that this account is the authentic presence for this person or brand.
What makes it a tool watch
Nivada Grenchen isn't an American firm, it's Swiss
What makes it a tool watch
The very first Nivada Antarctic was made for the US Antarctic expedition, Operation Deep Freeze.