Complete Guide to Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Collection
The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic is a Swiss watch introduced in 1954/55 and worn during Operation Deep Freeze I, the 1955–56 U.S. Navy expedition to Antarctica. Today the family includes the Antarctic in 35 and 38 mm, the Super Antarctic, the Antarctic Spider, the Antarctic Glacier, the Antarctic GMT, the Antarctic Erotic and the Antarctic Diver. This guide explains the history, the differences between the models and how to choose.
In short
- History: the Antarctic grew out of the 1950s Aquamatic and went to Antarctica with Operation Deep Freeze I.
- 35 mm: hand-wound Swiss Landeron 21, 10.1 mm thick, 5 ATM.
- 38 mm: Swiss Soprod P024 automatic, 38-hour power reserve, 10 ATM, screw-down crown.
In this guide
From Aquamatic to Antarctic
In the early 1950s, the Aquamatic (waterproof and automatic) was Nivada's most robust model. It became the base for the Antarctic series, introduced in 1954/55. In 1955 and 1956, Operation Deep Freeze I set out to build the first permanent base in Antarctica, under the direction of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, and the Antarctic went with the U.S. Navy team.
Nivada advertised it at the time as a special model for the U.S. Navy Antarctic expedition: automatic, waterproof, shock-resistant, antimagnetic and luminous. The penguin emblem engraved on Antarctic casebacks was registered by Nivada Grenchen in 1965. The full story is told in the book Nivada Grenchen Antarctic: The History of a Legend by Aashdin K. Billimoria.
35 mm or 38 mm?
The Antarctic family
Antarctic
- Sizes
- 35 and 38 mm
- Dial
- Art Deco arrowhead indexes
- Movement
- Landeron 21 or Soprod P024
Super Antarctic
- Sizes
- 35 and 38 mm
- Dial
- Plain or 3.6.9 numerals, many colours
- Movement
- Landeron 21 or Soprod P024
Antarctic Spider
- Sizes
- 35 and 38 mm
- Dial
- Spider-web sector design
- Colours
- Silver, black, salmon
Antarctic Glacier
- Sizes
- 35 and 38 mm
- Dial
- Silver tuxedo with anthracite ring
- 38 mm
- Soprod P024 with date
Antarctic GMT
- Size
- 36 mm, 11.1 mm thick
- Function
- Second time zone, 24-hour bezel
- Movement
- Soprod C125, 42 hours
Antarctic Erotic
- Size
- 38 mm, 12.45 mm thick
- Movement
- Modified Soprod P054, hand-wound
- Signature
- Animated penguin on the caseback
Super Antarctic
The Super Antarctic continues a vintage Super Antarctic. The project started on Instagram: a follower shared his vintage watch, and the response was strong enough for Nivada Grenchen to make it again. The 3.6.9 versions add Arabic numerals at 3, 6 and 9, and the Tropical adds an aged brown dial with patina-style lume.
Antarctic Spider
The Antarctic Spider continues a rare 1970s model. Eight applied indexes are linked by lines that meet at the centre, drawing a spider-web sector dial. The 38 mm version has a sunray-brushed silver-white dial with cream Super-LumiNova, the Soprod P024 and 10 ATM water resistance, in a case only 11.1 mm thick. The 35 mm versions add a date at 3 o'clock.
Antarctic Glacier
The Antarctic Glacier started with a discovery: at Cenic Watches in Grenchen, Nivada Grenchen found 18 original Antarctic Glacier dials and vintage ETA movements, which became the Antarctic Glacier Vintage. The 38 mm model carries that vintage silver tuxedo dial forward with the Soprod P024 and a date, and its caseback is embossed with the U.S. base in Antarctica.
For water, the Antarctic Diver is the 38 mm dive watch of the family, water resistant to 200 m. See our Dive Watch Essentials 2026.
The movements
Which Antarctic should you choose?
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