Let’s actually use Nivada Grenchen Chrono King Mecha Quartz Interbezel

Geneva Watch Days is the second largest watch fair after Watches and Wonders. Although the brands are different with only a little overlap, there are several reasons why many journalists love this show. Unlike the highly controlled Watches and Wonders events, GWD allows you to see the brands and their watches first-hand in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. In many cases, you’ll see a product that hasn’t been released yet, or take a watch home for review, saving you the time and hassle of shipping. That’s how I got the new Nivada Chrono King MechaQuartz Interbezel.

If you feel like you’re experiencing deja vu, don’t worry. Actually, that’s not the case. Chrono King Mecha Quartz has been on the market for a while. As we reviewed back in August 2023, this new version has some ingenious upgrades.

Nivada Chrono King Mecha Quartz Interbezel

Before we get into the new features of the watch, let’s look at the basics. This Chrono King is a 38mm chronograph with a thickness of 13.4mm, and is equipped with a Seiko VK63A mechanical quartz caliber inside. The lug-to-lug length of this watch is 46.5 mm, making it comfortable and easy to wear for watch lovers with small or large wrists. The case has two pump pushers and a solid steel caseback, and the Seiko movement doesn’t have one, so there’s no complication for a date display. Like Nivada’s other Chrono King models, the case has polished and brushed surfaces. It also has 100m water resistance and a double dome sapphire crystal. So far, this watch could just be a regular Chrono King. And in most cases, it is. However, there is a twist to one of the watch’s key physical features: the bezel. Or should I say “bezel”?

Distinction and compatibility

Throughout the history of watchmaking, creating something unique and customizable for the watch owner has always been at the forefront of design. You’ve probably read that bronze watches “develop a unique patina as the case ages,” making the watch unique. The 80s and 90s were famous for decades for their interchangeable watch cases, which allowed owners to take out the movement and recase it in a different color. Think Fortis Color. Changing the strap or bracelet is the easiest way to “customize” your watch. When we think of this type of watch, vintage pieces like the Omega Dynamic and Tissot Sideral come to mind. You can also create a different look by removing the strap or bracelet and inserting the entire case onto a new strap. Finally, you may remember the gold Gucci women’s watch with its colorful interchangeable bezel from the ’80s. Now we’re heading somewhere.

1 person becomes 5 people

Replacing the bezel does not change the main profile of the watch, but replacing it can significantly change its appearance. Unfortunately, unless you have one of the newer Nivada Chronoking or Chronomaster Inter.bezel models, replacing the bezel isn’t that easy. Thanks to an ingenious technical solution, the bezel can be easily removed and replaced with another. Chrono King comes in the classic Nivada box, but with a little twist. There is a small drawer at the bottom that contains four more bezels in addition to the ones that come with the watch. Pull the bezel up to remove it, choose a new color, and push it back into the case. It’s that simple. The bezel design is the same. The only difference is the color. Therefore, the matte black textured dial can be complemented by five different shades.

Fans of Nivada may remember that when ordering a watch from the brand, you can choose the strap or bracelet you want your watch to wear. As is the case with this new Chronoking MechaQuartz, you can also choose between two sets of bezels. You can choose between a 12-hour GMT bezel or a tachymeter bezel. For tachymeter bezels, they come in blue, orange, red, gray, and black. If you prefer a watch with a GMT bezel, the colors are similar and always compliment the black outer ring. Choices are grey, pink, blue, orange, or green. My review watch came with a tachymeter bezel, but you can also order other sets separately ($130) and replace them to give your Chronoking 10 a unique look.

Chrono King and beyond

The Nivada Grenchen Chronoking Mecaquartz Inter.bezel is $579 USD with strap and is an affordable and fun watch. I particularly like the dial, with its three-dimensional orange indexes, embossed logo, and yellow Super-LumiNova. Still, we know that only some people choose mechanical quartz for their chronograph movements. For this reason, Nivada has decided to launch this new Inter.bezel model line with three watches at the same time. In addition to the ChronoKing Mechaquartz, the mechanical Chronomaster Broad Arrow and the panda dial Chronomaster Paul Newman are also part of the Inter.bezel family. The latter two start at $1,975 with straps.

I played around with the review watch and all its bezels for a few weeks and was really surprised at how much the bezel changed the look of the watch. Adding a new strap makes it like a completely new watch, creating a completely different feel on your wrist. Let me know what you think about this concept in the comments section below.

Watch specifications