
Today's watch is considered to be more desirable than your conventional Chronomaster for its combination of external and internal characteristics.

So much so that a group of collectors recently wrote a whole book about the watch called Chronomaster Only. The Chronomaster was produced in a huge variety of case, dial, and movement executions throughout its production years. As a result of the twosome's partnership, many Nivada watches sold in the United States were branded Croton (or Croton Nivada Grenchen).Īlongside the Antarctic, the Chronomaster chronograph is the best known (and most sought after) watch to come from the Croton (and Nivada) stable. You might recognize Croton from the company's long standing relationship with the Swiss brand Nivada Grenchen. The brand's main function in the watch world was as a distributor to the good ole, US of A. Growth necessitated a larger office, driving the company to a suburb of the city, Croton-on-Hudson, in 1963, which ultimately gave the company its name. The Full StoryĬroton Watch Company dates back to 1878 when a man named Jacob Horton founded the company in New York City. It comes on a dark green alligator strap.Why This Watch Matters A crisp, classically styled example of Croton's all-in-one chronograph, the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver. The case looks great, with a slightly bent lug, but overall very few usage marks and no scratch. The very rare brown bezel is looking great. This chronograph is going hotter and hotter, especially since the publication of the excellent book “Chronomaster Only” by Grégoire Rossier and Anthony Marquié.įeaturing a beautiful and particularly well designed black dial with dashes of red, broad arrow hands, black bezel, round pushers, this is a very desirable and typical 60s chronograph.

Indeed, it is the only watch to be, at the same time, a chronograph, a diver, a GMT, a pilot’s watch and a regatta watch.

Some speak of it as the quintessence of the 60’s Swiss chronograph.
