People often look back on their past and revive good memories. Whether it's photos, music that evokes memories, or artifacts from that perfect summer vacation, everyone has these rituals. The watch industry is no different. As the vintage watch market booms and previously unnoticed models gain popularity, many brands are revisiting their greatest hits and deciding to revive them. If done right, the result can be very rewarding. With that in mind, here are the 5 best reissued watches released this year that won’t break the bank.
NIVADA GRENCHEN ANTARCTIC SPIDER
Nivada Grenchen is a historic brand founded by Otto Wüllimann, Hermann Schindler, and Jack Schneider in 1926, which fell victim to the quartz crisis in the mid-seventies. The company focused on tool watches that went beyond simple timekeeping. The name was revived in 2018 by Guillaume Laidet and Rémi Chabrat to recreate the designs of the past using modern construction and mechanics.
Visually, the new Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Spider looks exactly like the original, with some concessions in materials and mechanics. The case diameter is a modest 38 mm, with twisted lugs and a hefty case back. The most striking feature is undoubtedly the graphic dial. Eight vertically applied indexes are connected by 8 “legs,” resulting in a dial that resembles a spider. Inside is the modern Soprod P024, an alternative to the ETA 2824. The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Spider is very affordably priced at €650 on a leather strap or €850 on a beads-of-rice bracelet.
Quick Facts - diameter 38 mm x height 11.1 mm - stainless steel case - double-domed sapphire crystal with date magnifier - water resistance 200 m - “sector spider” silver-white sunray dial - vertically arranged indexes connected by black printed lines - polished hands - Super-LumiNova - Soprod P024, automatic - 40-hour power reserve - leather or tropical rubber strap, beads-of-rice bracelet - from €650 to €850 depending on strap/bracelet
For more information, please visit NivadaGrenchenOfficial.com.
AIRAIN TYPE 20
Airain is another brand that has risen from the dead only to present some of the best Type 20 pilot watches in recent years. Dutch entrepreneur and watch enthusiast Tom van Wijlick, also responsible for the revival of Lebois & Co, managed to capture the true essence of the legendary watches. The watches were made according to specifications set by the French Ministry of Defense in the 1950s and were produced as Type 20 for military purposes and Type XX for civilian use.
The reissued Airain Type 20 stays true to the proportions and design: a 39.5 mm wide steel case and a bidirectional bezel with a 12-hour scale. The bi-compax chronograph indicator is classic for Type 20/XX watches. The power source is the La Joux-Perret Calibre AM1, a hand-wound chronograph movement with a column wheel and flyback function. And at a price of €2,450 or €2,600 depending on the dial, it’s not overly expensive. Overall, it’s a true win!
Quick Facts - diameter 39.5 mm x height 10.85 mm - stainless steel case - water resistance 50 m - domed hesalite glass - bidirectional bezel with 12-hour scale - La Joux-Perret Calibre AM1 - hand-wound chronograph with column wheel, flyback function - 60-hour power reserve - hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with 30-minute counter - €2,450 (black dial) or €2,600 (limited edition with brown dial)
For more information, please visit Airain.com
YEMA SUPERMAN SKIN DIVER LIMITED EDITION
The third newcomer is the Superman Skin Diver Limited Edition, presented by the esteemed French brand Yema. In recent years, Yema has released several reissues, and now it’s time for one of the most accurate recreations to date - the Superman Skin Diver Limited Edition. It features all the distinctive traits of the original created in the early sixties.
The Yema Superman Skin Diver Limited Edition is available in a stainless steel case with a width of 39 mm or 41 mm. The unidirectional bezel with a 60-minute scale features the signature bezel lock for which the Superman is known. The glossy black dial has pronounced vintage-style hour markers with beige Super-LumiNova and polished steel hands. Inside is the automatic Sellita SW 200-1 movement, resulting in a price of €1,249 for the Yema Superman Skin Diver L.E. The watch comes on a multi-link bracelet resembling scales and is limited to 1,000 pieces.
Quick Facts - diameter 39 mm or 41 mm - stainless steel case, matte - unidirectional bezel with lock - water resistance 300 m - black glossy dial with vintage-style hour markers - polished steel hands - Sellita SW 200-1 - automatic winding - 38-hour power reserve - multi-link “scale” stainless steel bracelet with diver’s extension - limited edition 1,000 pieces (for both sizes) - €1,249
For more information, please visit Yema.com
SEIKO PROSPEX 1959 ALPINIST SJE085
If there is a brand with truly impressive and extensive archives of historical references, it is undoubtedly Seiko. Of course, 140 years in business helps with this, but Seiko has always pushed technological and mechanical development and as a result, is one of the largest watch manufacturers in the world.
In a celebratory year for Seiko, the brand has introduced an impressive number of new watches, including one of the most accurate reconstructions we have seen so far. The Seiko Prospex 1959 Alpinist SJE085 is modeled after the 1959 Seiko Laurel exploration watch, designed for use by Japanese mountaineers. The entire look of the watch is very similar to the original, right down to the unusual leather strap with a protective cuff. The 36.6 mm watch is slightly larger than the 35 mm Seiko Laurel of 1959 and is equipped with the automatic 6L35 movement. The watch is released in a quantity of 1,959 pieces and is priced at €3,000.
Quick Facts - diameter 36.6 mm x height 11.1 mm - stainless steel case - sapphire crystal - water resistance 100 m - black glossy dial with applied segmented markers - Dauphine-style hands - 6L35 movement, automatic winding - 45-hour power reserve - brown calf leather strap with gray cuff under the case (removable) - limited release 1,959 pieces - €3,000
For more information, please visit SeikoWatches.com
LONGINES SILVER ARROW
In recent years, Longines has sought to pay homage to its extensive history by creating often very attractive vintage-style watches. Models like the Tuxedo Small Seconds, Military Marine Nationale, or Heritage Classic Sector Dial reflect the essence of the 1930s and 1940s.
The modern Longines Silver Arrow has moved forward a decade as it is modeled after the 1956 Longines Silver Arrow. Longines has previously used it as a source of inspiration, but this time paid even more attention to detail. The most characteristic design element of the original Silver Arrow was the indexes, which are beautifully conveyed in the 2021 model. They are set on an opaline silver domed dial housed in a 38.5 mm wide stainless steel case. The watch is equipped with the modern caliber LL888.5, based on the ETA 2892, with a 72-hour power reserve. The Longines Silver Arrow is priced at €1,950.
Quick Facts - diameter 38.5 mm x height 10 mm - stainless steel case - box sapphire crystal - closed case back with historically accurate engraving - domed opaline silver dial - striped and polished applied indexes - sword-shaped hands - caliber L888.5, base ETA 2892 - 72-hour power reserve - €1,950
For more information, please visit Longines.com