Worn & Wound
Hands-On: The Nivada Grenchen F77 Lapis Lazuli
Nivada Grenchen’s F77 was a big hit when it was released last year. With an integrated bracelet, 37mm case, and exposed-screw bezel, the F77 captured all the fun of 1970s sports watches. Even better, this was no mere homage: the watch has actual heritage street cred as a reissue of a model produced by Nivada Grenchen in 1977. Now, Nivada Grenchen has leaned even further into that 70s funk, with four new dials for the F77. I got to go hands-on with arguably the funkiest of the bunch: the F77 Lapis Lazuli. The F77 LL keeps all the specs that made the original a hit, but with a new dial crafted entirely from–as you may have guessed from the name–lapis lazuli. The other three dials in the new F77 releases are beautiful, with one dial featuring an anthracite basket-weave pattern, another made of aventurine, and one limited-edition model in meteorite. But despite the attractiveness of the other models, the F77 Lapis Lazuli is the clear standout. The blue of the lapis is vibrant and eye-catching, while the speckled pattern evokes a starry night’s sky. And because it is made of stone, each lapis lazuli dial will be unique. Despite being something of a novelty in today’s market, the lapis lazuli dial is true to the 1970s vibe Nivada Grenchen is trying to capture in the watch. Stone dials had their moment back in that era, and lapis dials are particularly collectable. (Just look up the lapis Rolex Datejust that now sells for tens of thousands of dollars.) Fashion is ...
