CROTON (NIVADA) Vintage Chronograph cal. Valjoux 7733 / Blue Dial Cushion Case

The Croton Watch Company.

A historic watch maker founded in New York in 1878 by Jacob Horton.

In the early 1900s it moved its base from the United States, where it was founded, to Switzerland, and acquired the distinguished house Nivada.

A great many Nivada-made watches under the Croton name were then exported for the American market.

Their designs vary widely, and this example wears a rugged aesthetic.

A machined cushion case and a blue dial weave a character of their own.

A design that removed unnecessary ornament in pursuit of functional beauty.

This combination is by no means common, and it carries a special value.

That it was a dependable partner for the professionals of its day can be read in its marks of use.

Not merely an instrument for showing the time but a watch that supported its owner's decisions and stayed with them day by day.

Evidence of a life lived in a former owner's hand, speaking for time gone by.

The movement is the Cal. Valjoux 7733.

Produced from 1966 to 1973 as the successor to the Valjoux 7730, it is a movement that changed the history of the chronograph.

Born as an alternative to the once-expensive column-wheel chronograph, it became the turning point at which the chronograph came within reach of a great many enthusiasts.

Watches of this period carry the celebrated calibres produced by Valjoux, Venus, Landeron and others, and their exquisite size gives them real value as collector's items.

To book a visit to the WatchTender Ginza store, please see watchtenderginza.com.