Based on Nivada’s classic 38mm (39mm at the bezel) x 46.5mm x 14mm Chronomaster case, the Worn & Wound Valjoux 72 limited edition features a black cherry aluminum bezel and a “racing-dial” layout from Nivada’s archives. The primary dial surface is rendered in deep fog gray with a strong blue undertone, and a racing-style chrono-seconds index is printed in undulating khaki lines on a black outer ring with dark red breaks at 5-second marks. Black sub-dials with khaki indexes break up the surface, and large applied lume plots mark the hours, day or night. The timing hands are painted deep cherry red, while the chronograph hands are in bright, cyan blue.

Through the open case back the restored Valjoux 72 movement is on full display. A column wheel chronograph with a frequency of 18,000 bph, 17-jewels, and 48-hour power reserve, the Valjoux 72 features a lateral clutch, and a balanced three-register design featuring running seconds, elapsed minutes, and hours, as well as an asymmetric pusher layout (the start/stop pusher is closer to the crown than the reset).
An incredibly complex array of gears, plates, levers, screws, springs, and jewels, in its day, it was rarely seen by anyone except for watchmakers as display backs did not exist. For the purists, however, an additional solid case-back is included.

Limited to 20 pieces, the Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 includes a steel “beads of rice” bracelet, a German-made rally strap in Horween Color 8 shell cordovan, and a numbered letterpress print of the Valjoux 72 movement by Springs Gears.