The historic Geneva brand Niton returns with the launch of its first contemporary timepiece, the Prima.
This release marks the revival of a distinguished name from the 1920s, returning more than a century after its founding in 1919 under the stewardship of Leopoldo Celi and Yvan Ketterer. Their stated ambition is not to produce re-editions, but to reinterpret Niton’s technical identity in a contemporary context.
Originally founded in Geneva in 1919 by Auguste Jeannet together with Alfred Bourquin and Edouard Morel, former employees of Vacheron & Constantin, Niton became known in the 1920s and 1930s for ultra-thin and form calibres, as well as for its registered jump-hour display introduced in 1928.
The manufacture supplied movements to respected maisons including Patek Philippe, Cartier, Chopard, Van Cleef & Arpels and Gübelin, while also producing signed Montres de Genève distinguished by their technical originality.
The brand’s rediscovery was born from genealogical research. While exploring his family history, Yvan Ketterer uncovered a connection to George Ketterer, a former President of Vacheron & Constantin who had once been involved with Niton. Finding the name no longer protected, Ketterer and Celi registered it, initiating a revival centered on Niton’s 1928 patent for a digital jump-hour display.
The Prima is issued in a strictly limited series of 38 watches, comprising 19 pieces in platinum and 19 in rose gold, a symbolic nod to the brand's founding year.
The rounded rectangular case measures 27 mm × 35.5 mm (42 mm lug-to-lug) with a thickness of 7.9 mm.
Fitted with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, it offers water resistance to 3 ATM (30 metres / 100 feet).
The 19 mm lug width tapers to 18 mm at the pin buckle, executed in matching platinum or rose gold and paired with a grained calf leather strap.
The architecture of the dial follows what the Maison calls a "Totem" structure: a vertical alignment featuring a digital hour aperture at 12 o’clock, a rotating central azuré disc with an applied blue metallic hand for the minutes, and a sweeping seconds hand at 6 o’clock.
This layout recalls regulator displays, separating the indications along a vertical axis.
Powering the watch is the manually wound in-house calibre NHS01, developed specifically for Prima in keeping with Niton’s tradition of form movements. Its rounded rectangular architecture follows the shape of the case, establishing continuity between exterior and mechanism.
The movement operates at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and incorporates a Swiss lever escapement, a variable-inertia balance and a Breguet overcoil hairspring, while providing a guaranteed power reserve of at least 72 hours.
Two additional mechanisms complement the time display. An hour-striking system produces a discreet sound at each hour change through a hammer striking a hand-soldered copper gong integrated into the inner case flank.
A stop-to-zero function halts the seconds hand at the end of its rotation when the crown is pulled, allowing precise synchronisation.
Traditional Genevan finishing includes a black-polished blade ratchet click, and the engraved main plate outlines the key characteristics of the calibre.
The movement complies with the requirements of both the Geneva Seal and ISO 3159 chronometer certification. All components are designed, manufactured, assembled and adjusted in the Canton of Geneva in accordance with the Seal’s criteria, while chronometric performance is validated under the ISO 3159 standard.
The Niton Prima is priced at CHF 44,750 excluding VAT in rose gold and CHF 47,750 excluding VAT in platinum. niton.swiss
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