Best Chronograph Watches
The Best Chronograph Watches on the Market Right Now
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Not every man can pull off a chronograph. Heck, it’s the kind of watch that makes you look serious about watches, unless of course the pushers and subdials don’t work at all and are just for silly show. Any serious chronograph has a complex automatic movement (complication), and they were originally designed to function as a stopwatch with a sweep second hand powered by additional gears within that movement. Sure, you can go out there and find a cheap number that looks the part, but there are also affordable versions that are the real deal, as well as watches that cost tens of thousands.
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See a man with a functional (rather than purely decorative) chronograph watch on his wrist, and it communicates a spirit of precision that dates back to the early nineteenth century as an instrument of time measurement beyond just 24 hours. Chronographs were heavily used in aeronautical, automotive and nautical endeavors but now tend to be worn for more stylistic reasons, which we can’t even remotely disagree with since they impart a unique look with their subdials and pushers.
High-end chronographs like the Vacheron Constantin Harmony Monopusher and the Patek Philippe cost over $50K and are out of reach for most average humans, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your mitts on a fantastic chronograph watch that both looks great on the wrist and doesn’t put your wallet in a full Nelson.
Whatever the size of your bank account, there’s a chronograph out there for you, just begging you to play with its pushers. Tempted yet? Here are some of the best this year that will stand the test of time, as well as tell it with remarkable precision.
Best Chronograph Watches Under $200
Timex Standard Chronograph
Whoever chalked the “takes a licking and keeps on ticking” brand as cheap and unattractive hasn’t looked at their timeless weekender series. This version adds chronograph functionality, a blue dial and a superb brown leather strap. The 41mm case is also perfectly sized for anyone shy of an NFL linebacker. Classic.
MVMT Silver-Brown Chronograph
MVMT has pretty much nailed affordable minimalism, and it’s well-translated to a chronograph. Rather than for precision measurement, these working subdials are nevertheless more for style points with the only the simplest of black hands within. The 45mm stainless steel case is capped off by a mineral crystal face and houses an accurate quartz movement. The modernist style is the best kind of Spartan.
Kenneth Cole Stainless Steel Bracelet Dress Watch
Light and airy is what we think of when we eye this chronograph thanks to the white dial and polish metal on the face and bezel. The simple art deco-style 12 and 6 o’clock numerals keep the face clean and elegant, while the silver bracelet band makes this wearable with just about anything.
Seiko SNN241 Chronograph
Seiko’s one of the watch brands that churns out reliable, long-lasting wristwatches. Smaller in size than the Michael Kors Gage at 42.6mm in diameter, the Seiko is nonetheless a handsome sporty chronograph with two subdials and a 6 o’clock date window. The recessed inner dial provides depth against the marked outer bezel ring, and the 100 meter depth rating means this chrono’s ready for more than show.
Invicta Specialty Chronograph
This is how you get your hands on a robust chronograph that echoes the Breitling Superocean at a fraction of the cost from a brand that’s known for value. Its bold 45mm case has massive presence, while the triple silver-ringed subdials show 60-second, 30 minute and day of the week. We love the enlarged numerals and the polished links on the solid bracelet. We might just love the price even more.
Fossil Sport 54 Chronograph
The Sport 54 could easily pass as a poor man’s Omega Speedmaster with its racing leanings and subdials that track minutes, hours and seconds. It’s one of the best affordable sports chronograph watches we’ve seen. The outer bezel ring has a tachymeter in case you want to perform your own speed and distance calculations. The brown padded leather strap with contrast stitching mates perfectly with the 54’s deep blue face.
Citizen Field Chronograph
Daylight is this military-style field watch’s best friend since it runs on solar power. It’s a wholly casual timepiece with its green canvas band, but has the ability to track up to 60 minute timing via its small-seconds subdial. The fact that it’ll never need a battery makes it that much more valued at its low price tag.
$176.00 at Amazon.com
Best Chronograph Watches Under $500
Citizen Field Chronograph
Daylight is this military-style field watch’s best friend since it runs on solar power. It’s a wholly casual timepiece with its green canvas band, but has the ability to track up to 60 minute timing via its small-seconds subdial. The fact that it’ll never need a battery makes it that much more valued at its low price tag.
Michael Kors Gage Chronograph
Michael Kors might not be a pilot, but he makes a damned fine pilot-style Chrono with that black and gold flight gauge (hence the ‘Gage’ play on words) aesthetic and the 45mm size to match. Triple hour, minute, and second subdials work via the pushers that flank a nice knurled crown for easy gripping. The contrasting brown leather strap balances the look nicely, and the mineral crystal face provides excellent protection.
Luminox 3081 Evo Chronograph
By day, you’re an unassuming desk professional, but when it comes to your night moves, you could pretty much go all clandestine with this dark, mil-spec chronograph. The Evo is built super-tough with a big 44mm case and polyurethane strap all built to take 200 meters of depth. Underneath is a Swiss quartz movement and high-visibility dial. The borosilicate gas cylinders provide self-illuminating markers that light your way on your mission. The big knurled bezel and large chrono pushers mean you won’t even have to remove your gloves.
Tissot Rose-Gold Tone Chronograph
This Chronograph looks like it should cost thousands thanks to the ultra-handsome white dial, tachymeter bezel, and gold ring subdials. The Swiss quartz Chrono movement provides measuring accuracy, and the sapphire glass crystal belies the sub-$300 cost. Finish it off with a contrast stitched black leather strap, and you have all the makings of a classic.
Victorinox Swiss Army Alliance Chronograph
When your ensemble is more than the sum of its parts, the Alliance Chrono is a willing member that blends seamlessly into whatever you wear, whether it’s casual or semi-formal. Plus, it has everything you need including lumed hands and indices, full chrono functionality with textured subdials and a sapphire glass crystal for scratch and impact resistance. It’s made in good old Switzerland, too, whence all good horological things come.
Best Chronograph Watches Over $1000
Tudor Heritage Chronograph
Tudor’s recent return to our shores is good news, indeed, especially when it’s in the form of unique timepieces like the stunning Heritage Chronograph. Inspired by vintage racing, the Heritage is rife with eye catching hues of orange, silver and blue for a chronograph that’s not shy but never overstated. It’s even dive worthy with a 500 meter depth rating, but you’d be best served taking it to the racetrack to run the stopwatch on this fully functioning and very sporty, fully automatic timepiece.
Hamilton Jazzmaster Chronograph
Inspired by jazz greats, Hamilton’s Jazzmaster line is a more cultured taste of typically sporty timepieces by the once American watchmaker. Thankfully the Swiss continue to do the Jazzmasters justice, and their chronograph is a fine example with its vertically placed white ring subdials, classy black dial and a nuanced bracelet with both brushed and polished stainless steel links. The fully automatic movement is spectacular for the asking price, as is the working chronograph pushers and dials. Too bad it won’t make you play like Miles Davis.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Chronograph
Jaeger LeCoulture takes Swiss watchmaking know-how and creates a bold watch with smaller dimensions. The thick bezel adds presence to the 40mm stainless steel case, and the black hands on the silver dial give the right amount of contrast to a nearly monochromatic face. It’s classic and manly all-in-one automatic timekeeping package, and the stunning 20mm black crocodile strap is pretty much the only strap you’ll ever want to wear with it. It’s a chronograph with presence that doesn’t have to scream to get attention.
Breitling Superocean Heritage II Chronograph
The big 44mm Superocean Chrono looks handsome from any angle, and it’s one chrono that can be worn night and day in virtually any situation and pull it off in style. The automatic chrono is water resistant to up to 200 meters and even has a rice bead style mesh bracelet that’s as comfortable to wear as it is gorgeous to look at. The simply designed markers and bezel are lumed for excellent visibility — and that’s a good thing since you’ll pretty much want to stare at it constantly.
Tag Heuer Monaco Chronograph
If it’s good enough for the venerable Steve McQueen, it’s good enough for us. The iconic Monaco watch gets modern updates like a scratch resistant sapphire glass on top of its wonderfully square 39mm case, as well as a 100-meter water resistance. The white square subdials pop on the black dial, as do the red highlights on the Monaco’s racy hands. McQueen would be proud.
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