Equally as relevant now as they were upon their invention over two centuries ago, the appeal and popularity of the chronograph has not attenuated since its inception. While the chronograph was initially introduced to make astronomical calculations before being adopted as a ‘doctor’s watch’, it’s its ties to motorsport (and a certain Paul Newman) that have served to cement its place in the horological cultural lexicon.
Whether it’s used to calculate lap times, measure the heartbeats of patients, or simply make the perfect hard boiled egg, a chronograph is an eminently functional complication. Sure, you could use the timer on your phone, but where’s the fun—and aesthetic appeal—in that?
Herewith, everything you need to know about chronographs; from what exactly a chronograph watch is to the best styles to buy.
The best chronograph watches in 2024
1. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
A watch that needs no introduction, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is arguably the most iconic chronograph ever made, in no part thanks to its association with Le Mans and a certain Paul Newman. The timepiece is easily distinguished by its tricompax layout and durable ceramic bezel fitted with a tachymetric scale for measuring average speeds of up to 400 miles or kilometres per hour. While the black-on-white panda reference in steel is the most popular, we’re partial to the platinum with ice blue dial. That said, any Rolex Cosmograph Daytona you can get at retail—a near impossible feat these days—is money well spent.
Price: from $24,400AUD
Model: Cosmograph Daytona
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 40mm
2. A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante
Only watchmakers among the upper echelons are able to pull off a rattrapante complication. Naturally, Glashütte manufacture A. Lange & Söhne is among them. The split-seconds functionality allows wearers to time record multiple times within a single minute. Crafted from platinum, it features a solid silver dial with a vertical bicompax layout. Elegant blued hands pop against the dial while a tachymeter scale on the periphery allows the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante to easily measure speeds.
Price: $POA
Model: 1815 Rattrapante
Movement: manually wound
Power Reserve: 58 hours
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 41.2mm
3. Zenith Chronomaster Sport
One of the most precise chronographs on the market, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport is powered by the high-frequency El Primero movement. Upon its release in 1969, the El Primero marked the first automatic high-frequency chronograph movement on the market. With a high balance frequency of 36,600 oscillations, it could record times to 1/10 of a second. The same movement appears in the Zenith Chronomaster Sport, a contemporary chronograph watch that stands out thanks to its tricolour tricompax layout and tonal ceramic bezel.
Price: $16,600AUD
Model: Chronomaster Sport
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 60 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 41mm
4. Baltic Tricompax Panda
Drawing upon the spirit of vintage racing chronographs from the 1970s, the Baltic Tricompax Panda offers an affordable take on the iconic style. Snailed subdials add textural interest to the brushed matte dial, as do sword-shaped hands. Par for course for a racing chronograph, it features a tachymeter scale on the aluminium bezel. The timepiece is available in both black-on-white and white-on-black.
Price: €1645 (approx. $2660AUD)
Model: Tricompax Panda
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 63 hours
Water Resistance: 5ATM
Case Size: 39.5mm
5. Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC201
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC201 marks the Japanese manufacture’s first foray into chronographs. That said, it doesn’t sacrifice its signature elegant aesthetic, opting for a vertically oriented tricompax dial with oversized chronograph pushers. The Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC201 utilises Grand Seiko’s spring drive technology, which combines the motive force of a mainspring with an electronic regulator to deliver the precision of a quartz watch.
Price: $12,200AUD
Model: Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC201
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 43.5mm
6. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph
It’s simplicity on the front and complications on the back with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph. A sober grey-blue sun-brushed dial flips over to reveal an openworked retrograde chronograph. Admirable for its mechanical complexity and high-end finishings in equal measure, the second dial features blue chronograph hands and bevelled bridges, alongside applied stainless steel hour markers and a floating minutes track. Notably, the manually wound JLC 860 is able to power two sets of hands that move simultaneously in opposite directions to indicate the time on both front and back watch dials.
Price: $40,200AUD
Model: Reverso Tribute Chronograph
Movement: manual winding
Power Reserve: 52 hours
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 49.4mm x 29.9mm
7. Omega Speedmaster 57
The Omega Speedmaster 57 represents a more elevated, retro take on the iconic timepiece than the oft-recommended Speedmaster Professional. Its elegant burgundy dial takes on a bicompax layout with 12-hour and 60-minute chronograph recorders on the subdial at 3 o’clock and small seconds at 9 o’clock. The brushed stainless steel bezel matches the case, creating a more cohesive look that’s equally at home under a shirt cuff as it is trackside.
Price: $15,725AUD
Model: Speedmaster 57
Movement: manual winding
Power Reserve: 60 hours
Water Resistance: 5ATM
Case Size: 40.5mm
8. Tudor Black Bay Chrono
Over the past few years, Tudor has parlayed its way out of the ‘Rolex’s baby brother’ label and become a covetable manufacture in its own right. Driving that is the Black Bay lineup; and while the Black Bay 54 takes the lion’s share of attention, the Black Bay Chrono is not to be overlooked. Boasting 200 metres of power reserve, it’s powered by an in-house COSC-certified movement and sees Tudor’s signature snowflake hands applied to the iconic panda dial aesthetic.
Price: $7980AUD
Model: Black Bay Chrono
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Water Resistance: 20ATM
Case Size: 41mm
9. Cartier Santos de Cartier Chronograph
While Cartier is often referenced for its dress watches, the Cartier Santos de Cartier Chronograph sees the manufacture’s signature sports watch fitted with a chronograph function. The atypical square dial features a tricompax layout with the small seconds at 6 o’clock in a diminutive subdial. A combination of snailled, satin-brushed, and matte finishes lend textural interest to the otherwise monochromatic silver dial, as does a black screw-down bezel. Somewhat unusually, the Cartier Santos de Cartier Chronograph sees the chronograph start and stop button placed at 9 o’clock while the function is reset by pressing the crown at 3 o’clock.
Price: $15,800AUD
Model: Santos de Cartier Chronograph
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 48 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 43.3mm
Related: Be There & Be Square; The Best Square & Rectangular Watches For Men
10. Longines Spirit Flyback
Longines has a pioneering history in chronographs, having created the first chronograph wristwatch. Equally as seminal is its history of producing pilot’s watches for some of the most core moments in aviation. The Longines Spirit Flyback celebrates this past with a heritage-inspired aesthetic paired with a flyback movement (exclusively developed for the brand by sister Swiss brand ETA) that allows wearers to reset the chronograph without stopping it, saving valuable seconds when—literally—on the fly.
Price: from $7375AUD
Model: Spirit Flyback
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 68 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 42mm
11. IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph
Uniting precision with durability and underlined by a form follows function ethos, chronographs are a staple in IWC’s lineup. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph is available in a variety of colour and material configurations, however this gold iteration with a green dial stands out for its fusion of a utilitarian movement with precious materials. The vertical tricompax dial takes on a dressy aesthetic, allowing the timepiece to effortlessly flit between dress codes and occasions.
Price: $33,400AUD
Model: Pilot’s Watch Chronograph
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 46 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 41mm
12. Nivada Grenchen Orange Boy Chronomaster
Swiss watch brand Nivada Grenchen relaunched in 2020, and since then has been making strides with its alluring takes on heritage styles. The Nivada Grenchen Orange Boy Chronomaster takes on a funky tone, with a semi-glossy black dial adorned with beige counters with flashes of orange. Inspired by chronographs of the 1960s, it packs a punch when it comes to complications; in addition to the standard chronograph function it features a tachymeter scale on the bezel and also acts as a yachting timer. Chronomaster indeed.
Price: $1995USD (approx. $2915AUD)
Model: Orange Boy Chronomaster
Movement: automatic
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 38mm
13. Blancpain Air Command
A timepiece with military origins, the Blancpain Air Command is a fresh take on a 1950s watch designed for the United States Air Force. Fitted with a flyback chronograph complication, the Blancpain Air Command offers an elevated take on the practical timepiece, with its sun-brushed blue dial and titanium case making for an aesthetically pleasing (not to mention durable) package.
Price: $30,100AUD
Model: Air Command
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 42.5mm
14. Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chronograph
Chopard’s flagship integrated bracelet sports watch received the chronograph treatment with the Alpine Eagle XL Chronograph. Its signature silhouette and screw-down bezel remain unchanged, with the textured eagle-eye dial now playing host to three subdials and a tachymeter scale. The timepiece features a flyback chronograph function, eliminating superfluous button-pushing.
Price: $34,991AUD
Model: Alpine Eagle XL Chronograph
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 60 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 44mm
15. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic Chronograph
Effortlessly toeing the line between sporty and elegant, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic Chronograph features a column-wheel chronograph with a date window between 4 and 5 o’clock. Originating from the seminal ‘222’ reference, the current Overseas models balance comfort and ergonomics with inimitable style. The tricompax dial layout hosts a small seconds sub-dial, 30-minute recorder, and 12-hour recorder. Hands and indexes are coated with Super-LumiNova, allowing them to be seen under all lighting conditions, while an exhibition caseback enables wearers to view the in-house calibre 5200 at work.
Price: $59,500AUD
Model: Overseas Automatic Chronograph
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 60 hours
Water Resistance: 15ATM
Case Size: 42.5mm
Related: 11 Steel Sports Watches That Are Worth Their Weight In Gold
16. Panerai Luminor Chrono
The Italian manufacture applies its instantly recognisable design signatures to the ever-covetable chronograph function. Designed for those who enjoy an imposing presence on their wrist, the 44mm stainless steel cushion case features a white dial with a bicompax dial layout with a chronograph minutes counter at 3 o’clock and small seconds counter at 9 o’clock. Luminescent coating has been applied to the Arabic numerals and hour markers, ensuring legibility under all lighting conditions. Naturally, the timepiece features the iconic Panerai oversized crown guard, while the chronograph pushers are located on the right side of the dial.
Price: $15,300AUD
Model: Luminor Chrono
Movement: automatic
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 44mm
17. Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph
A rose gold take on the manufacture’s special edition iteration released in 2021, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph sees not only the case and integrated bracelet crafted from the precious metal, but also the high-frequency rattrapante movement. The manufally wound calibre PF361 beats at 36,000 vph, allowing the timing of two separate events and reading to the tenth of a second. The tricompax white dial is accented by rose gold hands and hour markers.
Price: $155,000CHF (approx. $269,000AUD)
Model: Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph
Movement: manual winding
Power Reserve: 65 hours
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 42mm
Related: Shh! These Are The 8 Best Quiet Luxury Watches
What does a chronograph watch do?
The word ‘chronograph’ (derived from Greek) literally translates to ‘time writer’, however it can be thought of as a watch with a stopwatch function that can be used to time short intervals. The name chronograph is derived from one of the earliest examples of the mechanism, a rudimentary contraption invented by Nicolas Rieussec in 1821 which saw a clock attached to two ink-filled styluses that recorded the time between two horses on a racetrack on two rotating discs of paper. Quite literally writing time. The mechanism was thereafter adapted for pocket watches and then wristwatches.
In addition to telling the time in the standard fashion, a chronograph can record seconds, minutes, and (sometimes) hours using a stopwatch function. Contemporary chronographs typically feature dual pushers (generally one on either side of the crown) which are used to stop and start the chronograph mechanism, though some iterations use a single pusher (occasionally placed on the crown).
The popularity of the chronograph has led to many watch brands releasing their own take on the function, meaning chronograph watches are now available across a wide variety of price points.
How to use a chronograph
It’s important to note that the long central hand on a chronograph watch is not the seconds hand as is standard with most watches. Rather, it’s the chronograph hand which tracks elapsed time when the chronograph function is activated; when the chronograph is not in use, this hand will remain stationary. Most chronographs see the seconds displayed via a small seconds subdial.
To activate a standard chronograph, you depress the pusher on the side of the case at 2 o’clock (the top one); this will engage the function and the central chronograph hand will begin to move while the subdials will track the time elapsed. Once the event you want to record is complete, depress the same pusher to stop the chronograph hand. Check the chronograph display to know how much time has passed.
You can then either restart the chronograph by depressing the same pusher (the central chronograph hand will catch up to the time elapsed while stopped — this is useful for timing synchronous events), or use the pusher at 4 o’clock (the bottom one) to reset the chronograph.
How to read a chronograph
You’ll notice that chronograph watches have multiple subdials. The layout of these differs between timepieces, however on a standard chronograph watch, one of these is a small seconds subdial which typically (but not always) appears at 6 o’clock. This tracks the time of day and does not stop running when the chronograph is stopped or paused.
The other two subdials display the elapsed time, often a 30-minute counter and 1/10th of a second counter. When the central chronograph hand is stopped, these two counters move to show an accurate reading of the time. For example, if the central chronograph hand is stopped at 4 o’clock, the 30-minute counter at 11, and the 1/10th of a second counter at five, the time elapsed is 11:04:03 minutes.
Types of chronograph displays
It’s worth noting that not all chronograph watches have a 1/10th of a second counter. Often they will simply have two subdials; one small seconds and the other for elapsed minutes. Chronograph watches typically take on either bicompax or tricompax layouts.
Bicompax layouts feature two subdials (one at 3 o’clock and the other at 9 o’clock); one for the running seconds and the other to count the elapsed minutes. The latter is only activated when the chronograph function is engaged, while the former is always running.
Chronographs with tricompax layouts feature three subdials (at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock). These subdials showcase the running seconds, chronograph minutes, and either hours or 1/10th of a second. Typically, bicompax chronographs can record up to an hour while tricompax chronographs have capacity to time up to 12 hours.
Tachymeter scale
You’ll notice that certain chronographs have a scale around the periphery of the dial or on the bezel (the Rolex Chronograph Daytona and Omega Speedmaster are notable examples). This is commonly found on racing chronographs and can be used to calculate speed. When using the chronograph function to time a moving object, the wearer can take note of the amount of seconds elapsed per mile or kilometre and refer to the scale to know its speed.
Types of chronograph watches
Not all chronographs are the same. Herewith, the key chronograph styles you should know about.
Simple chronograph
Simple chronograph watches generally have two pushers; one at 2 o’clock that starts and stops the central chronograph hand and counters and the other at 4 o’clock that resets the chronograph function.
Monopusher chronograph
A monopusher chronograph possesses similar functionality to a simple chronograph, but uses a single button to start, stop, and reset the chronograph function. These are more streamlined than simple chronographs however also forgo a degree of functionality. Once you stop a monopusher chronograph, you cannot restart the timer. It will reset to zero upon pushing it again. The pusher for monopusher chronographs is often located on the crown which contributes to a clean design aesthetic.
Flyback chronograph
A flyback chronograph makes it easier to time back-to-back events. While simple chronographs need to be stopped before being reset, a flyback chronograph allows you to instantly reset the chronograph function while it is running, saving precious seconds when recording fast-paced events like motorsport lap times.
Split-second chronograph (rattrapante)
The split-seconds—or rattrapante—chronograph is a highly complex and rare type of chronograph. The word rattrapante is derived from the French rattraper, which means ‘to catch up’.
Rather than a single central chronograph seconds hand, the rattrapante chronograph possesses two; one hidden beneath the other. Engaging the chronograph function sees both hands move in tandem, depressing the split-seconds pusher stops the hidden hands as the main hand continues. This allows you to time events that commence at the same time but finish at different points; such as two entrants in a race. Their complex nature means split-seconds chronographs are only produced by select high-end watchmakers.
High-frequency chronograph
The accuracy and precision with which a chronograph can measure elapsed time is dependent on the speed of the watch’s escapement. To accurately measure at 1/10th of a second, you need a high-frequency movement which beats at 5Hz (36,000Vph).
Enjoyed this article? Why not check out our Ultimate Guide To Watches here; covering everything from the anatomy of a watch to watch styles and complications.
Words by T. Angel
