Stop. Start. Reset. A sweeping overview of our favourite chronographs

For many of us, our love of watches stems from the appreciation of the mechanical movement, knowing that there are hundreds of components harmoniously working away underneath a well-designed dial. A chronograph adds another layer of complications and while we may not use it on a regular basis, there's no denying it's cool to have it.

I thought I'd give a brief guide to some of our favourite chronographs and, as usual, the watches featured are currently available for sale.

The term “chronograph” takes its name from the Greek words “chronos” or time, and “graphos”, which means to write. It was a British clockmaker, George Graham, who invented the first clock that measured elapsed time in the early 1700s. Nearly a century later, in 1816, Louis Moinet created the first chronograph within a pocket watch, used to work alongside astronomical equipment.

Over the next 150 years, wristwatches became not only more popular, but chronographs became essential tools for professionals such as doctors, pilots and military personnel.

A fine example of one of those early manual-wind chronographs is this 1967 Heuer Carrera, fitted with a Valjoux 92 movement.  The movement includes a swivel pinion based on Edouard Heuer's 1886 patent. The 1960’s were a golden era for sports chronographs with many motor racing drivers favouring a simple wristwatch with a legible chronograph layout. In 1962 Jack Heuer took over the family business and the Carrera was released a year later in 1963. The brand’s association with motorsport and its commitment to producing accurate sports chronographs remains strong to this day.

Following a race to develop the first automatic chronograph, in 1969 Zenith released the El Primero movement (meaning “The First” in Spanish). Zenith chose the A384 as the watch to present this movement to the world, and some 50 years later, released this Revival as a celebration of that original watch. Not only is it a celebration, but a faithful reproduction of the 1969 watch with identical proportions, leaning into the desire for smaller pieces. 

In 2021 Zenith gave their sports chronograph an even sportier facelift with the introduction of the Chronomaster Sport, featuring a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel, a three-link bracelet and an updated movement. The watch still retains its vintage charm with its iconic tri-colour overlapping subdials and pump pushers. However, the bezel gives a nod to the advanced engineering going on behind the scenes – a calibre 3600 movement, capable of timing 1/10th of a second.

While Heuer were spending time on the race track and Zenith were racing to become “The First” automatic chronograph, Omega had their eyes on the stars. In 1962, astronaut Walter Schirra wore his personal Speedmaster CK 2998 on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission, giving the watch the “First Omega in Space” nickname. This was the beginning of an iconic relationship between NASA and the Swiss watch brand, which has been included in all six lunar missions. With no need for an automatic watch in zero gravity, the Speedmaster has (for the most part) remained manual-wound over the years. As for the chronograph complication, it was famously used on the Apollo 13 mission to time a 14-second burn, resulting in the astronauts safely making it back to Earth.

We are pleased to present three fantastic examples of the Speedmaster – the 2024 First Omega In Space Anniversary Series, the 2017 Moonwatch Professional, and the 1972 Mark III.

Let’s take a moment to step away from historical watches and move on to take a look at one of the most beautiful modern chronograph movements – the A. Lange & Söhne Calibre L951.5, seen here in the 1815 Chronograph. I could talk about its precise jumping minute counter or its impressive flyback function, but I would probably highlight my lack of technological knowledge. So I’m going to talk about the beautiful architecture of this breath-taking movement. It’s like looking into a horological city, where energy seamlessly flows between grand structures. Well, 320 structures, or components, to be precise, in any one of nine different finishing techniques. My favourite is the hand-engraved balance cock, decorated with a floral pattern.

Unfortunately, we can’t all wear a Lange watch on a daily basis, but thankfully there are some alternative easy-to-wear chronographs.

The Tudor Black Bay range is a favourite among watch enthusiasts, offering a well-designed, durable watch at a pocket-pleasing price point. This chronograph gives a nod to those early Daytonas with its monochrome aesthetic and tachymeter bezel, yet is brought into the 21st century with its Chronometer-certified Calibre MT5813 automatic movement. And screw-down pushers allow for a water resistance of 200m.

If you're looking to build a well-rounded watch collection, a chronograph will make a wonderful addition and with so many to choose from, there's something for everyone.  

For more details of any of the watches mentioned above, visit our shop or get in touch to find out more.