As the cliche goes, time waits for no man. And it’s true: you can’t halt its ticking march, so just embrace the clock – and what better way to do this than sporting a chronograph watch. Maybe it’s not too frivolous to declare that the chronograph is an exploration and celebration of time itself. Its watches' features and uses extend well beyond the traditional, essential function of simply telling time – at the bare minimum a chronograph will include a built-in stopwatch – but often they go miles and miles beyond, with a mind-boggling range of functions and gadgets. Its uses over time have shape-shifted and adapted with the technology of the time.
Traditionally, they have been used for timing sports events, flight time calculations and navigation, car racing, deep sea diving, and even in the medical field. With the digital age, however, functionality as a primary concern has receded a little: but the role of style and status has filled that gap in a devastating way: chronograph watches are unquestionably the height of fashion, especially at the luxury end of the consumer market.
SEIKO PROPEX SPEEDTIMER ‘PANDA’ 1972
Retro is all the rage, in some quarters at least, so indulge here in Seiko’s well-pitched reinterpretation of their original 1972 model: a modern take on the classic design. This panda-dialled chronograph features a tri-compax layout with a 30-minute timer at 9 o'clock, a 12-hour timer at 6 o'clock, and a small seconds subdial at 3 o'clock. There is also a date window between 4 and 5 o'clock, and the bezel bears a tachymeter scale, for measuring speed. That’s the substance, which is packing a real punch, but the style is impressive too – simple but sleek, as per the mid-century zeitgeist – especially at this mid-range price point.
TAG HEUER CARRERA SKIPPER
This is a stonewall classic reissue from the renowned Swiss luxury watchmaker, long known for their pioneering contributions to horology. The brand was founded all the way back in 1860 by Edouard Heuer, and was responsible for introducing many significant technological advancements, such as the first dashboard chronograph for cars and aeroplanes in 191. Carrera Skipper was first launched in 1963 and was named after the dangerous Carrera Panamericana auto race. Sticking with the clean, easy-to-read dial, its long-awaited newly-updated model also has a panorama-like Glassbox design and the TH20 06 calibre emphasises a case that is on the smaller side, really showcasing the dial aesthetic. The colour palette pops: minty green, tangy orange, regatta-tricolour. Nautical, and very nice. This watch is water-resistant to 100 metres and offers an 80-hour power reserve.
LONGINES AVIATION BIGEYE
This is a beautiful timepiece, pure and simple. The large, luminous Arabic numerals look sumptuous laid over the midnight blue dial colour, and it's wonderfully legible. But it’s the asymmetric dial layout that really sets it apart: massively characterful, the oversized 30-minute sub-dial at 3 o'clock duly gives the watch its name – and its X-factor. As you’d expect, though the design is vintage-inspired – this is a reissue of a 1930s aviation chronograph, retaining many of its original features – the functionality is ultra-modern, incorporating a litany of contemporary enhancements. The case is 41mm in diameter and 14.3mm thick: substantial, yet wearable for most wrist sizes. One notable feature, or lack thereof, is the absence of a date window. Many wearers enjoy this lack of clutter on the face.
ROLEX DAYTONA PLATINUM
It’s a bold statement, sure, but the Rolex Daytona Platinum could be one of the most coveted watches in the world. Demand far outstrips supply, so if you can get your hands on one – or, to be more precise, get your wrist inside one – well done. Celebrating its 60th anniversary, this new Daytona model [126506] features significant improvements and upgrades: not least the introduction of a display case back. This marks a first for a Rolex sports watch, enabling a view of the intricately-finished movement inside, and it’s a truly stunning refinement. Movement, and therefore performance, has also received a supercharged overhaul: the updated Calibre 4131 movement features Rolex's Chronergy escapement, thereby enhancing energy efficiency and precision, and the blue Parachrom hairspring provides outstanding (perhaps market-leading) resistance to shocks and magnetic fields. Reliability and unending robustness are a given here, such is the quality of the craftsmanship and materials. Looks are majestically eye-catching too (just as you’d expect for a Price On Application timepiece): the Daytona’s ice-blue dial and brown Cerachrom ceramic bezel are an elegant combination. As for the signature Oyster bracelet – as the name suggests – this is made in pure platinum.
JUNGHANS MAX BILL DAY DATE
Sometimes, looks are everything. This much-celebrated timepiece is justifiably known, first and foremost, for its beautifully minimalist Bauhaus-inspired design.. Worn with, well, anything really, it’s a visual feast. Completely classy. The face and dial are big and bold, yet sumptuously tasteful – staying absolutely true to Max Bill's original vision – and while the highly domed plexiglass crystal gives it a significant 14.4mm height, this element accentuates its vintage appeal, emitting a retro charm that sapphire crystals cannot compete with. The dial is typically available in black or (off-) white and the attractive pushers and crown also give a look and feel from a different era (let’s say the 1940s). Yes, we’re obsessing over the magnetic aesthetics, but functionality ticks all the boxes you’d expect too.
Whether you’re a sports or adventure enthusiast or not matters little. The timeless appeal of a chronograph watch runs deep. They’ve also been alluring, but have now emerged beyond any measure of functionality and practicality: they’re style icons in their own right, worn by style icons the world over. These are ‘serious’ watches, beloved by a whole host of Hollywood stars, sporting A-listers, and supermodels, who all love to dial up their celebrity appeal and market value with a well-chosen chronograph timepiece on their wrist. It’s a club that many want to be part of, that’s for sure – and the doors are open to all.
