A chronograph is likely the most common watch complication beyond a primary date or day display. Despite a mechanical chronograph being less critical today, our love of bi-complex and tri-complex chronograph wristwatches has never abated. Icons like the Breitling Navitimer and Omega Speedmaster have remained unchanged for over 50 years and are still hugely sought-after models. If you are shopping for a chronograph in the WatchGecko store, here are our top five split-second options to tempt you.
Boldr Venture Field Medic Camo Green Chronograph Watch - £299
Boldr Field Venture Field Medic Camo Green. Credit: WatchGecko.
The Boldr Venture is a titanium range of field watches that bats well above its weight for innovation, quality and sheer ruggedness. It certainly gives venerable models such as the Khaki Field Mechanical a run for its money. The specialist Field Medic model was inspired by the bravery of healthcare workers worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. The watch is a bespoke design for civilian or military medical professionals to measure pulse rates and respiratory counts.
As with all Ventures, the Field Medic is made from ultra-light and robust titanium with a non-reflective satin finish. This particular model has a military camo dial. At 38mm wide and 12.2mm thick, the watch is perfect for all users. Flat sapphire crystal protects the dial, and this scratch-resistant material also has an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and improve legibility. In addition, the Venture Field Medic offers 200m water resistance, effectively resisting all hostile environments, whether arid or jungle.
The watch is powered by a Japanese Seiko VK64 meca-quartz chronograph movement, so reliability is never an issue.
Geckota Chronotimer Reverse Panda - £399
Geckota Chronotimer Racing Chronograph Watch Classic Reverse Panda. Credit: WatchGecko.
As we wait with anticipation for the 2024 Formula One season to kick off, what better way to monitor the qualifying sprint race than with a new racing chronograph? The Geckota Chronotimer range pays homage to racing chronographs from a bygone era, and this classic Reverse Panda bi-compax design offers superb legibility and will never date.
Round sub-dials with a stopwatch function, 24-hour timer, and contrasting tachymeter give micro timing capability. The unprotected crown and case design reflect a golden era of motorsport in a thoroughly contemporary and precision made package.
Forzo Glickenhaus Red Black - £549
FORZO Glickenhaus Chronograph - Black & Red. Credit: WatchGecko.
This stylish chronograph is part of Forzo's motorsport collection, designed with endurance racing pioneer Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus. The result is a watch that evokes the spirit of vintage chronographs whilst still being an original contemporary piece rather than a homage.
The 40mm steel case is 12.5mm thick with a lug-to-lug length of 47mm. The bidirectional features 12-hour markings to easily track a second time zone.
Sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating and 100m water resistance guarantees that you can wear it at the track in any weather. Furthermore, the hands and markers are applied with Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 lume for legibility during 24 hour night racing.
The Glickenhaus Chronograph uses a Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement. Many watch brands widely use this calibre as it cleverly mimics the functionality of a mechanical chronograph movement with an instantly resetting seconds hand.
Sinn 356sa Pilot - £2850
Sinn 356 Sa Pilot. Credit: WatchGecko.
The earlier 256 Pilot Chronograph inspires the Sinn 356a Pilot. The chronograph dial has a functional, clean look associated with the brand. It features 3 subdials, a date/day display and luminescent hands and indices.
The dial is housed under sapphire crystal and rests over a screw-fastened display caseback, providing up to 100 metres of low-pressure and water resistance. The Sinn 356a Pilot watch meets the waterproof requirements in standard DIN 8310.
The case measures 38.5mm and is crafted from bead-blasted stainless-steel for impressive durability. The Sinn 356 Pilot uses a self-winding Sellita SW-500 movement and features 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour, a seconds stop function and an antimagnetic design as per DIN 8309.
Aquastar Deepstar 39mm Silverline - £2890
Aquastar Deepstar 39mm Silverline. Credit: Aquastar.
The Deepstar Chronograph is a legend, now available for 2024 in a thoughtful, contemporary, 39mm case. The dial is a silver sunburst design with applied stainless steel indices. In keeping with its long heritage, the new Deepstar has been equipped with old light Radium Super Luminova.
A bi-directional rotating bezel on a ceramic bearing, a 316L Stainless Steel case with highly domed, AR triple-coated sapphire crystal and a multiple dive non-decompression table calculator according to the French Navy dive tables present a thoroughly professional dive package.
Powered by a Swiss Manufacture calibre with single sub-dial complication, a power reserve of 55 hours and rotor and bridges being Aquastar signed and decorated with Geneva stripes, the new 39mm is not form over function. This unique silver package is finished with a well engineered beads of rice bracelet.
