How To Set Date On Citizen Eco Drive Perpetual Chrono

There is an almost limitless number of watch complications available for collectors and coincidental-wearers to consider adding to their wrists, from the simple date to the romantic moonphase to the complex perpetual calendar. But none have quite the pull or the popularity of the chronograph. Chronograph watches have been consistently lauded for the better function of the last century, and several chronograph models remain some of the most sought-after pieces on the market today. But what are the best chronograph watches?

For this guide, we'll be taking a look at xx of the best chronographs available today. Our listing covers a wide range of chronographs, from a sub-$100 quartz beater to a $205,000 precious metal expression of haute horology and everything in betwixt. You'll run into offerings from heavy-hitters like Rolex, Omega, and Breitling, while besides possibly discovering some new brands in the process. But one thing all of these watches have in common is that they are all fantastic examples of one of the nearly useful watch complications. So take a look below to find the twenty best chronograph watches you can purchase.

Photo: Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H

What Is A Chronograph?

And Why You Should Go 1

First things first, nosotros demand to explicate what a chronograph is. To put information technology simply, it's a stopwatch that's housed within your watch. Nigh chronographs have two pushers — 1 to beginning and stop the timer, and another to reset it — along with subdials/registers to measure out the elapsed minutes and, often, hours. One time the "start" pusher is pressed, the chronograph seconds hand is activated and tracks the seconds upward to one minute. At that point, the minutes register records that minute equally the seconds hand continues tracking time, standing until the minutes and hours registers take reached their fill up. So why would you need such a affair?

Well, for a couple of reasons. Outset, chronographs are pretty useful. Whether y'all're doing laundry, cooking, or logging residual time between sets in a workout, yous'd be surprised at how oft you'll find yourself needing to fourth dimension something. Secondly, and there's really no elegant way to put this, chronographs are just cool. They have historically been used extensively in the fields of motorsports, aviation, and even infinite exploration, and many celebrity mode icons — like the two "Kings of Cool," Paul Newman and Steve McQueen — are remembered for their signature chronograph watches. So isn't it time you got 1 too?

Photograph: Omega Speedmaster Calibre 3861

A Word About Movements

What's Under The Hood

A watch's movement is substantially its engine. Information technology'south what makes the lookout run, what keeps the time, and, in this case, information technology's what operates the chronograph. Hither are the four types you'll see on this list.

Quartz: The virtually-inexpensive type of watch movement is the quartz movement. Quartz movements require batteries to power an oscillating electronic circuit that is regulated by a quartz crystal. They are very depression-maintenance and cheap to obtain and repair, simply are more accurate than most mechanical watches. But despite their accurateness and convenience, quartz movements are generally less pop among sentinel aficionados due to their lack of craftsmanship and build quality, as well as less-tangible factors like the history and romance of mechanical watches.

Meca-Quartz: A fairly new type of move that has proliferated in contempo years are these so-chosen "hybrid" movements. They use a regular quartz movement for the timekeeping, but information technology'southward stacked with a mechanical chronograph module. This gives the seconds hand a mechanical-blazon sweep that is missing from most (simply non all) quartz chronographs, as well equally a more tactile feel for the pushers and at least some feeling of having an actual gear-filled machine on your wrist. Offered by a growing number of manufacturers, most meca-quartz watches on the market employ movements from Seiko'due south VK line.

Manual-Air current: One of the 2 types of mechanical movements, transmission-air current or hand-wind movements must be wound in order to continue running. Turning the crown of a manual-wind watch winds up the mainspring, which then drives power through a series of gears to the escapement, which oscillates at a set frequency to slowly release that power and keep consequent time. In one case that power runs out, the lookout will stop, which is why manual-wind watches must exist wound continuously to run — usually, every couple of days, depending on the power reserve of the move.

Automatic: The other type of mechanical spotter movement is automatic. It functions exactly the same mode as a manual-wind but with one fundamental difference. Fitted to the back of a motion is a weighted rotor that is also capable of winding the mainspring. The rotor volition spin easily when the sentinel is moved, so equally long as yous're wearing your automatic watch, it won't end running. Like manual-current of air movements, automatics likewise have power reserves that will keep the watch running for a couple of days without being worn or wound.

Photo: A. Lange & Söhne Triple Separate

Types Of Chronographs

From Simple Stopwatches To Haute Horology

Simple: The most basic chronograph, and the one y'all'll see most ordinarily, is a simple chronograph. This is a chronograph with two pushers, usually at the two and four o'clock positions. The elevation pusher typically activates the chronograph when pressed once, and stops it when pressed over again while information technology's running. Pressing the lesser pusher then resets the chronograph, as well as any registers that were tracking it.

Monopusher: A fairly uncommon type of chronograph is the monopusher. These movements require some clever engineering, equally they apply a single pusher — which is sometimes even housed inside the crown — that starts, stops, and resets the chronograph, offering a non-descript and less-cluttered chronograph pattern.

Flyback: Another rare blazon of chronograph is the flyback. In normal chronographs, pressing the reset pusher while the chronograph is running will either do nothing or mess up your movement. But on a flyback chronograph, pressing the reset pusher while the chronograph is running will cause the seconds hand to "wing back" to aught and instantly start counting again. This complexity is useful for timing consecutive intervals, like say, laps around a race track.

Rattrapante: The most complicated and rarest type of chronograph is the rattrapante, or carve up-seconds chronograph. This type of movement houses two chronograph seconds hands, stacked 1 on superlative of the other. While the chronograph is running, pressing a pusher (its location varies depending on the model) causes one of these seconds easily to "split" abroad, marking whatever time y'all wanted to record. Meanwhile, the other seconds paw continues its journey unabated, tracking the elapsed time. When you lot're done, printing your pusher again and your divide seconds paw will instantly catch upwards to its twin, where it volition continue its discrete sweep until called on over again.

Timex Weekender Chronograph

Every sentry drove needs a beater watch — something you can throw on while doing chores, working on your motorcar, or anything else that may end up causing harm to the watch. Timex, the American heritage brand that takes a licking and keeps on ticking, has a itemize total of beaters, and one of their most classic designs is the Weekender. In its chronograph form, the Timex Weekender is an piece of cake-wearing, good-looking, and perfectly-capable watch that y'all will never have to baby.

Case Size: 40mm
Movement: Quartz
Chronograph Type: Uncomplicated

Purchase: $58+

Seiko SNA411P1 "Flightmaster"

Nicknamed the Flightmaster, this complicated pilot'south chrono from Seiko has a loyal and passionate following. Despite its low price tag, this quartz watch manages to pack in a ton of features, as you lot may have guessed past the very busy punch and bezel. In addition to the smooth-sweeping chronograph, the Flightmaster features a slide dominion bezel for bones flying calculations, a date complexity, and an alarm office. And with its spiral-downward pushers and crown, the sentinel even boasts a very unexpected diver-like 200m water resistance.

Example Size: 42mm
Motility: Quartz
Chronograph Type: Elementary

Purchase: $290

Seagull 1963

Ane downside of mechanical chronographs is they tend to be very costly, with prices typically starting effectually $2,000. The exception is the Chinese-made ST19 manual-wind movement, an aesthetically-pleasing cavalcade cycle chronograph that's effectively a clone of the Swiss Venus 175 movement from the 1940s. Seagull, the manufacturer of the ST19, has a reputation for saving the all-time examples of the movement for its own line of watches, and that's exactly what you make it the Seagull 1963, forth with some vintage good looks inspired by the ST-19-powered watches worn by mid-century Chinese pilots.

Case Size: 38mm
Movement: Transmission-Wind
Chronograph Type: Elementary

Purchase: $329+

Yema Rallygraf

Mario Andretti is considered i of the greatest racecar drivers of all time and is the only person to win the Daytona 500, the Formula One Globe Championship, and the Indy 500. And when Andretti won the latter in 1969, he did so with a Yema Rallye on his wrist. This mod Yema is a mod meca-quartz reinterpretation of that spotter, with outstanding vintage motorsports-inspired styling and — unlike the nigh-limitless number of meca-quartz retro racing chronograph microbrands on the market — some actual automotive heritage behind it.

Instance Size: 39mm
Movement: Meca-Quartz
Chronograph Type: Simple

Buy: $329+

Citizen Promaster Tsuno Chronograph Racer

A longtime favorite of vintage scout collectors is Citizen'southward "Bullhead" chronographs from the 1970s, so named for the fact that their two pushers are located on the summit of the instance rather than on the side, resembling horns. This is Citizen's modern reimagining of the Bullhead, and while information technology'due south no longer powered by an automatic movement like the original, its paw-assembled, solar-powered Eco-Bulldoze quartz move still features a shine-sweeping chronograph hand while also calculation the functionality of an alarm and a handy power reserve indicator.

Case Size: 45mm
Movement: Quartz
Chronograph Type: Uncomplicated

Purchase: $627+

Farer Bernina

When Farer designs a watch, you can be sure it won't look like anything else on the market. The make has apace become known for its creative use of color, and the manual-wind Bernina chronograph may exist the all-time expression of Farer's blueprint ethos notwithstanding. With a foam punch and white ceramic bezel paired with ruddy and blue hands and accents, the Bernina sounds weird but looks amazing, and really stands out in a oversupply. It's likewise the official timing sentinel for the Bernina Gran Turismo, providing a overnice motorsports link to what is fast becoming a modern classic.

Case Size: 41mm
Movement: Manual-Wind
Chronograph Blazon: Unproblematic

Purchase: $1,955

Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H

The automated version of the Intra-Matic Chronograph was already arguably the best chrono bachelor at the $2K mark, and now Hamilton has sweetened the pot by outfitting the sentinel with an sectional new manual-wind movement, Cailber H-51, which boasts an extended 60-hour power reserve. The watch maintains the aforementioned skilful looks inspired past Hamilton's 1968 A & B Chronographs, but adds a few stylistic tweaks, including a generously domed sapphire crystal that gives off an extra air of vintage charm.

Case Size: 40mm
Movement: Transmission-Wind
Chronograph Type: Simple

Purchase: $2,045+

Sinn 103

German watchmaker Sinn pretty much does i affair: information technology make extremely capable and high-quality tool watches. The 103 pilot'south chronograph is 1 of the brand's most iconic models, with its classic black and white looks, Arabic indices, and syringe hands offering retro-yet-timeless way. Beating away within is an automatic motion based on the well-worn and reliable Valjoux 7750, with its trademark left-hand annals layout. The Sinn also mixes upwardly the formula with features not often seen on a chrono, including a solar day-appointment complexity, 60-minute timing bezel, and 200m water resistance.

Case Size: 41mm
Motility: Automatic
Chronograph Type: Elementary

Purchase: $2,530+

Longines Master Drove L2.673.iv.78.iii

While a chronograph is i of the meliorate-known watch complications, it's far from the simply ane. The trouble is, equally the number of complications on a mechanical sentry rises, so does the cost. But that'south non the instance with this Longines, which features a chronograph, triple-date agenda, 24-hr indicator, and a moonphase for far less than expected. Certain, there are a scattering of other brands offering this same Valjoux 7751-based movement, but none have figured out how to put it in a watch that's nearly as classy and attractive as this 1 from i of the most legendary Swiss brands.

Example Size: 40mm
Motility: Automatic
Chronograph Type: Elementary

Purchase: $3,325

Frederique Abiding Flyback Chronograph

Flyback chronographs are traditionally relegated to the realm of haute horology, often beingness found in watches that cost five or 6-figures. But upstart Frederique Constant has a habit of making complicated in-house movements at insanely low prices (comparatively speaking), and that's what nosotros've got here. Housing the company'south own FC-760 Caliber movement, this watch is probable the nigh-affordable in-firm flyback chronograph on the marketplace. Information technology too has groovy finishing and Patek-similar good looks, with a gorgeous midnight blue punch that provides seemingly endless depth.

Case Size: 42mm
Move: Automatic
Chronograph Blazon: Flyback

Purchase: $3,995

Tudor Heritage Chrono

Tudor is the rebellious child brother of Rolex, and as a result, it gets to clothes up in all kinds of crazy ways that its stuffy sibling would never even dream of. Case in indicate: this colorful stunner that'due south based on Tudor's racing chronographs from the wild and wacky '70s. That decade was full of experimental and flamboyant wrist-worn race timers, and Tudor is bringing the look back with the funky and fun Heritage. The watch features a rotating 12-hr bezel rather than a tachymeter, a practical feature that allows the wearer to runway two timezones simultaneously.

Case Size: 42mm
Motility: Automated
Chronograph Blazon: Elementary

Buy: $4,200+

Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph

Although Montblanc has been crafting luxury goods for 115 years, they've only been making watches for a picayune over 20. But in that time they've quickly figured out what they're doing, as this impressive piece shows. The company develops in-house movements through its Minerva subsidiary, and this sentinel — whose looks were inspired by Minerva'south early-twentieth-century exploratory offerings — has a Montblanc-exclusive monopusher movement, giving the watch full chronograph capability without cramping its subdued vintage styling.

Case Size: 42mm
Movement: Automatic
Chronograph Blazon: Monopusher

Purchase: $4,900

TAG Heuer Carrera

Few if whatever companies can merits every bit many iconic chronograph models as TAG Heuer, with the Monaco, Autavia, and Carrera all having cemented vintage Heuer equally a force in 1960s and 1970s motorsports culture. But the Carrera stands in a higher place the residuum as the most versatile and, arguably, attractive of the bunch. In many ways, it's the prototypical auto racing chronograph with its piston-fashion pushers, tricompax layout, and stick easily, and it's guaranteed to ever look good — regardless of whatever yous happen to be driving while wearing it.

Case Size: 42mm
Movement: Automated
Chronograph Type: Simple

Buy: $v,350+

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional

When yous heard the word "chronograph," there's a good chance that this is what you lot see in your mind's eye. The Speedy is hands the earth'due south about-iconic chronograph, if not its about-iconic lookout man outright, thank you in large office to its having been worn on the moon during the initial Apollo 11 mission. But that'south not all it has going for it. The Speedy is produced by Omega, one of the most prestigious watchmakers in the world. It has simple and versatile styling that goes with literally everything. And the newest iteration houses a make-new movement that's gone through Omega's highly-stringent METAS Chief Chronometer certification process.

Example Size: 42mm
Movement: Manual-Wind
Chronograph Type: Uncomplicated

Purchase: $6,300+

IWC Portugieser Chronograph

As one of the leading luxury Swiss watchmakers, IWC churns out a number of recognizable and coveted pieces. But the Portugieser is arguably their most identifiable line, with a 1930s marine-inspired design that hasn't inverse much in nearly a century. The chronograph version sports a two-register layout in a unique and recognizable 12/6 organisation, which lends a pleasing symmetry to the spacious dial. Everything near this watch only screams "swish," and it works equally well with a accommodate as it does on the open water.

Case Size: 41mm
Motion: Automatic
Chronograph Type: Simple

Purchase: $vii,950+

Breitling Navitimer

If you're into pilot's chronographs, and so this right here is equally adept as it gets. The Navitimer debuted back in 1953, and, pretty much ever since then, it has been recognized as the pilot'south chronograph. From the three-register layout to its trademark busy punch to that toothy slide rule bezel, everything virtually the Navitimer suggests that information technology needs to exist paired with some aviator sunglasses and a leather flight jacket at xxx,000 feet. It's still a looker at sea level, too, with a reputation as one of the most robust and iconic sports watches in the world.

Case Size: 43mm
Movement: Automatic
Chronograph Type: Uncomplicated

Buy: $9,250+

Zenith Defy El Primero 21

Depending on whom you ask, Zenith may or may not take invented the automatic chronograph with the original El Primero move in 1969 (there's some argue over which of the handful of competing companies' movements was really the first). But in that location's little debate about who's making the best automatic chrono movements today. This thoroughly-modern Defy model houses the latest version of the venerated El Primero, the El Primero 21, with a chronograph capable of tracking downwardly to an astonishing 1/100th of a second. You lot may never need to utilise it, but yous'll be awfully glad it's in that location only the same.

Instance Size: 44mm
Move: Automatic
Chronograph Type: Simple (with i/100th Second-Counter)

Buy: $12,500+

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

After the Speedmaster, this has to be the world's most iconic chronograph. From its legendary association with Paul Newman to its current market-busting exclusivity, the Daytona at present finds itself perched at the acme of Rolex'southward illustrious lineup. That wasn't ever the case, but the world has finally come around to this modestly-sized and extremely-handsome racing chronograph, prizing its thick, engraved, ceramic tachymeter bezel, its unique subdial-surrounds, and that perfect curved "DAYTONA" print in cherry above the active seconds counter. It is sublime.

Case Size: 40mm
Move: Automatic
Chronograph Blazon: Simple

Purchase: $13,150+

A. Lange & Sohne Triple Separate

There are many who would suggest that Lange is the greatest manufacturer of mechanical movements on the planet today, and information technology would be difficult to contend with them. The High german watchmaker is just operating on some other level, as exhibited past this remarkable timepiece. The Triple Carve up is the world'southward simply triple-rattrapante chronograph, pregnant that not only are you able to divide the chronograph seconds hands for timing multiple events, but you lot tin can also split up the chronograph minutes and hours hands, too. This is essentially three split-seconds chronograph modules operating within a single movement, which is, in a word, ridiculous.

Case Size: 43.2mm
Movement: Manual-Air current
Chronograph Type: Triple-Rattrapante Flyback

Purchase: $143,300+

Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P

Since their introduction in the 1940s, Patek's line of perpetual calendar chronographs has been considered the meridian of watchmaking. Combining two of the "big three" complications in a single watch remains exceedingly hard viii decades after, which is why so few watchmakers offer them even today. The latest iteration in Patek's virtually-legendary line is the 5270, which is especially tempting in the 5270P execution with its platinum case, exquisite salmon dial, and blackened gilded indices. If you've got 200 one thousand to spend on a sentry, you lot might as well become the all-time.

Instance Size: 41mm
Movement: Transmission-Wind
Chronograph Type: Simple (with Perpetual Calendar)

Buy: $205,810

The 24 Best Vintage-Manner Dive Watches

If you're building a watch collection, you're going to need more than a chronograph. One piece that you lot'll definitely want to pick up is a dive watch — arguably the most essential watch style at that place is. But you shouldn't settle for simply any dive scout. Instead, you should get for a classic look by checking out our guide to the best vintage-style dive watches on the market today.

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