Chronographs

Sinn 144...don't own it, but the chronograph functions are highly legible, despite a dial that has a lot of information density. Amazing how a well thought out bit of color aids so much with at-a-glance intuitiveness. Also just love the overall style of it with the integrated bracelet look. If they could somehow slim it down a tad tho, it'd probably be even more amazing (all hypothetical as I've never held one).

Defo love that one too. My top3 favourite brands

Almost chose that one too...it's gotta be a top contender

I like to use a mutli-hour sub-dial on my chronograph if I’m timing anything. Two entries from my collection:

First place needs little introduction: 

But, my very useful 20-year old ‘beater’ Luminox is a real contender too:

Gift from my wife 15 years ago

I have 12 chronograph's but this is the one I use the most. It's straight forward and easy to read and with eco drive I can endlessly click and hammer away. It sits on a bench in my studio and I use it all the time. 

I don’t enjoy wearing integrated bracelets but as a piece of design, I can’t think of anything I like more than the 144. On my small wrist, I was going to get a 356 but found myself enchanted by the discontinued 256 line and got myself a nice one after keeping an eye out for 6 months. The design is dated and is obviously from the 00’s, but I find that charming being in my 30’s now.

I'm wearing the Swatch today.

If we're going by the pure numbers, I think the Daytona is the chronograph to beat.  Insanely spec'd, beautifully sized, the whole deal.  If I were approaching this with fresh eyes, my Daytona is it.

But my favorite Chronograph is my Cartier Roadster Chronograph XL.  It has by far the most sentiment attached to it.

That’s a really nice one…I think the SS fixed bezel is what gives it that 00’s vibe, but for someone also born in the 80s, I also find it charming lol.

One of the coolest chronographs IMO is the vintage Citizen Bullhead 😍

Owned it for a short while, but had to make a hard decision and sold it again 😢

That’s a real beauty. I’ve had this one saved in my “watches to lust over but will likely never own” IG folder for some time. 

Seiko “Monaco” 7016, one of the first fly back chronographs with super funky 70s vibes

I do love that monopusher Cartier.  You might consider searching out a roadster if you're interested in the case shape.

They've not been made in a decade or so, so every version is used, but the prices aren't stupid ($3-4K for a 3 hander, 5-6K for chronos and GMTs) and there's a lot of little pretty modern things that are nice (tool-less strap changes, though within the cartier system, and screw links).

If I had to choose one:

Hanhart  417es after diving deep into Pilot's watches this one stood out being a niche watch and being under 2500 was a no brainier. 

My very close second and lost by 1% Bulova Lunar Pilot. I love the dial and history of the watch. 

You're a gentleman of course and wouldn't brag but I was super curious which of the many would make the cut.

Love that checkered flag!, nice composition by the way.

My Seiko Speedtimer solar, of course.

Here are my two.  Waterbury and the Co-Lab with Pan Am which is also a Waterbury

My Autavia, of course.  One of the first automatic chronographs ever available, it was a gift to me in 1978 and it is still in perfect working order.  I love my Seiko chronographs too, BTW...

I am not a chrono guy. For a second I thought I might be and bought a moonswatch, a Geckota racing chrono and a 1963 Seagull. They are the watches I wear least, but of the 3 the moonswatch takes it, and I figured out why...I like colors in complicated watches. Its why I could never get into Speedys or even panda chronos. 

Racing chronos I can get behind a bit more (hence Geckota). The only other one I can think of that excites me would be a A Lange Sohne Datograph and only because its high horology....so I wont be buying any chronos any time soon haha.

To be clear Im not hating on chronos, I still admire them, just dont have enough money and wrists so I have to prioritize.

Let's say in my previous watch collecting life before I sold nearly everything and took a long hiatus from the hobby, if there was an option to get a standard 3 hand version or chronograph version of a particular watch model, I'd get the chronograph version almost always.

That being said, I like your choice. I essentially have the same thing as the SBEC005. Love that chronograph. I have a trio of mechanical chronographs and this one included. A such, it's hard to pick a favorite between the three. They have some similarities, but more unique differences that make them have their own place but fit well as a family of 3. They also include a Sinn 103 Klassik 12 Limited Edition and a Farer Bernina Chronograph Sport.

If you are curious and have the time, I invite you to check out a video I made on my YouTube channel that compares and contrasts this chronograph trio. Link below.

https://youtu.be/RjTWKV2WSjU

I only own one chronograph so let me upload it here:

I currently own two quartz chronographs:

&

I also have the Studio Underd0g Watermel0n (Gen2) on order, which will be my first mechanical chronograph. 

So many to choose from. Loads of great options. But two favourites that haven't been mentioned.

1.  Universal Geneve Tri Compax 
2.  IWC Doppelchronograph

I own several chronographs, but this Seiko Time Sonar (7015-6010) is one of my favorites. 💚🤩🍊 On a bracelet from Nick #straphabit 👍

I have to say this one

(but it is my only chrono)

This is a CWC Quartz chronograph, which costs way more than it should for a quartz chronograph with mediocre water resistance (not rated, splash resistant). And yet it's probably one of my favourite watches. There's a quality to the CWC watches that's hard to quantify. They are clean, precise, minimal, and well made. The chronograph hand hits every marker dead on. The lume is decent but not great, but not bad. Before this watch I had tried and hated nato style straps but on this watch I don't have a choice (fixed bars) and, honestly, I wouldn't wear it on anything but a nato. It's the right strap for the watch. 

There are some stunningly beautiful auto chronographs out there, many depicted in this thread, but they are mostly too thick (for my taste) or prohibitively expensive to wear daily. And many of the meca quartz chronographs only time for one hour before stopping which, while many won't feel this way, is useless to me. I like the CWC because it does accumulated hours, and the minute hand is calibrated to 30 minutes per revolution, which is great for my aging eyes, and it has a date, too. This grouping of features, in a simple and clean design, and a "relatively affordable" package, is rare. And I'm glad I own one. This is a watch that I pondered longer than any other before buying, always wondering if I would like it and worried it might be a hard resale if I didn't like it, and even though I've only had it for about 10 months now, it's attained keeper status. 

Not the most expensive and yes it’s Quartz…. But it’s incredibly legible (many chronograph watches aren’t ’)  and the chances of seeing anyone else wearing one are pretty slim.

I am fairly basic in that I really do love the Speedy moon watch. Explaining why would lead me to write a ten page paper on its classic look, history, and iconic status. However, my Hamilton Chronograph H hits all those points and a few more and after owning it for a year I have to say I have never been happier with a watch. I know I already posted this image before on this site but Its the picture I think it still fantastic with the back drop of a car at my job!