The earliest chronograph dates back to the 19th century. The story goes that it was invented at the behest of King Louis XVIII, who wanted to know the duration of the horse races he enjoyed watching. That chronograph was a clockwork mechanism in a box, connected to a pen that marked down elapsed time. Fast-forward to the 20th century: the chronograph’s stopwatch-like function was miniaturized and put into wristwatches for use by pilots, race car drivers and eventually astronauts.
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With modern digital timing systems, chronograph watches are complete frivolities today — at its most useful, one would do in a pinch as an egg timer. But for watch nerds, they’re a must-have. They’re a complex, purposeful piece of engineering and design, and their 20th-century associations with derring-do only increase their allure. If you’ve decided you want to take the plunge, these seven are some of the finest mechanical chronographs you can find on sale today.
Baltic Bi-Compax 002
CourtesyWe’ve been waxing poetic about this watch since the first version came out in 2017, so we’ll spare you all the superlatives. Suffice it to say that for the money, this is one of the coolest mechanical watches in the world. Perfectly sized at 38mm and available in several colors, the Bi-Compax 002 distills 1940s and 1950s watchmaking aesthetics down to their essence, giving you a vintage throwback that doesn’t necessarily call to mind any particular model. It’s a lot harder to do than it sounds.
Diameter: 38mm
