Chronographs are one of our favorite kinds of watches because they’re one of the only complications that feel active. You get to push buttons to activate the thing, and the function was a useful one in motor racing and aviation back when wristwatches were essential pieces of kit. Today you have a plethora of chronographs to choose from but almost all of them, even the cheapest ones, will set you back a couple grand, at least. But turn to the vintage market and you’ll find there are a plethora of them out there for under $1,500. Some can even be found well below a grand.
Seiko 6139-8020
What we like: Despite being one of the first automatic chronographs out there, the 6139 can still be picked up for a song and the movement is also known to be very robust. This 6139-8020 reference appears to be in great condition, and we love the contrasting blue sub-dial and yellow hands on the black dial.
From the seller: Original black dial, with a quite faint hint of patina, and original minute and hour hands, its lume shines. Original 40mm x 42mm stainless steel case. Chronograph pushers depress with a satisfying click, no stick, and reset as designed to zero with no issue.
