This Affordable Italian Watch Checks All the Vintage Chronograph Boxes

HTD’s newest chronograph looks like it came straight from the 1970s golden age of auto racing watches.

close up of the dial on a steel chronograph watch

Published March 25, 2025

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Florentine watch startup HTD has only been around since 2020, but a succinct lineup of watches demonstrates that this is a brand to keep an eye on.

Currently, HTD only sells two collections, consisting of six total references. One is a tennis-themed collection of four simple, sporty steel three-hand watches with bright dial colors.

a steel chronograph watch laying on a table — The HTD Hesagraph Variante B introduced a 12-hour counter dial to the collection.

The other collection updates the Italian brand’s debut design, the Hesagraph chronograph. It consists of a reissue of the endearingly named Cannoli “panda dial” and a brand-new black dial design called the Variante B.

When designing the Hesagraph collection, HTD leaned heavily on the golden age of racing chronographs that took place during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The new Variante B uses the same case, bezel, pushers and crown as the original three references but now has a three-counter dial.

two steel chronographs laying next to each other — The new Hesagraph collection revives the Canolli (Right) and introduces the Variante B (Right).

The Variante B improves upon its predecessors by adding a 12-hour counter dial at six o’clock. All three sub-dials and the outer dial track have more complex deviations and a not-so-subtle resemblance to the Rolex Daytona.

A a need for speed

The Hesagraph Variante B is a 12-hour chronograph with a 30-minute counter dial at three o’clock. Every ten minutes is marked with a numeral, and five-minute intervals are marked with a red dot-capped dash.

A twelve-hour counter dial, placed at six o’clock, and a running seconds dial, placed at nine o’clock, have the same layout, only with different numerals.

The outside dial track for the chronograph seconds is broken down by fifths of a second, with an applied marker, red dash and lume dot placed every five seconds.

Both the hour hand and minute hand match previous Hesagraph references, with a straight bar, tapers a bit at the base and a point at the end, each inlaid with lume. The central chronograph hand on the Variante B has been updated to an arrow style with a lume inlay in the point.

the back of a steel chronograph watch — The screw-down steel case back holds a Selitta hand-wound mechanical movement.

A flat-topped raised sapphire crystal curves off around the end, creating a magnifying effect when the dial is viewed at tilted angles. It is framed by a polished stainless steel bezel that comes to a gentle point in the center with inside and outside slopes that play with the light.

Built for everyday wear

Considering that the Variante B is powered by a Sellita hand-would mechanical movement, it is surprisingly compact. The 39-millimeter case is only 12.4 millimeters thick.

a black dial steel chronograph watch on a man's wrist — The HTD Hesagraph is 39 millimeters wide and 12.4 millimeters thick.

The lugs are almost straight and gently slope from the broadest part of the case to a 20-millimeter opening, blending the case and bracelet into a streamlined silhouette. Combined with the size, this creates an overall refined look for a vintage-inspired chronograph.

the clasp of a steel watch bracelet on a man's wrist — The HTD logo is stamped on the three-piece clasp of the oyster-style stainless steel bracelet.

It comes on a three-link “oyster” style bracelet, optimizing the watch’e’s visual versatility. It closes with a squeeze-activated three-piece clasp and is delivered sized to the owner’s wrist based on a measurement given at the time of purchase.

The gear-style signed crown and piston-style pushers stick with the vintage auto-racing chronograph theme and are polished to blend with the case.

A steel chronograph with a black dial on a table — The Hesagraph Variante B has exceptional wearability.

HTD is a young brand in a crowded market, but the Variante B proves the Italian watchmaker has a bright future. The vintage-inspired chronograph uses simple shaping and polishing techniques to create exceptional wearability.

Aside from avoiding submerging it in water, this watch is one you will never have to and will never want to take off your wrist.

Availability and pricing

The HTD Hesagraph Variante B is available now from HTD for $1,677. Like the brand’s previous watch collections, it is a limited run that may not be reproduced after it sells out.