How to Choose the Right Chronograph! 8 Recommended Models

I often hear people ask, "What is a chronograph?"

There are many luxury watches with chronographs, but many people just accept it as part of the design and don't care about how they are used.

So, in this article, we will introduce you to chronographs, which will make looking at watches more enjoyable once you know about them .

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What is a chronograph?

There are many people who don't understand the technical term chronograph. Some people even say, "I looked it up, but I still didn't really understand it."

Simply put, a chronograph is a stopwatch . You might think, "Well, why not just call it a stopwatch from the start?" but there is actually a definition for a chronograph .

"It must be a pocket watch or wristwatch that has a stopwatch function and uses the same power source as the clock function."

This is why it's called a chronograph.

The most popular type of chronograph is the three-circle type.

On the right is the "30-minute counter." This is the scale that shows how many revolutions the chronograph hand has made.
On the left is the "12-hour counter." This is the scale that shows how many revolutions the 30-minute counter has made.
The one below is the "small second." Although it has a different name, it is a second hand.

The difference between a chronograph watch and a regular watch is that the small second hand acts as the second hand , and the hand that looks like a regular second hand is called the "chronograph hand." This chronograph hand can be used to perform various measurements.

However, please note that the placement of these three buttons is not fixed and will vary depending on the brand and model.

How to Choose the Right Chronograph

If you become adept at using a chronograph, it may come in handy in an emergency.

It's worth learning how to choose a chronograph so that you don't end up regretting it when you learn more about chronographs.

So let's take a look.

Choose between vertical and horizontal

There are two types of chronograph watches: vertical and horizontal.

Vertical chronograph

This is a vertically aligned chronograph. Because it is engraved vertically, the impression of the design is that the chronograph is emphasized more than the watch itself when you look at the watch.

Sideways Chronograph

Here are the chronographs lined up side by side. Most chronograph watches have this design. It draws your eye to the watch and gives the impression of being well-balanced, with the chronograph being part of the design.

This is not to say that horizontal or vertical is better than the other, but when you look at them like this, you might feel that they give off a slightly different impression .

There are more horizontal grains and fewer vertical grains, so it may be a good idea to first decide which type of chronograph to choose.

Choose by chronograph meter type

There are actually several types of chronographs, each of which determines what they measure.

First, there is the "tachymeter" which measures speed . With a tachymeter, it is possible to measure average speed using the numbers engraved on the bezel and the chronograph hand. The tachymeter is the most popular function used in many brand watches.

Next is the "telemeter." This may not be of much use, but during wartime, it was used to measure the time between seeing the light of a cannon and hearing the sound , and then use the difference in the speed of light and sound to measure the distance from the source of the shot .

Nowadays, an interesting use for it would be to measure the time lag between the light and sound of fireworks and use that to determine distance.

Next, there is a "pulse meter" that measures your pulse rate . After starting the chronograph, press the stop button when the reference number of beats has been measured. Then, by looking at the chronograph hand, you can measure the number of pulse beats per minute. Models that are equipped with this function often have the name of the pulse meter written in the model name, such as chronograph pulse meter, so you can easily recognize it.

By the way , the Franck Muller Double Face Chronograph in the image is an unusual model that has a tachymeter, telemeter, and pulse meter displayed on the back .

There are also other instruments such as a "decimal meter" that is installed in pilot watches and can perform navigation calculations , and an "asmometer" that can measure breathing rate .

However, these two features are rarely found in any other brands these days, so it may be difficult to find them .

If you want to know how to use a chronograph , it is best to ask an expert, such as an authorized retailer with specialized knowledge or an appraiser who is well-versed in all types of watches .

The reality is that many salespeople who sell watches do not have detailed knowledge of how to use a chronograph.

Commit Ginza has an appraiser on-site, so if you would like to master the use of chronographs, please feel free to consult us.

Choose a design that suits your occasion

While there's nothing out of the ordinary about having a chronograph, watches with chronographs can come across as a bit casual , so the best thing to do is try one on and see for yourself if it suits you.

Another option is to have a store clerk who is knowledgeable about watches check whether the watch is suitable for the occasion . Even if you are knowledgeable about watches, it is difficult to notice that the watch is not suitable for the occasion, so it is best to have a store clerk with high expertise check it before purchasing.

Choose something with high asset value

When choosing a watch, it is better to choose one that will not lose value for a long time . The good thing about luxury watches is that they can be sold without losing much of their value from the list price . Of course, not just any watch will do, so you need to choose a watch model that will not lose its value .

Official stores won't tell you this information, so it's a good idea to consult an appraiser who is familiar with the second-hand market .

8 Recommended Chronograph Brands

I hope that the explanation so far has given you some understanding of what a chronograph is.

From here, we will introduce recommended brands that have actual chronographs, along with their chronograph models.

Rolex

Rolex is the most well-known brand in Japan. Not only does it command high status, but its manufacturing technology is also impeccable.

The Rolex Daytona El Primero black dial N number in the image is a type with a tachymeter . You can measure speed using the numbers engraved on the bezel.

Breitling

Breitling is the brand that developed the world's first chronograph wristwatch .

The Breitling Montbrillant in the picture has a red circle engraved in the center of the dial. This is a decimal meter that can be used for navigation calculations .

At that time, pilots did not have control towers or radars, so they used this to calculate fuel consumption and speed while flying. It's a function that many people don't need, but it's romantic to think that it was an essential part of the skies of the past.

Seiko

Seiko is one of Japan's top luxury watch brands. It is a brand that has made a major contribution to the watch industry by developing the world's first quartz watch, which became the standard for the "Seiko system."

The chronograph in the image is a simple one equipped with a vertical chronograph .

Audemars Piguet

It is a luxury brand that produced the iconic dress watch, the Royal Oak, and is known for being the first in the world to use stainless steel, a material that is now popular.

The Royal Oak was the first dress watch that could also be used as a sports watch, and it sparked the subsequent popularity of sports watches.

The model in the image has a striking cigar brown "Mega Tapisserie" pattern dial and a tachymeter on the chronograph. The vertical light blue chronograph is a unique design that is very impressive.

This is a watch that is typical of Audemars Piguet, breaking away from conventional wisdom.

Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe is a brand that is recognized worldwide as having the highest status in the world . Its elegant design is unique to Patek Philippe. Patek Philippe watches with chronographs are rare. As a result, Patek Philippe watches with chronographs are very popular.

The model in the image, the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chrono Split, is equipped with the fully in-house developed chronograph hand-wound caliber "Cal. CHR 29-535 PS Q".

This is a chronograph equipped with a perpetual calendar, which is technically very difficult to achieve. This is a wonderful device that does not require permanent date adjustment because the usual 12-hour counter is used as the date and it also calculates the last day of the month and leap years.

This is a watch that only Patek Philippe, a company renowned for its technology, can offer.

Tudor

Tudor is a Rolex derivative brand that arrived in Japan in October 2018. Tudor, which is positioned as a younger brother of Rolex and pursues its own unique path that Rolex cannot, is now rapidly gaining popularity in Japan.

The Chrono Time in the image has a vertical dial, a date display, and a tachymeter on the bezel, and the red painted chronograph hands on the black dial are a nice accent. Tudor is a brand that has a relatively large number of vertical chronographs .

Panerai

Panerai had a close relationship with the Italian Air Force and originally supplied military instruments and watches. Therefore, their watches are characterized by their extremely high visibility and durability, as befits military use. In particular, their inventions such as Radiomir and Luminor, which emit light at night, were so innovative that they were patented.

The Panerai Luminor Chrono El Primero shown in the image is a regular version of a limited edition model released in 1999. The Luminor, which has a strong rugged impression, was also a hot topic among Luminor fans when it was equipped with a chronograph and tachymeter .

IWC

IWC is a brand that has a reputation for producing highly accurate Swiss watches . It is said that only watch enthusiasts buy IWC because of its high quality, track record, and reputation.

The IWC GST Chrono Rattrapante in the image is a model that can be said to be the prototype of IWC's top-line Aquatimer. It also features two chronograph second hands that are colored red and blue.

summary

In this article, we introduced chronographs, how to choose one, and recommended brands.

Simply put, a chronograph is a "stopwatch" function .
However, as we have seen, there are many meters that can be used to measure a variety of things other than time.

• The tachymeter that measures speed
• A telemeter that calculates distance from the time lag between light and sound
• A pulse meter that measures beats per minute
• Decimal meter for aviation calculations
• Asthmometer that measures the number of breaths per minute

Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a chronograph watch:

• Select by meter type
• Choose vertical or horizontal
• Choose something with high asset value
• Choose a design that suits your occasion

We have introduced seven recommended brands and their models equipped with chronographs.

• Rolex Daytona El Primero Black Dial N Series
• Breitling Montbrillant
• Grand Seiko Spring Drive Master Shop Limited Edition
• Tudor Chronotime
• Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ChronoSplit
• Panerai Luminor Chrono El Primero
• IWC GST Chrono Rattrapante (IWC)

Chronograph watches are not only stylish in design, but if you learn a little about their meaning and how to use them, you will grow to love them even more.

We hope you find the chronograph watch that's perfect for you.

Of course, if you can't decide what kind of chronograph watch is best just by looking at it, please feel free to consult with Commit Ginza, where we have appraisers on-site.

Thank you for reading.

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