Through The Scope: Chronographs They Don’t Tell You About

For a watch enthusiast, there is nothing that beats a well built and precise chronograph. You can put all the tourbillons or perpetual calendars on the table, but nothing and I mean nothing can compare to the grandiose of a neat and well-groomed chronograph timepiece. The chronograph has always been like a rite of passage for modern horologists. You need one to call yourself a watchmaker. Today, it is ‘the’ most popular watch complication in the world. Truth be told, it is much more than a complication. The chronograph has become a separate genre in itself.

The Most Fascinating Modern Chronographs

There is a certain charm about the intricacies of a chronograph. Simply pressing the pushers of a stopwatch can often be the most enjoyable experience. Perhaps only a watch enthusiast would understand the true joy of seeing the seconds hand take note of time and then fly right back to the starting point with the click of a single pusher. That being said, in this blog, I will be choosing three of the most interesting and atypical chronographs that the modern watch industry has witnessed and yet doesn’t talk much about. First off, A. Lange & Sohne.

A. Lange & Sohne Datograph Up/Down

The watch was first released in 1999 and then updated again in 2012. The flyback chronograph is hands down one of the most impressive timepieces in this category. The timepiece also features a jumping minutes display, an oversized date display and two sub-dials positioned in a very unique fashion. At 6 o’clock you can see the mini power reserve indicator. Now, if you turn the watch over you can gaze upon the magnificence of the movement through a see-through case back. The movement used in this timepiece is a manually wound Cal. L951.6. Consisting of more than 400 parts, the movement constitutes of a column wheel, German silver bridges, a horizontal clutch, a swan neck regulator, and gold chatons pinned by blue screws.

If none of that technical jargon is really your field of expertise, you might be interested in the 41 mm platinum case, the 30-meter water resistance, and the uber-cool leather strap.

IWC Portugieser Chronograph

The Schaffhausen based watchmaker has a really long-running history with quality mechanical watches and the IWC Portugieser Chronograph does nothing but solidify that bond. The Portugieser Chronograph, originally launched as the ‘Portuguese’ Chronograph is actually pretty young compared to its counterparts. The neat and clean design language, the intricate mechanical work, and the globally famed Swiss precision all come together to make this timepiece a masterstroke from IWC. The timepiece offers a 40.9 mm wide case, an ETA/Valjoux 7750 automatic mechanical movement, and a sleek aesthetic that makes it one of the classiest chronographs ever made.

The white dial is as simplistic as it can possibly get. The feuille style hands are an elegant addition to the watch and the Arabic numeral hour markers are nothing short of classy. IWC Schaffhausen badging has been done at the 3 o’clock mark while the terms ‘Chronograph Automatic’ can be seen at the 9 o’clock mark. Furthermore, two sub-dials are located at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock. Lastly, the blue leather strap is a touch of finesse as it marvellously complements the overall appearance of the watch.

Breguet Type XX Aeronavale 3800ST

The relationship between Breguet and aviation is an old one. After the Second World War in the 1950s, the aviation division of the French Navy, the Aeronavale commissioned various watchmakers to manufacture a ‘type 20’ pilots’ chronograph watch, which included Breguet. For those who do not know, Type 20 pilots’ watches were an essential part of the cockpit culture. These watches had to be big and legible, they needed to have power reserves of over 35 hours, and they needed to be accurate to up to 8 seconds per day. It was not before the 1990s that the Type XX series came into existence. This was a time when Breguet introduced an automatic chronograph with a flyback function. One of these references in the 3800ST Aeronavale. The timepiece is truly a spectacle to watch. It has no date and measures at 39 mm in width. The stainless steel case, on the other hand, features a 0 – 60 rotating bezel along with a screw-down crown. The dial is black in colour and has Arabic numeral hour markers with luminescence. As far as the movement is concerned, Breguet chose the Cal. 582, a movement closely based on the Lemania 1350.

Some worthy mentions that could not make the cut for this blog were the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, and the Breitling Navitimer 08.