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TAG Heuer Formula 1 Quartz
Chronograph X Red Bull Racing Blue Dial Rubber Strap CAZ101AL 43mm (2024)
R28 999
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Omega Speedmaster Reduced
3510.50.00
R61 575
+ R8 493 for shipping
Longines Master Collection
Moonphase Chronograph
R35 909
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Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch
'Silver Snoopy Award'
R265 390
+ R4 225 for shipping
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Omega Speedmaster Reduced
3510.50.00
R48 836
+ R1 380 for shipping
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Hublot Big Bang 44 mm
Blue 44 Mm Full Set very good conditions
R232 949
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Omega Speedmaster Racing
White 'Panda' dial - Ref 326.30.40.50.04.001 - Complete set 01/2018
R59 006
+ R3 688 for shipping
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Rolex Daytona
2025 Rolex Daytona 126598RBOW
R7 467 924
+ R3 688 for shipping
Omega Flightmaster
Ref. 145.036 Vintage
R51 630
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TAG Heuer Monaco
CW2111
R53 061
+ R4 225 for shipping
Breitling Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph
Blue Dial S/Steel AB0127211C1A1 46mm (2019)
R83 999
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Breitling Bentley 6.75
A44364
R73 757
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
Rubberclad Extra Horus strap
R304 249
+ R4 610 for shipping
TAG Heuer Monaco
CW2111.FC6171
R42 500
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Rolex Daytona
6263 - Sigma Dial - 1973
R1 335 548
+ R4 225 for shipping
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
Ref.25940SK
R343 973
+ R7 432 for shipping
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Omega Speedmaster Racing
145.022-69 Racing
R1 348 288
+ R1 890 for shipping
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Hamilton Khaki X-Wind
AUTOMATIC / AVIATION
R19 003
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Rolex Daytona
Oysterflex 07/2022
R775 000
+ R8 493 for shipping
Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute
D22322
R77 445
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Breitling Chrono Cockpit
B30011
R31 849
+ R1 890 for shipping
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TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11
Chronograph Blue and White Dial S/Steel Black Leather Strap CAW211D-0 39mm (2015)
R74 999
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panzera Flieger 46 Chronograph Panzera Flieger 46C men's quartz chrono (model F46C-02)
R7 376
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Rolex Daytona
Full-Set / Neuwertig / Top Zustand
R677 329
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Rolex Daytona
Chocolate Dial
R912 992
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Rolex Daytona
116520
R382 192
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Breitling Airwolf
A78363
R34 900
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Hublot Big Bang 44 mm
2011 Big Bang Chronograph 44mm 301.PM.1780.RX Rose Gold Black Dial
R222 821
+ R7 376 for shipping
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Omega Speedmaster Reduced
Edelstahl / 18K Ref. DA 175.0033
R59 027
+ R5 308 for shipping
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Omega Speedmaster Day Date
3523.80.00
R43 464
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Chrono24 Buyer Protection

The Safest Path to Your Dream Watch

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Breitling Navitimer
Fighters
R59 006
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Franck Muller Conquistador
King Conquistador Chronograph | 8005 CC King | Black Dial
R97 671
+ R7 432 for shipping
Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33
Titanium Blue/Green Nato 45mm 318.92.45.79.03.001 (2022)
R74 999
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Omega Speedmaster
Co-Axial Chronometer 'Black Dial'
R92 363
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Rolex Daytona
Meteorite Dial 116509
R737 554
+ R2 766 for shipping
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Rolex Daytona
40mm Yellow Gold Black Paul Newman Index Dial Oysterflex (116518LN)
R783 671
+ R1 825 for shipping
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Breitling Avenger Bandit
Chronograph Titanium Gray Dial 45mm Box Papers
R78 367
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Iron Annie
Box no papers
R3 000
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TAG Heuer Carrera
Calibre Heuer 02 Chronograph Ceramic on Bracelet CBG2A10 - Complete set 2021
R59 006
+ R3 688 for shipping
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Rolex Daytona
Black Dial Two Tone 18k Gold and Steel 116523
R295 011
+ R2 747 for shipping
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Rolex Daytona
2020 Cosmograph Daytona "Ghost" 40mm 116509 White Gold Silver Dial
R775 521
+ R7 376 for shipping
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Rolex Daytona
Platinum 40mm Ice Blue Diamond Baguette Dial (116506)
R2 000 666
+ R1 825 for shipping
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16
Chronograph Blue Dial ref.CV2015
R25 999
+ R259 for shipping
Breitling Superocean Heritage
Chrono "Outerknown" Blue Chrono Dial Nato Strap 44mm M13313 (2024)
R79 999
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Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
5270/1R-001
R2 578 287
+ R5 699 for shipping
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Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
2024 New 5270P - Grand Complications Green Dial Platinum 41 mm
R3 024 048
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Rolex Daytona
Like New
R318 493
+ R8 493 for shipping
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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph
Ref. 49150 – Box &
R294 107
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Tissot
1853 Sapphire crystal
R9 600
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Rolex Daytona
16528 "Inverted 6" - Full Gold - Révision Rolex 2025
R742 089
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph
Green Dial - 50 Years
R1 082 877
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph
2023 Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41mm 26240BC Frosted White Gold Blue Dial
R2 364 879
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Rolex Daytona
116518LN
R708 840
+ R2 102 for shipping
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
2016 Box & Papers in Excellent Condition
R419 955
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Breitling Chronomat
Black Dial Gold/Steel Case Black Leather Strap B13050 39mm (1990s)
R22 999
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Omega Speedmaster Day Date
Ref. 3520.50.00 - Fullset from 1998 - New Service
R63 486
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Rolex Daytona
116520 Schwarz Stahl Automatik 2003
R381 979
+ R7 219 for shipping
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Rolex Daytona
126500LN White 2024 like new
R626 370
+ R12 740 for shipping
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Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch
310.30.42.50.01.002
R124 465
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Hublot Big Bang Unico
King Gold 44mm Ceramic
R462 612
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Chronographs: On the Button

Chronographs differentiate themselves from conventional three-hand watches by their stopwatch function. This type of watch has a unique, functional design characterized by subdials and push-pieces, which many buyers find attractive.

Chronograph Facts

  • The word "chronograph" comes from the Greek words "chronos" (time) and "graph" (an instrument that writes or records)
  • 1816: Louis Moinet invents a stopwatch that displays 1/60th of a second
  • 1913: Longines introduces a wristwatch with a stopwatch function powered by one push-piece
  • 1934: Breitling introduces the two push-piece chronograph
  • 1969: The first chronographs with automatic movements premiere

Sporty Stopwatches

Watches with a chronograph function are first and foremost sport watches. They were designed for use in sporting events. During track and field, swimming, or car racing competitions, events need to be accurately timed to determine a winner. The most modern technology takes care of this at the professional level, but it's still useful for amateurs to have a chronograph on hand for timing. Furthermore, this kind of watch is appealing to many buyers who simply appreciate a more technically-oriented timepiece. The chronograph isn't just limited to use in athletics, though; you could also use it to time while cooking to know when your pasta is al dente and ready to eat.

Some watch manufacturers have made a name for themselves with their efforts in developing chronographs, such as Breitling or TAG Heuer. Breitling is responsible for the typical design of modern chronographs. In 1934, the company introduced a watch with a chronograph function and push-pieces above and below the crown. The layout was successful and quickly spread to other manufacturers.

You begin timing by pressing the push-piece above the crown. When you push it a second time, it stops. If necessary, you can push it a third time to start it again. You can set the stopwatch back to zero by pressing the push-piece under the crown. Almost all modern mechanical chronographs function in this way.

The hands of a chronograph are organized according to a certain pattern. The largest difference between a chronograph and a conventional three-hand watch is that chronographs generally lack a central second hand. A chronograph's large second hand usually rests at 12 o'clock. When you push the top push-piece, it starts moving, timing seconds. Once you're done, you press the bottom push-piece to set the second hand back to zero. The second hand that is constantly in motion, known as the small seconds, is located on a subdial elsewhere on the chronograph.

Most chronographs feature the small seconds subdial at the nine o'clock position. Another subdial at 12 o'clock, the 30-minute counter, keeps track of timed intervals up to 30 minutes. Yet another subdial at six o'clock, the 12-hour counter, records even longer intervals up to 12 hours. The date display is located at three o'clock. Most watches with this dial layout and these timing functions are powered by chronograph calibers, such as the Valjoux 7750 from the world's largest ébauche manufacturer, ETA. Chronographs powered by other movements often have a layout of subdials at three, six, and nine o'clock. This V-shaped design is called Tricompax.

The Valjoux 7750 powers several chronographs from prominent manufacturers, such as the diving watch Longines Hydroconquest and the pilot's watch Sinn 103. Breitling, Hamilton, and Tissot also use this automatic movement in various models. It premiered in 1973, but wasn't an instant success. It first became popular after the Quartz Crisis was resolved. Since then, the Valjoux 7750 has been used in millions of watches. It's affordable to produce and runs reliably at 28,800 alternations per hour (A/h). Moreover, it's certified precise by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). Its power reserve lasts around 44 hours. There are many variants of the 7750, such as a manual version or ones with complications such as a moon phase indicator or a flyback chronograph. Due to its precision, the caliber is able to measure 1/8th of a second.

The El Primero from Zenith beats even faster. At 36,000 A/h, it can measure 1/10th of a second. Zenith introduced this famous high-frequency caliber in 1969. In the same year, Calibre 11 was released as the result of a collaboration between Heuer, Breitling, Büren, and Dubois-Dépraz. The movement powered the first Monaco from Heuer and ran at 19,800 A/h. This allowed the watch to measure 1/5th of a second. The Japanese company Seiko released their caliber 6139 around the same time. Together, these calibers made 1969 a milestone year in watchmaking history. Today, it's still debated which automatic chronograph caliber can be considered the first.

Buying Advice

Do you need a stopwatch every now and again? Look no further than a chronograph. Watches with this extra feature are available in almost every price range. These "time recorders" - a literal translation of chronograph - have technical appeal. They're predominantly men's watches, as the Valjoux 7750 caliber is quite large and not suitable for a classic women's watch.

Generally, chronographs powered by the reliable Valjoux 7750 caliber are less expensive than watches with rarer or in-house movements. These watches start around 1,000 euros. Even more affordable are chronographs powered by quartz movements. They're available in the three figure range from brands like Citizen. Some quartz chronographs are more expensive, however, such as the Breitling Superocean Chronograph M2000, which runs between 3,000 and 4,000 euros. This diving watch is waterproof to 2,000 m and its patented push-pieces can even be used underwater. Manufacturers strongly advise against using the timing function of a mechanical chronograph underwater.

For a little less than 3,500 euros, you can get one of the most famous chronographs in mint condition: the legendary Moonwatch, Omega's Speedmaster Professional. In July 1969, it became the first wristwatch on the Moon. The Apollo 13 astronauts also used this watch to perform a course correction of 14 seconds, helping them safely return their damaged spacecraft to Earth in April 1970.

No less famous is the Rolex Daytona, named for the race track in Daytona Beach, Florida. Race car drivers received these watches as victory trophies for the first time in the 1960s. A stainless steel Daytona in very good condition costs a little under 10,000 euros. A new gold model costs over 20,000 euros. A platinum version with diamonds can raise the price tag to over 100,000 euros.

Do you prefer a square watch? The square TAG Heuer Monaco made its film debut on the wrist of Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Le Mans. Since then, it's been competing with the Daytona for the reputation of the best racing watch. You can buy a new Monaco Calibre 11 for 3,500 - 4,000 euros. More TAG Heuer chronographs are available in their Carrera series.

The Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Daytona, and TAG Heuer Monaco were all designed as timepieces for the race track. If you prefer a pilot's chronograph, then the Breitling Navitimer is a good choice. It goes one step further: in addition to the stopwatch function, it has a slide rule which you can use to do basic calculations. You should be prepared to spend around 5,000 euros on a new stainless steel Navitimer. Another pilot's chronograph is the IWC Double Chronograph, which starts around 9,000 euros.

Rattrapante, Flyback, and Scales

You can use a double chronograph, such as the one from IWC, to measure two separate events of different lengths. This type of chronograph is easily recognizable by its third push-piece, which controls an additional second hand. Normally, this extra hand runs with the normal chronograph second hand. However, when you push the push-piece, it stops, while the other second hand keeps running. Push the push-piece again and both hands are reset to zero. This complication is also known as a rattrapante or split-seconds chronograph.

Another modification to the usual stopwatch function is the flyback chronograph. You can start, reset, and restart timing with just one push. Usual chronographs require you to push a button three times. The flyback chronograph has its origins in military aviation. If pilots have to make multiple course changes within a fixed amount of seconds, then the process of pressing a button three times is too slow.

Many chronographs are also equipped with a tachymeter scale. It's usually found on a fixed bezel and allows you to calculate kilometers per hour. For example, say you drive 1 kilometer. You start the chronograph function as you begin driving and stop it once you've driven a kilometer. The chronograph second hand will be pointing to a number on the tachymeter scale, signaling the speed in km/h.

Less frequently, you'll find a chronograph with a telemeter scale, a complication which calculates the distance to an event which can be both seen and heard. For instance, if it's stormy and you see lightning, you can time the interval between the lightning and thunder. When you stop timing, the second hand will be pointing to the distance of the storm on the scale. So, if there was an interval of 12 seconds between the lightning and thunder, then the storm is four kilometers away. This can be useful in the military for determining how far away enemy cannons are by timing the interval between when the cannon explosion is seen and when it is heard. Thirty-nine seconds, for example, means a distance of 13 kilometers.