As those who have completely immersed themselves in the perpetual hunt for interesting vintage chronographs will be quick to tell you, they don’t make them like they used to. And they’re not entirely wrong. Take a look at most older chronographs — pieces ranging from simple and common Valjoux 7733 equipped watches, all the way to those bearing the rare and mechanically advanced 13ZN, just have far more character about them in comparison to the majority of modern chronograph offerings. Though this doesn’t necessarily mean that the pursuit of the great, regular production chronograph has ended. In addition to the number of innovative haute horology chronograph pieces, there are a select few watches available commonly on the secondhand market that fill the chronograph void in a collection with finesse and style, and for under $5,000. Let’s now take a look at a few attractive examples in our latest Face Off.
Omega Speedmaster ’57 Co-Axial
Omega’s Speedmaster Professional is generally seen as one of the best chronograph values around, but if in search of something with a bit more personality, the Speedmaster ’57 Co-Axial in blue does the trick nicely. First introduced at Baselworld in 2013, this new model in the Speedmaster line was the first to offer the Cal. 9300 movement in a case smaller than 44mm, which definitely got a good number of people excited. This was a notable release under the brand’s new in-house focus, and in this color, it looks remarkably good. What’s more, it features a greatly sophisticated movement, with a silicon balance spring, co-axial escapement, and column wheel.
It’s not uncommon to see lightly used examples of this reference (331.10.42.51.03.001) being sold for just under the $5000 mark, and that’s something to take note of. Additionally, you could say that the blue and red color scheme of this watch is comparable to that of specific “exotic” dial Compax’s of the late 1960’s, and that its overall look, while sporty, is also greatly refined.
Zenith El Primero Chrono Master Moonphase
Photo courtesy of European Watch Company
In the early 2000s, Zenith was producing a watch called the Chrono Master Moonphase, which was a model in the El Primero range. With the legendary chronograph movement, this watch featured a triple date function alongside a moonphase – a classic combination that countless brands have interpreted for decades now. These watches were cased in a very smart looking 40mm case, in either steel or gold, that boasted both stepped lugs and a stepped bezel. Clean. Timeless. Adequately complicated.
Even though this watch truly brings a lot to the table, they can be had relatively reasonably for somewhere in the range of $3,000-$5,000. If the classic style of the great watches of the 20th century appeal to you, though the ease of a modern watch does as well, this watch might be the perfect patch. These chronographs also tend to look terrific when paired with a more casual strap pairing. Think unlined Shell Cordovan or a minimal-stitched suede.
Seiko Cal. 8R48 Chronographs
This last family of watches really does prove that there are still interesting and accessible modern chronographs being made, seeing as they’re priced around and under the $2,000 mark. These are the mechanical chronographs currently sold by Seiko in Japan, and they use a basic though well-made, in-house, vertical clutch and column wheel chronograph movement known as the Cal. 8R48.
While most of these watches are reserved the Japanese market, it’s still not impossible to get a hold of one if you really want, and it’s not hard to see why you would. For the money, these are very well-made watches. Also, in case you didn’t hear, a limited edition chronograph from Seiko that makes use of this movement was announced at Baselworld this year, at just €2,500 for an enamel dial version, and it’s a handsome looking watch.
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