Chronograph Watches · Page 4

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Victorin Piguet Split-Second Wristwatch

In our first addendum to our Reference Points video and story on Patek Philippe split-second wristwatches, we looked at Patek Philippe split-second pocket watches and the brand's relationship with its supplier, Victorin Piguet. Switzerland has (and continues to have) the most robust supplier marketplace for everything from complex movements to dials and cases. In the warmer months of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, it was easy enough to just send someone on a short journey to the Vallée de Joux with a letter requesting a movement or other parts and receive one a short time later. These établisseurs all had their own specialties, but few were as important as Victorin Piguet. I'd argue it was far more unusual for Victorin Piguet not to be involved in a watch (such as their absence from the La Grosse Pièce project for Audemars Piguet) than to see their name on supplier lists. So what was their impact on wristwatches? In our video, we focused solely on serially produced models (and even then, there were a few we couldn't get our hands on), all of which started after Patek shifted its production more in-house. One thing we didn't discuss, however, was the history of the brand's first split-seconds wristwatches, which used a Victorin Piguet ébauche. It's no understatement that these watches are among the most important in Patek Philippe's history and among the most coveted for vintage-focused Patek collectors. One-off, bespoke pieces, these watches don't exactly fit...

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Pocket Watch

Just last week, we published a Reference Points video on the Patek Philippe split-seconds wristwatch. The complication itself—a.k.a. the rattrapante—is incredibly important in the brand's history, forming the backbone for some of its greatest and most coveted watches of all time. However, you can't talk about the history of the split without understanding Patek's pocket watches. It's a story that eventually led to one of the brand's most meaningful relationships with a supplier that helped it grow into a powerhouse, a relationship that would last over a century. Instead of going deep in the weeds on pocket watches in our main Reference Points, we're spinning it off into this secondary article—an addendum of sorts—for those who want a bit more background. The story won't be exhaustive; Patek continued to make split-second pocket watches long after they began making the same complication in wristwatch form, and some such watches deserve (and have had) their own standalone stories. There are also many different versions because Patek, at the time, didn't make things in batches the way they would starting in the 1930s. You could probably write 20,000 words on these pocket watches, but rather than go that deep, here's an overview of Patek's split-seconds pocket watches, with a focus on Victorin Piguet's movements. Understanding Patek's History of Split-Seconds Pocket Watches (1878 to 1970s) and the Importance of Victorin Piguet If you read the first part of our story, y...

Faux-tina or no-tina? Andrew and Justin dive deep into the Omega Speedmaster FOIS

Every Omega Speedmaster collector knows the Moonwatch. But what about the watch that started it all?

Introducing - Platinum Editions of the Parmigiani Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, Minute Rattrapante and Chronographe Mystérieux

Parmigiani Fleurier marks its thirty years of independent watchmaking with a platinum trilogy of mechanically sophisticated models that offer on-demand complications. Reflecting the collection’s spirit of understated elegance, the complications appear almost magically when required and then disappear to restore the dial’s visual purity. Crafted from head to toe in luxurious 950 platinum, the trilogy […]

Introducing - Union Glashütte Averin Chronograph Limited Edition Sachsen Classic 2026

For several years, Union Glashütte has celebrated its partnership with the Sachsen Classic historic rally through annual limited editions based on the retro-styled Noramis Chronograph. For the 23rd edition of the Sachsen Classic, taking place on 14 and 15 August 2026, the German manufacture shifts the spotlight to the Averin Chronograph, whose angular, assertive square […]

Seeing James Cameron’s Historic Rolex Deepsea Challenge Up Close

I have seen a lot of significant Rolex pieces over the years, from steel Daytonas to military-issued Submariners and GMT-Masters that have literally flown around the globe (thank you, Cliff Tait). Now, I’ve also been lucky enough to see a Deepsea that went to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. I love museums, and the […] Visit Seeing James Cameron’s Historic Rolex Deepsea Challenge Up Close to read the full article.

Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 Vs. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time for a cup of coffee and a battle between two watches to start your day. For this week’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we have picked two chronographs from sister brands. Daan picked the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee.” This smaller version of the Black Bay Chrono gained […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 Vs. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona to read the full article.

A Universal Genève Unisonic Sub, A Longines Comet, A Vintage Seamaster And The Most Beautiful Chronograph Ever Made

Happy Friday, everyone, and I hope you're all staying busy during summer's dog days, perhaps seeing The Odyssey or reading about Milsubs (please note I'm including that not because I have any dog in that fight, just found it interesting). Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Hermès Caleche sold, the Angelus chronograph passed, the Rolex GMT Master II SARU remains available, as does the Bulova White Princ. The Goldberger collection auctions tomorrow. Strays Photo courtesy Weiss Auctions. If you're into impossible projects, here's a decent-looking Heuer 3647T that's missing its outer seconds track. If you know your Carreras, you know that track's actually a tension ring, and you likely also know it's gonna be quite a search indeed to find another, but here at BAL, we scoff at impossible projects. If you'd prefer to chase your own vintage Tudor Ranger rather than buy one of the ones highlighted two weeks back, have at it. For the completist who'd like every last horological oddity, I present this Pigeon Timer. I'm including this Movado M90 not because it's without flaw, but because it's already been bid up to $3750 at the time of writing, which seems high for what's likely mostly a parts watch (that dial can't be original, right?). Please, experts,  weigh in in the comments. Finally, here's a wonderful Omega Ranchero. A few weeks back I highlighted an Omega Railmaster (there's another of those up this week, too). I'm highlighting each of them simply because they're so often...

Introducing - The Square by Square Prototype: a Rare Expression of Hanhart Design

Hanhart has built its reputation on chronographs and instrument watches, with bold pilot-inspired designs synonymous with the German brand. The Square by Square is a different story. Conceived by Munich-based designer Marcus Wiedemann of Studio Supercreative, with whom the brand collaborated on the CXD NFT Watch, and made for the 2025 Dubai Watch Week x […]

Six Decades Beyond Earth: Omega Speedmaster

The Top 5 Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch Models

It’s been a little over four years since Swatch and Omega surprised us with the MoonSwatch. The hype was tremendous after the official announcement that the two brands would release a series of Bioceramic watches inspired by the iconic Speedmaster. Four years later, the hype might have died down somewhat, but people are still interested […] Visit The Top 5 Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch Models to read the full article.

The Best Watches for Summer 2026

As Swiss watchmakers prepare for their summer holidays, we’re taking a look at some of the best beach-ready watches released in the first half of 2026. While the definition of a “summer watch” is subjective, the best examples tend to be robust, comfortable, and colourful, with enough personality to work well with short sleeves. We round up the most promising candidates of the year, spanning nearly all price categories. Under US$5,000 Seiko is a perennial favourite when it comes to value-oriented watchmaking, and so it’s no surprise that the brand has more than one candidate in the entry level pricing tier. First up is the Seiko 5 Sports HUF Limited Edition, a collaboration with the American streetwear brand founded by the late professional skateboarder Keith Hufnagel. But the appeal of the translucent green dial — which reveals parts of the day and date mechanism below — is obvious even if you plan to summer at the beach rather than the skate park. The look is inspired by Seiko’s Time Sonar flyback chronographs of the 1970s, though the new watch is a conventional three-hander powered by the cal. 4R36. It is robust enough for almost anything one might reasonably do on holiday, and cheap enough — just US$400 — that its owner can actually relax while wearing it. The ‘Seiko summer’ theme continues with the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch HBF001, the latest evolution of the brand’s no-nonsense diver, now upgraded in nearly every ...

The Seiko Star Time: A 1 of 1 Masterpiece Built to Track One Million Hours

When a watch brand celebrates a milestone with a high-profile ambassador, we usually know exactly what to expect: a limited-edition colorway, a signed caseback, and a predictable marketing campaign. But to celebrate 10 years with Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, Seiko threw out the playbook entirely. They didn’t just design a new dial. They spent three years engineering a completely bespoke, 1-of-1 mechanical marvel called the Seiko Star Time. The Inspiration: Shohei Ohtani’s Existential Question The Star Time wasn’t built for a catalog; it was built for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.   To mark Ohtani’s 10th anniversary as a Seiko brand ambassador, the company set out to build a true piece unique. The concept was sparked by a philosophical question Ohtani himself asked: “How much time do I have left in my baseball career?”   Instead of a traditional chronograph that measures elapsed seconds, Seiko spent three years developing a watch that tracks the steady, relentless accumulation of time.  How Do You Count to a Million? It uses a newly architected in house movement to drive a highly unusual display of five concentric rotating discs. As the discs rotate, the numbers pass beneath a red line on the inner surface of the heavily domed sapphire crystal.  One million hours equates to just over 114 years of continuous tracking. The outer discs move so slowly that their motion is entirely imperceptible to the naked eye. Seiko design...

Reference Points: The Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Wristwatch

You could make the argument that, among all brands, models, and complications, the Patek Philippe split-seconds wristwatch is one of the most overlooked, underappreciated, and least understood in any catalog. "That's because no one ever sees them," said Ben, when I made that very argument in the office recently. True. It's hard to call a watch underappreciated when the entry point for buying one is in the low six figures. But let me explain. The Patek Philippe ref. 5373. Think about this: the first chronograph wristwatch Patek ever made was a split-seconds. The first. Oh, and it was the first made by any brand. And while people are clamoring for perpetual calendar references like the 2497, 3448, and 3940, Patek has made at least 44 different perpetual calendar wristwatch models over the years (not counting different case materials, gems, or the 3971). How many serially-produced split-seconds references? Well, about 12 or 13, depending on how you count them.  It wasn't until recently that the reference 5004—the first modern serially produced perpetual calendar split-second watch from Patek—began to receive its due at auction, and it finally broke a 13-year-old record for the reference. A 1436, the first serially produced rattrapante, can still be had for less than an F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu. That, frankly, is ridiculous. They're rare birds, and it's all the more impressive that we have nine of them on the table today, all from the same owner. The Patek Philippe r...

Breitling Goes Back to Its Racing Roots with Three New Top Time Models Celebrating the Iconic Aston Martin DB5

Breitling is no stranger to a racing inspired watch. Its history with the sport traces back to the debut of its Top Time collection back in 1964. Over the years the brand has most notably worked with Bentley Motors to create automotive-inspired wristwatches and dashboard-style clocks. In addition, we’ve seen Breitling commemorate several iconic models through its Top Time Classic Cars line, like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and Shelby Cobra. Earlier this year, Breitling made a pivot, announcing it was teaming up with Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team as the official watch partner. The duo’s first timepiece was the limited-edition Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 with a titanium case, carbon-fiber dial, and Aston Martin racing green accents. Now, we get another edition as Breitling gets back to its original racing roots with three new Top Time models that pay tribute to the Aston Martin DB5. The DB5 hailed from the same era as the original Top Time and was first introduced by Aston Martin in 1963. The model became one of the most iconic cars to grace the silver screen, namely films in the James Bond franchise, and cemented the luxury carmaker’s place in both automotive and pop culture history. Today, the two brands bring this spirit of the 60s into the modern era with the new Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5 in a trio of limited editions. The details of the new designs marry the codes of both makers with both tactile...

Hands-on - All the new Dials for the Rolex Datejust in 2026, and There’s Much More than the Green Ombré

For 2026, Rolex had a pretty big year at Watches and Wonders Geneva. There was, of course, the much-debated high-end Rolesium and enamel Daytona, the revamped Yacht-Master II, or a new gold alloy named Jubilee gold for the Day-Date. Then, the Crown publicly showed the special edition steel and gold Oyster Perpetual 100th Anniversary. You thought […]

Hands On: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux

Parmigiani Fleurier (PF) continues its exploration of “mysterious complications” with the Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux, a fully functional and surprisingly legible chronograph that is indistinguishable from a normal three-hand watch — until it isn’t. Pressing the conveniently placed chronograph monopusher summons a chronograph on demand, fully equipped with central minutes and hour totalisers, which disappears just as easily. Despite being one of the most ambitious chronographs on the market, it is priced relatively accessibly, at least in steel. Initial thoughts At first glance, the Chronographe Mystérieux is nearly indistinguishable from a normal three-hand watch, unless you spot the pair of rose gold hands secreted under the mean time hands. Depressing the chronograph button at eight o’clock causes these, along with the sweep seconds hand, to fly back to zero and being timing intervals up to 12 hours. The concept is not unlike that of the Maurice Lacroix Memoire 1, little-known halo piece that debuted in 2007 for EUR300,000. The Chronographe Mystérieux would work the same way without its hour and minutes hands, but their presence ensures the user can still read the time when the chronograph is running. The result is a highly legible dial, enhanced with an almost excessively fine grain d’orge guilloché that, like the undersized 18k gold hour markers, gets out of the way of the hands. At launch, PF offers two variants of the Chronographe Mystérieux ...

The Bulova Military VWI Special Edition: A reliable chronograph for a good cause

The Bulova Military VWI Special Edition supports the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, with 10% of the sales proceeds donated to the VWI.

Hands-On: The Raymond Weil A.R.T. Date Delivers Sport-Chic Style At An Accessible Price

Raymond Weil’s first integrated-bracelet sports watch blends 1970s inspiration with compact proportions and accessible contemporary luxury. What We Love A design inspired by 1970s integrated-bracelet watches Strong variety of colours and finishes Excellent integrated-bracelet option for the price What We Don’t No bracelet micro-adjustment Dial finishing could have more character Movement could offer greater autonomy Overall Rating: 8.4/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Raymond Weil has gone through quite a resurgence over the last couple of years, bringing the brand back into the spotlight and creating watches with genuine substance behind them. The Millésime collection, for example, helped reposition Raymond Weil when it was introduced in 2023, combining vintage-inspired styling with thoughtful design. It also won the Challenge Watch Prize at the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, showing just how well received the collection was. Raymond Weil Millésime Tri-Compax Review – The Best Colourway Yet? Since then, the brand has continued building on the collection, introducing various complications and aesthetic interpretations to keep it evolving. In fact, I loved the 2025 Millésime Tri-Compax Chronograph so much (see the review above!) that after having it in my hands for just 30 minutes, I placed an order for one! However, Raymond Weil’s resurgence cannot be built on the Millésime collection alone. This ...

Hands-on - The Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Raticosa, Revisiting One of the Race’s Legendary Roads

Chopard, the Official Timekeeper and World Sponsor of the famous Italian endurance rally since 1988, has released countless chronographs inspired by the Mille Miglia race, its drivers and its iconic route. The Raticosa Pass has already been honoured once before, with a limited-edition series in 2021, and this 2026 Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Raticosa pays […]

Get Your Groove On With The Grape-Dial Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph

I always thought of Glashütte Original as a modest watch brand. However, the German watchmaker does indeed use its Vintage Collection to experiment with more than the usual black, silver, and blue dials. This is where the new Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition comes in with its groovy purple dial. I even got to […] Visit Get Your Groove On With The Grape-Dial Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph to read the full article.

Hands On: TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph TH20

Earlier this year, TAG Heuer unveiled the latest iteration of a longstanding model, the Monaco Chronograph TH20. It’s essentially a reissue of the Monaco ref. 1133 made famous by Steve McQueen, but not a one-for-one remake, and it’s the best to date. The Monaco TH20 retains the familiar dial design and case outline, but the case has been reworked in both design and material. The square case is sleeker and more lightweight, being in titanium instead of steel. And it gets upgraded with the TH20 movement, instead of the ETA 2894-2 found in many earlier generations of the model. Initial thoughts I’ve always liked the Monaco, especially the ref. 1133 B. It’s a distinctive and arguably iconic design that evokes the 1970s. And it’s different from more famous 1970s designs, which are mostly sports watches with integrated bracelets. Though the Monaco is not particularly ergonomic due to the size and shape, it is cool. The ref. 1133 remake has been in TAG Heuer’s catalogue for a long, long time with many, many iterations to date. Most earlier generations were powered by the ETA 2894 – an ETA 2892 with a module on top – that was a convenient solution for the left-hand crown. The new Monaco is an all-around upgrade with the in-house TH20 movement and titanium case. The TH20 is a competent calibre with solid specs, albeit still very industrial, but good enough for the price segment. The titanium case is a less obvious improvement in terms of design, but it improves the ...

In-Depth: IWC’s Pioneering ProSet Perpetual Calendar

IWC’s history is dotted with landmark innovations such as Albert Pellaton’s pawl winding system, Kurt Klaus’ famous perpetual calendar, and Richard Habring’s split-seconds chronograph module; the ProSet perpetual calendar system continues this legacy. This bidirectional perpetual calendar module made its debut earlier this year at Watches & Wonders inside the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet, and remains true to IWC’s identity as an engineer’s manufacture. A smaller Big Pilot QP The Big Pilot ProSet unveiled at Watches & Wonders blends the manufacture’s latest engineering feat with the beloved styling of the pilot’s watch. The ProSet system is currently only available inside the 42 mm Big Pilot. Powered by a downsized base calibre, the 42 mm ProSet is the first Big Pilot under 46 mm to include a perpetual calendar. IWC has a tweaked and scaled down the its signature Kurt Klaus module in the past for the 42 mm Portugieser and some Portofinos, but somehow it never made into the reduced Big Pilot collection. Unfortunately, these smaller watches lacked the now-iconic digital year display, and instead featured a subtler (but more forgettable) leap cycle aperture. The ProSet brings back the four-digit year display, making this watch almost indistinguishable from the original 46 mm version. Apart from some styling choices, the main difference in the displays is the lack of a power reserve indicator. The cal. 82665 inside is powered by a single mains...

In-Depth: IWC’s ProSet Perpetual Calendar

IWC’s history was dotted with landmark innovations such as Albert Pellaton’s pawl winding system, Kurt Klaus’ famous perpetual calendar, and Richard Habring’s split-seconds chronograph module. Though IWC has arguably been thin on such innovation in recent years, the ProSet perpetual calendar is a long overdue return to form. The calendar’s clever features make it true to IWC’s identity as an engineer’s manufacture. Set entirely via the crown just like the Kurt Klaus calendar, ProSet can also be adjusted forwards and backwards, making it both idiot-proof and convenient. A smaller Big Pilot This bidirectional perpetual calendar module made its debut earlier this year at Watches & Wonders inside the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet, which blends the manufacture’s latest engineering feat with the beloved styling of the pilot’s watch. The ProSet system is currently only available inside the 42 mm Big Pilot. Powered by a downsized base calibre, the 42 mm ProSet is the first Big Pilot under 46 mm to include a perpetual calendar. IWC has a tweaked and scaled down the its signature Kurt Klaus module in the past for the 42 mm Portugieser and some Portofinos, but somehow it never made into the reduced Big Pilot collection. Unfortunately, these smaller watches lacked the now-iconic digital year display, and instead featured a subtler (but more forgettable) leap cycle aperture. The ProSet brings back the four-digit year display, making this watch almost ...