The best chronograph watches

A chronograph is a stopwatch built into a watch, and the style, with its sub-dials and pushers, is as popular as the function. The mechanical ones are among the most complicated watches most people own.

Chronographs also run thick, so check the thickness and lug-to-lug alongside the price.

Our picks

Dan Henry1962 Racing Chronograph$290
A 39 mm vintage-racing chronograph with a 45.9 mm lug-to-lug for under $300.
Lug-to-lug
45.9 mm
Fit
Fits 6.5"–7.75" wrists
Specs
39 mm case · 13.5 mm thick · quartz · 50 m
SwatchOmega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon$300
The MoonSwatch: the Speedmaster's look in bioceramic for about $300.
Lug-to-lug
47.3 mm
Fit
Fits 6.75"–8" wrists
Specs
42 mm case · 13.3 mm thick · 30 m
SeikoProspex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph 39mm$750
A solar chronograph in a 39 mm case, so no battery changes.
Lug-to-lug
45.5 mm
Fit
Fits 6.5"–7.5" wrists
Specs
39 mm case · 13.3 mm thick · solar · 100 m
TissotPR516 Chronograph 40mm (quartz)$575
A 40 mm Swiss quartz racing chronograph for under $600.
Lug-to-lug
—
Fit
Lug-to-lug not yet measured
Specs
40 mm case · 12.2 mm thick · 100 m
HamiltonIntra-Matic Auto Chrono 40mm$2,595
A 40 mm automatic chronograph with a clean, vintage-style dial.
Lug-to-lug
49.2 mm
Fit
Fits 7"–8.25" wrists
Specs
40 mm case · 14.4 mm thick · automatic, 60 h reserve · 100 m
TudorBlack Bay Chrono$6,875
Tudor's 70-hour automatic chronograph, 200 m water resistant.
Lug-to-lug
49.9 mm
Fit
Fits 7"–8.25" wrists
Specs
41 mm case · 14.4 mm thick · automatic, 70 h reserve · 200 m
OmegaSpeedmaster Moonwatch Professional$7,800
The hand-wound Moonwatch, the most famous chronograph ever made.
Lug-to-lug
47.5 mm
Fit
Fits 6.75"–8" wrists
Specs
42 mm case · 13.5 mm thick · manual, 50 h reserve · 50 m
RolexCosmograph Daytona$16,900
The Daytona, Rolex's 72-hour chronograph and one of the hardest steel watches to buy at retail.
Lug-to-lug
47.8 mm
Fit
Fits 6.75"–8" wrists
Specs
40 mm case · 11.9 mm thick · automatic, 72 h reserve · 100 m

Everything else that qualifies

Watch	Case	Lug-to-lug	Thick	Fits	Retail
Invicta Speedway Torvane Chronograph 39.5mm	39.5 mm	—	—	—	$150
Invicta Pro Diver SCUBA Chronograph 48mm	48 mm	—	—	—	$160
Fossil Grant Chronograph	44 mm	—	—	—	$180
Fossil Machine Chronograph	45 mm	—	—	—	$190
Invicta Grand Diver Sidereon Chronograph 52mm	52 mm	—	—	—	$250
Swatch Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to Mars	42 mm	47.3 mm	13.3 mm	6.75"–8"	$300
Dan Henry 1964 Gran Turismo Chronograph 38mm	38 mm	44.7 mm	12.9 mm	6.25"–7.5"	$310
Tissot Chrono XL Classic	45 mm	—	11 mm	—	$450
Brew Metric Chronograph Retro Dial	36 mm	41.5 mm	10.8 mm	6"–7"	$475
Citizen Promaster Navihawk 40mm	40 mm	—	—	—	$476
Bulova Marine Star Chronograph	44 mm	—	—	—	$550
Citizen Nighthawk Chronograph Blackout	42 mm	—	—	—	$575
Furlan Marri Castagna	38 mm	46 mm	12 mm	6.5"–7.75"	$713
Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T Blue Angels	45 mm	—	14.5 mm	—	$795
Citizen World Chronograph A-T	43 mm	—	12 mm	—	$795
Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph 43.5mm	43.5 mm	51 mm	13.4 mm	7"–8.5"	$895
Movado Heritage Calendoplan S Chronograph	42 mm	—	12.1 mm	—	$1,295
Certina DS-1 Chrono Auto	42 mm	49.7 mm	14.3 mm	7"–8.25"	$2,010
Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph 42mm	42 mm	53 mm	14.5 mm	7.25"–8.5"	$2,150
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph	42 mm	49.5 mm	14.6 mm	7"–8.25"	$2,500
Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph 40mm	40 mm	48 mm	15.4 mm	6.75"–8"	$4,700
Omega Speedmaster 38	38 mm	44.9 mm	14.7 mm	6.25"–7.5"	$6,300
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph 39	39 mm	47.4 mm	15.2 mm	6.75"–8"	$8,300
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (sapphire sandwich)	42 mm	47.5 mm	13.2 mm	6.75"–8"	$9,000
IWC Portugieser Chronograph	41 mm	48 mm	13.1 mm	6.75"–8"	$9,200
Breitling Chronomat B01 42	42 mm	50.5 mm	15.1 mm	7"–8.5"	$9,550
Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42	42 mm	50 mm	13.6 mm	7"–8.25"	$9,750
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41	41 mm	47 mm	13.6 mm	6.5"–7.75"	$10,700
Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope 43	43 mm	48.6 mm	—	6.75"–8"	$10,700
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43	43 mm	49 mm	13.7 mm	6.75"–8.25"	$10,700
Omega Speedmaster Pilot	40.9 mm	49.6 mm	14.7 mm	7"–8.25"	$10,700
Omega Speedmaster '57	40.5 mm	49.6 mm	13 mm	7"–8.25"	$10,700
Omega Speedmaster Racing	44.3 mm	50 mm	14.9 mm	7"–8.25"	$10,800
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon	44.3 mm	50 mm	13 mm	7"–8.25"	$16,100
Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite	43 mm	48.6 mm	13.6 mm	6.75"–8"	$19,300
IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41	41.1 mm	—	14.6 mm	—	—
Zenith Chronomaster Original	38 mm	—	12.9 mm	—	—
Studio Underd0g Chronograph 'Go0fy Panda'	38.5 mm	44.5 mm	13.6 mm	6.25"–7.5"	—
Sinn 356 PILOT Classic W	38.5 mm	45.3 mm	—	6.5"–7.5"	—
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph	41.4 mm	45.9 mm	13 mm	6.5"–7.75"	—
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 39 Glassbox	39 mm	46 mm	13.9 mm	6.5"–7.75"	—
Zenith Chronomaster Sport	41 mm	46.8 mm	13.6 mm	6.5"–7.75"	—
Sinn 103 St Sa	41 mm	47 mm	17 mm	6.5"–7.75"	—
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph 44	44 mm	47.3 mm	14.1 mm	6.75"–8"	—
TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph 39	39 mm	47.4 mm	15.2 mm	6.75"–8"	—
Bulova Precisionist X Sport	44.5 mm	52 mm	17.4 mm	7.25"–8.5"	—
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 43	43 mm	52.6 mm	14.5 mm	7.25"–8.5"	—

How we picked

We considered every current chronograph in the almanac and picked across price levels and movement types. “Fits” is the range of wrist sizes where the watch grades as an ideal fit on our lug-to-lug model. Prices are US retail and change often.