Summary Waqt Selects 3 of the Best Chronographs Watches for 2024

The history of the chronograph is rich with innovation and evolution, beginning with its invention to measure time in races and progressing to its integration into modern wristwatches. With technological advancements, this remarkable tool has become increasingly significant in various daily and professional activities, including aviation, diving, sports, and more.

The chronograph complication is designed to help the wearer measure elapsed time. The first chronograph was invented by French watchmaker Louis Moinet, though this discovery was only confirmed in 2013. Before that, credit was traditionally given to French inventor Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec, who, in 1821, created a chronograph at the request of King Louis XVIII of France for timing horse races. Rieussec's invention was the first commercially marketed chronograph. However, its widespread popularity came a century later when it was incorporated into wristwatches, making it more practical.

Many brands have played significant roles in developing this complication, particularly Breitling, which is credited as the first brand to produce a wrist-worn chronograph in 1915. Breitling also introduced the 30-second counter, further enhancing the functionality of the chronograph.

As 2024, a year filled with thrilling releases and bold innovations, draws to a close, we at Waqt have selected three standout chronographs that captured the attention of watch enthusiasts. These extraordinary pieces showcase the perfect blend of heritage and innovative design in watchmaking. Here are the top three chronographs chosen by the Waqt editorial team:

Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante

To celebrate its 20th anniversary and its participation in the “Mavericks of Time” exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, Greubel Forsey unveiled the Nano Foudroyante Experimental Watch Technology (EWT).

The Nano Foudroyante EWT, Greubel Forsey's tenth "Fundamental Innovation" since its founding in 2004, is a flyback chronograph featuring a flying tourbillon and an independent micro-scale lightning seconds (foudroyante) hand. Notably, this is also Greubel Forsey’s first flying tourbillon.

As the smallest watch ever made by the brand, it features a 37.9 mm diameter and 10.49 mm thick white gold case, with a bezel and back crafted from tantalum. The button at 2 o’clock starts and stops the chronograph, while the pusher coaxial with the crown controls the reset and flyback functions.

In this timepiece, the foudroyante hand runs continuously and independently of the chronograph function, ensuring it does not impact the watch’s chronometry.

This highly sophisticated timepiece is limited to just 11 pieces and is priced at CHF 465,000 (approx. AED 1,964,000). You can read the full article about the watch here.

Breguet Tradition Chronograph 7077 Blue

For watch enthusiasts, Breguet is often synonymous with the tourbillon. However, this edition is a highly complicated watch that showcases Breguet's mastery beyond the tourbillon.

The white gold case frames an open-worked dial that presents time on a sub-dial positioned at 12 o’clock. The dial also features two overlapping arcs: a 20-minute chronograph counter on the left and a power reserve indicator on the right. At the base of the movement, a small rhodium-plated arrow, encircled by a "Breguet Blue" inner bezel and flanked by dual balance wheels at 8 and 4 o’clock, elegantly signals whether the chronograph function is "ON" or "OFF."

This elegant watch is powered by the highly complicated calibre 580DR, a manual-winding movement that stands out with its innovative design and precision engineering. What makes this movement truly unique is its use of two entirely independent gear trains, one for the time display and another for the chronograph mechanism.

The price of the watch is 86,500 Swiss francs, which is approximately 360,000 AED. You can read the full article about the watch here.

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch White Dial
Omega, one of the most prestigious chronograph makers, is renowned as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games since 1932 and the creator of the first watch to reach space.

This year, Omega unveiled several remarkable chronographs, but we chose the OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch featuring a lacquered white dial. This design draws inspiration from space exploration and the collection’s storied heritage.

The most striking feature is the uncommon white dial. When the original Speedmaster was introduced in 1957, its designers prioritized readability by setting white hands and indexes against a black dial. In this new rendition, the inverse color scheme achieves the same clarity.

OMEGA has crafted this dial in white with black accents, updated applied indexes, and a prominent Speedmaster name in red. The glossy lacquered finish marks the first time this technique has been applied to the Moonwatch’s step dial.

The price of the watch starts at 8,600 euros, equivalent to 34,250 AED. The full article about the watch can be found here.

These selections of chronograph watches represent a blend of elegance and uniqueness, with each timepiece showcasing the chronograph function at the highest levels of excellence and precision. Of course, there are many other editions worthy of praise, which have been highlighted in previous articles on our website.