IWC Vintage Da Vinci Watches

We take for granted today that the wristwatch, a milestone of such events as the first visit to the bottom of the ocean, the top of the tallest mountain, an alien world, is such a popular and endearing device—but it hasn’t always been. In fact, at one point, a wristwatch, or ‘wristlet’ as it was known, was derided as a fashion faux pas, a silly trinket no man would be seen dead wearing. Change, however, comes at the most unexpected of times.

The chronograph. It’s both accessible and incredible, one of the most complicated mechanisms found in watchmaking and one of the most affordable. The fact that so many manufacturers have them in their collections is a testament to the popularity of the function, and whether we really use them or not, there’s no denying that they look pretty damn good. With that being said, here are five choice chronographs for five different budgets.

Sometimes answers are so obvious it’s barely worth asking the questions. If you want a sporty two-plus-two, for example, that handles like a racer yet will happily sit in a Monday morning queue, you get a 911. Or, if you want a 3-hander that’s both rugged and elegant, you get a DateJust. It’s practically written in the stars, but yet—sometimes what seems to be the right answer isn’t always the best answer. That’s why cars like the McLaren 540C, Aston Martin Vantage and Audi R8 exist, and it’s why the watches you’re about to see exist as well.

It’s time for another trip into the world of our imaginations as we wonder what it’s like to buy whatever watch we want. And why not make it three while we’re at? For this dream watch collection, we’ve assumed the persona of a traditionalist, someone who likes their watches with a more classical taste—but with a bit of a twist.