Easily one of the more visually stimulating watches on the market, the chronograph is a useful timepiece that delivers fraction-of-a-second timing to sports enthusiasts. There are a wealth of different types of chronographs on the market, including single-pusher chronographs, multi-pushers, dual- or triple-subdial indication chronographs, and more—built for weekend casual or sporty appeal, for business or for the boardroom.

Swiss watchmaker Nicolas Rieussec first invented chronographs in 1821. The original one was a clock with a hand constructed of a small engraving pen that actually wrote the time to be measured on the dial by leaving a small dot of ink at each end. The first chronograph was used for measuring time at a horse race. It used rotating discs on which a drop of ink was placed at the start and finish times of the race. The patent was awarded in 1822. Since his initial unveiling, the progression of chronographs moved swiftly, so that by the first decade of the 20th century, watchmakers had perfected the mechanism to incredible degrees. Today, chronographs can often be combined with other functions, as well, including pulsimeters, tachymeters, and more.
