A veritable gold mine for watchmaking novelties, the Watches & Wonders show once again brought us its share of lovely surprises, particularly with regard to chronographs, which took center stage this year. We have therefore decided to bring together for you in this article, the 6 chronograph models that have caught our eye the most and which are making their debut in 2023.
1) Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox
Superb, elegant to perfection with its navy hue, this watch is a limited edition that celebrates the 60th anniversary of the chronograph Carrera. It has a beautiful 39 mm polished stainless steel case, topped with a domed sapphire crystal (“glassbox”) which does not fail to give it a certain depth. It also highlights its blue dial very well, complete with matching sub-dials, a white date window, as well as faceted hands and indexes filled with Super-LumiNova. All around, the curved tachymetric scale amplifies the impression of roundness and volume. To accompany the set, a simple blue leather strap.
At the heart of this Tag Heuer chronograph, the in-house Caliber TH20-00 caliber with a frequency of 28,800 vph and an 80-hour power reserve.
Although the blue version is our favorite, the Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Also available in black with silver-white sub-dials and black perforated leather strap.
Price: €6,500
2) The Grand Seiko Tentagraph (SLGC001)
This is the brand’s first mechanical chronograph wristwatch, which makes it all the more of a novelty not to be missed. There tentagraph is adorned with a 43.2 mm case in high-intensity titanium, brushed with Zaratsu polishing. A rather large size which gives it a somewhat massive look, but no less pleasant.
Above, the black ceramic tachometric bezel contrasts sharply with the textured blue dial and the steel of the bracelet. Precisely on the dial, are the hours/minutes, the central chronograph seconds hand, a date window, as well as three counters.
The model SLGC001 promises great performance with its new 9SC5 caliber made in-house, a 60-jewel movement offering 36,000 vph and a 72-hour power reserve.
Price: €14,300
3) Rolex Daytona (126500LN)
More new at Rolex with the Daytona (reference 126500LN), in a version with a white lacquered dial on which the black rings of the three counters are thinner for more space and sobriety. They sit alongside 18-carat gold hands and indexes with Chromalight inserts.
On the redesigned Oystersteel case (40 mm), a black Cerachrom bezel, while the wrist is surrounded by the usual three-link Oystersteel bracelet. A slimmer design, a silhouette still combining sport and elegance.
This Rolex Daytona also and above all embeds a new in-house movement: caliber 4131 with 28,800 vph and a 72-hour power reserve.
Price: €14,950
4) The Reverso Tribute Chronograph by Jaeger-Lecoultre
This particularly meticulous, chic and original model from Jaeger-Lecoultre retains the general look of the original 1931 watch, but with a few more contemporary details.
We start with the movement, with here the new Caliber 860 (28,800 vph and 52 hours of power reserve) which is exposed only on the chronograph side, thanks to the skeletonized dial displaying chronograph seconds and minutes, as well as the retrograde hours and minutes. This same caliber is invisible on the other side, with a classic sunburst dial traversed by two simple hands.
There Reverso Tribute retains its rectangular case (49.4 mm x 29.9 mm), offered here in stainless steel or 18-carat pink gold. The steel version has a blue-gray dial and a gray canvas and leather strap, while the gold version has a black dial and a black calfskin strap signed Casa Fagliano.
Price: €24,200 (steel model), €42,400 (gold model)
5) The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph (5924G)
This novelty is the first chronograph in the line of watches Driver. It is equipped with a Travel Time dual time zone and a date indication by hand coupled with local time.
The reference 5924G is largely inspired by the look of previous models, but here offers a 42 mm case in polished white gold and a navy blue grained calfskin strap. The crown is surrounded by two voluminous pushers used to set the time and date.
On the sunray blue-grey dial, applied numerals and “sword” type hands in white gold with luminescent coating, two sub-counters (date at 12 o’clock and chronograph minutes at 6 o’clock), as well as two small windows indicating the time local and home.
At the heart of this Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronographbeats Caliber CH 28‑520 C FUS, a self-winding mechanical movement beating at 28,800 vph and guaranteeing a power reserve of 55 hours.
This new model is also available in a khaki version.
Price: €72,870
6) The Odysseus Chronograph by A. Lange & Sohne
I’Odysseus is one of the great models of A. Lange & Sohne. It is particularly recognizable by its oversized date and its large day of the week display.
This new stainless steel creation retains the distinctive design of previous timepieces, but in a chronograph version with two central hands (one of which is red) to indicate the seconds and minutes of the chronograph. A solution that saves space on the black dial, compared to the usual counters. The watch also has large pushers on the caseband, used for resetting and adjusting the day and date.
The watch enlarges its case, passing here to 42.5 mm in diameter and 14.2 mm thick, in order to accommodate the new in-house movement. This is the Lange L156.1 Datomatic caliber, offering 28,800 vph and 50 hours of power reserve. It is also totally visible on the back thanks to the sapphire crystal that protects it.
The new Odysseus Chronograph is available in only 100 pieces in total.
