Our Favorite Chronos Of 2025

Chronographs are one of the most popular and yet under-appreciated watches out there. While we might take them for granted due to the relative ease of finding a nice one at just about any price point, the watchmaking on display can be as impressive as that from more exotic complications. 2025 was a fantastic year for fans of the chronograph with Omega releasing a manual wind iteration of their sportier ceramic take on the Speedmaster. And then there’s Breguet, who have been on a roll all year. Let’s take a look at our favorite new chronographs for this year and while not all of them made the list, there are some particularly robust honorable mentions here.

[toc-section heading="Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph"]

The Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph was given a refresh that, in my opinion, puts it in the running for one of the best chronographs out there period. It was previously offered only in a 42mm case but now comes in a fantastic compact 39.5mm wide stainless steel case that comes in at a lug-to-lug height of just around 47.4mm. Of course, it’s not just the case diameter that matters, it’s also the thickness and the reduction from a hefty 17mm to 13.4mm is truly transformative. The L792.4 calibre movement is a manual wind take on the Valjoux 7750 that also gets a contemporary makeover with a silicon balance spring and COSC certification on top of the 68-hour power reserve. While the price of $5,350 on strap and $5,500 might not shout “value” to some, a Flyback is indeed one of the more complicated chronographs out there. — Bilal Khan

[toc-section heading="Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009"]

The Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009 is an idiosyncratic watch that will appeal to a fairly sophisticated collector. In fact,  this legitimately quirky watch is the rare release that is not designed by a committee or to have maximum appeal to the broadest consumer group possible. It’s an unusual and fiercely independent chronograph that one would see coming out of the Neo-vintage era and not the market tested landscape we live in today.A take on their very first mechanical chronograph “Tentagraph” movement, the SLGC009 is one of the boldest designs of 2025. Done in an impressively polished titanium case, it is all about the angles and details like the over 60 district faceted surfaces on the case alone. And then there’s that “gold lion” dial that just wraps the whole thing together along with details like the paw-print motif on the strap. It's just an all around delight that deserves a spot on this list.

[toc-section heading="Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon/Grey Side Of the Moon"]

Omega released four iterations of their Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon this year but it was two of them with manual wind movements that really stood out. While they all measure 44.25mm wide, there is a reduction in thickness so significant that it will likely open up this collection to enthusiasts who had written the previous generation off. Where the previous generation measured in at over 16mm thick, the new automatic iteration comes in nearly a millimeter thinner. But more enticing are the Grey Side of the Moon and the new manual-wind Dark Side of the Moon with a dramatic red chronograph hand.

The new Grey Side of the Moon gives the beloved Cal. 3869 movement a new look with finishings resembling lunar craters. The grey ceramic case comes in at just 12.97mm thick which is something of a revelation for this bigger Speedmaster family. The Dark Side of the Moon is a little thicker at 13.02mm but the blacked-out Cal. 9908 looks positively brooding and helps give this collection the massive update it needed. Price for the automatic models is $15,700, the manual-wind Dark Side of the Moon is priced at $16,100, and the Grey Side of the Moon is $16,400.— Bilal Khan

[toc-section heading="Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2075"]

The Breguet Type XX, originally produced for France’s military pilots in the 1950s, is one of the most significant and influential watches with aviation ties, and represents the historical link between the Breguet family’s two areas of multigenerational savoir faire: watchmaking and aeronautical technology. The new Type XX Chronographe 2075, unveiled for Breguet’s 250th anniversary in 2025, stylishly pays tribute to this shared history in two distinctive iterations. The non-limited version (Ref. 2075BH/99/398) has a black dial with vintage-style Arabic numerals, syringe hands, and a classical bicompax “Big Eye” subdial arrangement. The case is in the maison’s proprietary Breguet gold and the dial is in anodized aluminum (actually Duralumin, an alloy of 95 percent aluminum), a subtle tribute to pilot Louis Breguet and his pioneering use of that sheet metal in his aircraft.

The limited-edition Ref. 2075BH/G9/398 (250 pieces) is based on an extremely rare vintage model, with a satin-brushed silver dial; more elegant Arabic numerals; smaller, sectored subdials; a blued chronograph hand; and a tachymetric scale on the dial’s periphery, a feature we now associate much more with car racing than flying. The Breguet gold case contains the new Caliber 7278, with a 5-hz frequency, a 60-hour power reserve, and a flyback function (the other model uses essentially the same movement, Caliber 7279, the only difference being the Big-Eye subdial display.) The movement’s surface area features a breathtaking miniature engraving depicting the Breguet 19 plane in flight over the Atlantic Ocean, between the American and European landmasses representing the beginning and endpoint of a historic 1930 flight. — Mark Bernardo

[toc-section heading="Honorable Mentions"]

[text-media heading="" text="While we typically associate the Hamilton Khaki with relatively minimal field watches, with a 20th-century-inspired bend, this summer, Hamilton added a blue-hued chronograph to the mix, full of everyday carry potential. Measuring 40mm in diameter and aesthetically guided by the military watches from Hamilton’s heritage design vault, the blue sunray dial and mesh bracelet pairing make the latest take on the Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer more laid-back and relaxed than other chronographs in the larger Khaki family. Like the austere black dial model that precedes it, this watch is powered by the H-51-Si manual mechanical chronograph movement, and is also water resistant 100 meters for added grab-and-go utility."image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Hamilton_Khaki_Aviation_Pilot_Pioneer_Mechanical_Chrono.jpg" caption="" media="left"][text-media heading="" text="The Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli is a stone dial chronograph that embodies beauty. In a year where Zenith took our breath away with the G.F.J, this Chronomaster justifies its $8,000+ premium over the standard iteration by delivering a dial that has to be seen to be appreciated. It’s arguably the most magnificent take on one of the most iconic chronographs of all time."image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Zenith_Chronomaster_Lapis_Lazuli.jpg" caption="" media="right"][text-media heading="" text="The Angelus Chronographe Télémètre x Massena LAB evokes wristwatches of the 1930s and ‘40s with a case made of 18k yellow gold, measuring a period-appropriate 37mm in diameter and a modest 9.25mm thick. Inside the case is a mechanical, manually wound movement, Caliber A5000, which is a monopusher chronograph. One of the most elegant executions on a vintage-inspired chronograph in recent memory."image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Angelus-Chronograph.jpg" caption="" media="left"]