The chronograph: For race car drivers, astronauts and you

Race car driver and astronaut are often high on the list of “things I’d like to be when I grow up.” While most of us end up on different career paths, there is a way to capture a bit of that panache on our wrists: the chronograph. 

The first modern chronograph, developed by Louis Moinet in 1816, foretold the chronograph’s space travel future as an astrological observation timing instrument. Nearly 100 years later, Longines miniaturized the movement to wristwatch size, and in 1934, Breitling introduced a chronograph with the now standard crown at 3 o’clock and chronograph control pushers at 2 and 4. Use for yacht and horse racing timing gave the chronograph its sporting image.

Chronographs for nearly any budget: Someone paid nearly $18 million for Paul Newman’s Cosmograph Daytona, while today Swatch and Omega offer models celebrating the moon missions for less than $300. Photograph courtesy Rolex

The chronograph revived its astronomical heritage during the Space Race era as a backup timing instrument for space flight operations. Astronauts and cosmonauts wore a wide variety of chronograph makes and models, the most famous being the Omega Speedmaster worn by Neil Armstrong during the first moon landing.  

Today, chronographs fitting any budget and style are available. Notable examples at the upper end of both categories are a Heuer Monaco worn by Steve McQueen during the filming of “Le Mans” that sold for $2.2 million in 2020 and Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona that sold for $17.75 million at a Phillips auction in 2019, making it the most expensive Rolex ever.

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