A friend of mine is looking for a mechanical, preferably automatic chronograph watch. The catch is he has skinny wrists. With the bulk of the popular automatic chronograph market consisting of 40-45mm watches finding an automatic or mechanical Chronograph has presented a real challenge. We have found a few worthy of consideration.
To kick off we will consider the two most obvious options. One at the entry-level and one considerably more premium.
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Seagull 1963 and friends(eBay affiliate link)
The obvious choice for an entry-level Chronograph is the Seagull 1963. This is a charming watch with an interesting historical back story and a truly classic in-house movement.
The Seagull 1963
This classic watch is available in 38mm and 40mm. The case is all stainless steel 100% polished finish. There is an option for either a time-appropriate acrylic crystal or a modern sapphire one. Both crystal options are domed. There are many sources for these watches however Ali Express is the most popular. The price fluctuates greatly but they are usually available for around $150.
The classic 1963, while a charming watch is not for everyone. It is very clearly associated with the history of the CCP at a point in time that many may feel distasteful. This is a problem that haunts German aviation watchmakers too. Watchmakers in China have produces a plethora of alternatives to the 1963, usually but not always leveraging its case and movement with different dials and handsets. There are retro surfboard dials by FOD and elegant well-considered panda dials by Sugess and Pierre Paulin/Merkur. Ali Express is a rabbit hole of weird and wonderful Seagull-based chronographs.
Omega Speedmaster 38(eBay affiliate link)
Now I must add a disclaimer. I am no Speedy expert. This is a historical and renowned watch with brand cachet that competes with the Rolex Daytona while being much more accessible. That said this legendary chronograph is anything but cheap. Depending on where you shop and if you are interested in pre-owned and refurbished it can cost from $2,500 to anything. However $3,500 should get you a nice one if you are prepared to hunt.
It is an icon of the horological world and perhaps the jewel in the crown of the Swatch Group, the Omega Speedmaster is a design classic. The Speedmaster is usually represented by the Moonwatch or Speedmaster Professional. These classic models are 42mm in diameter. Speedmasters are available with manual wind and automatic powered chronograph moments but as far as I can tell the Omega Speedmaster 38mm is only available as an automatic. Corrections politely in the comments please.
Hoffman Racing 40
I have one of these. I really like it. I have the mechaquartz but it is also available, sometimes… as a manual wind mechanical chronograph. I have the traditional panda dial, it is a very slender 40mm watch and evokes the vibe of the legendary Paul Newman Daytona. It is not a homage though, having an honest simple original look. The mechaquartz movement is a quartz movement with a mechanical chronograph feature bolted on. This makes the watch – that has no running seconds- feel more like a mechanical watch than a quartz one. The second hand sweeps at a pleasing 4 beats per second.
The mechanical option uses a Sea Gull ST19 movement. This is the same movement that is used in the Sea Gull 1963. This is a very very old movement. It dates from the 1950s. However it is really pretty to look at and in my personal experience very reliable. The downside is they do not make very many of these Mechanicals and they sell out pretty fast. When I looked today there was a single reverse panda mechanical still available.
The Mechaquartz is usually £178 and the Mechanical – when available is £640. The mechanical Hoffman is slightly expensive for the specification however it is quite alone in its good looks and mechanical features.
(Also have a look at the Lorier Gemini. I have not used one myself. It looks great and costs a little bit less than the Hoffman)
Alpha Mechanical Chronograph(eBay affiliate link)
Here is another Seagull powered chronograph. These have been around for quite a while. They are popular with fans of Homage watches. It mimics the look of the Paul Newman Daytona but this one would give Rolex’s lawyers more reason to worry than the Hoffman.
It has a 39mm case and 48mm lug to lug. It will wear well on skinny wrists although I am concerned about the 16mm yes 16mm thickness for a manual wind chronograph. They sell for about $150 on the Alpha website or eBay. Homage watches have a place in the world but I think you would be better off with a more honest Chinese Sea Gull chronograph than one that is pretending to be a Rolex.
Too much Rolex… Not enough Go-lex…. I am not convinced by the execution of this homage. The name is a weird link with Omega and how did they somehow make it 16mm thick? However if you are most comfortable with a tried and tested design, this is the most tried and tested of all designs.
Yema Speedgraf(eBay affiliate link)
This cool little chronograph measures 39mm across with very fetching vintage styling. Yema is a french watch manufacturer that was a victim of the Quartz crisis, spent many years as a somewhat unloved Seiko subsidiary and is now back in french ownership. Yema have in-house movements for their standard 3 hander and GMT however their Chronographs use Seiko movements. They have mechaquartz models that are quite keenly priced but here we are looking at the NE86 automatic chronograph. The Yema Speedgraf is available from the Yema website for about $1,400.
Vintage Watches
So there is a common thread with all the watches I have mentioned thus far. They are all referencing vintage watches. In the past people tended to be smaller and so were their watches. Bling culture was also less of a thing and in general the watches of the past tend to be small.
Buying vintage can be scary, if you have not bought a vintage watch before, I do not recommend making a Chronograph your first vintage purchase. These are complicated and expensive to work on. I also recommend going Japanese first. Japanese classic watches are often easier and cheaper to work on than their Swiss counterparts. They also tend, with very few exceptions, to go for much less money too. So if you have a bit of experience with vintage watches and you have a good relationship with a watchmaker… Have a look at these.
Seiko 6139(eBay affiliate link)
The first automatic Chronograph, no it wasn’t Zenith it was Seiko. This movement was developed in 1967 and has been the power source for countless vintage Seiko chronographs. Famous for the single subregister at the 6 o’clock. These are available for all sorts of prices. My research that paying between £350 and £1000 will secure a good one. It has a 41mm quasi cushion case but the lug to lug is only 46mm. Diameter is not everything. This watch does not wear large but does feel sporty. There are several other Historic chronographs from Seiko. This one is the icon but they are all good value.
Vintage Swiss(eBay affiliate link)
Believe it or not my search popped up a few well priced vintage Breitling Top Times and Omega Speedmasters. Obviously these are premium brands so a used Breitling for £1,500 is not going to be pristine. Nevertheless. They use pretty well known and abundant movements and if you are an experienced collector you will know a watchmaker who can service or repair it. Buyer beware but it is an exciting option. The Example in the photo is a Top Time, with worn out gold plating, charmingly so and measuring 37mm across. This one has reputedly just been serviced and is running very well. Listed for £1,700 on eBay. I want it.
Finding these watches has not been easy. More watchmakers should make smaller Chronographs. I was recently considering the Longines Spirit. A watch that looks so very good at 40mm. However the Chrono is only available in 42 and frankly it is just too big for the design and starts to look awkward. I hope this list helps. Personally I am still thinking about a vintage Breitling….
“When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.”
My business meeting was coming on next week so, I brought a new suit for meeting and I was also making my mind to buy a wristwatch I was unknown to that I don’t know which watch will looks good with my suit so, from somewhere in my colleagues I listen about chronograph watch so, I started my research on it, my google took me here at this blog here I saw many chronograph watches so, after reading whole blog I made my mind to buy 2 of them, the one is; Omega Speed master 38 I added this watch in my wish list because of, the design is so classic and elegant and it will be looks good in my skinny wrist. The second one is; Seiko 6139. I added this because this watch is the very first automatic Chronograph watch in history, so I wish that I’ll buy this one and wear it in daily life. This blog helped me to buy watch for my meeting, now I’m buying both of them thanks for best information.