Chrono Rebels: Six Unique and Non-Conventional Chronograph Watches

While it’s pleasing to see, wear or use something familiar, to some it’s not enough. Venturing beyond the beaten track, there’s ample joy to be found in things that break the mould, rewrite the rulebook, or throw it out altogether. This can be applied to the ever-popular mechanical chronograph watch, which usually has a bi- or tricompax layout dictated by movements like the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750. But what if you want something a bit, or a lot different? Not to worry, as these six non-conventional chronographs will quiet your hunger for offbeat displays and movements.

Montblanc Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec

Montblanc’s compelling Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec pays homage to the namesake’s 1821 time-writing stopwatch mechanism developed to time horse racing. The unique system uses two rotating discs with a shared fixed pointer in the lower half, started, stopped and reset by a single pusher. The top half shows the time, including a second time zone and a day/night indication. All this is displayed on a green Clous de Paris dial, and powered by Montblanc’s own MB R200 automatic chronograph movement. Worn on a calfskin leather strap, it retails for EUR 8,300.

For more information, please visit Montblanc.com.

Quick Facts – 43mm x 15.01mm – stainless steel case, polished – sapphire crystal front & back – onion-style crown – chronograph monopusher – green dial with Clous de Paris pattern – hour & minute hands with SLN – second time zone hand – rotating chronograph discs – date aperture – day/night indication – calibre MB R200, in-house – automatic winding – 28,800vph – 72h power reserve – green calfskin leather strap with folding buckle – EUR 8,300

Löbner Steelracer Speed Arrow L.E.

Under the name Speedracer, historic German watchmaker Löbner returned with an imposing and rather technical chronograph watch. Inspired by the world of motorsports and speed records in the 1920s and 1930s, this Speedracer Speed Arrow has an asymmetrical dial layout thanks to an in-house module atop a La Joux-Perret base movement. Running time is displayed in the top left, with the chronograph counters at 3′ and 6′. Another unconventional element is the sledge crown protector, with the chronograph pushers on either side. Fitted to a steel integrated bracelet, it costs EUR 14,800.

For more information, please visit Lbnr.com.

Quick Facts – 42.5mm x 14.3mm – stainless steel case, brushed – fixed tachymeter bezel – sledge crown protector, patented – sapphire crystal front & back – steel coloured dial with asymmetrical layout – black hands with red chronograph details – calibre Löbner 6223, LJP base with in-house module – automatic chronograph – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – integrated steel bracelet with folding clasp – limited to 50 pieces – EUR 14,800

Ming 20.01 Series 5

Ming recently added a rather spectacular new edition of its 20.01 chronograph to the collection. This 20.01 Series 5 uses the brilliant AgenGraphe chronograph movement, here in its manual-wound configuration, to display the chronograph minutes and seconds in the centre. All the scales are applied to the underside of the crystal, with an incredibly detailed laser-engraved monobloc titanium dial underneath. It’s quite a stunner, although it’s not the most legible chronograph out there. It comes on a blue Alcantara leather strap and a black FKM rubber one, for a price of CHF 37,500.

For more information, please visit Ming.watch.

Quick Facts – 41.5mm x 14.2mm – titanium case, brushed & polished – black center case – blue chronograph pushers – sapphire crystal front & back – 50m water-resistant – laser-engraved monobloc dial in blue CVD-coated titanium – central hour & minute hands – central chronograph seconds & minutes hand – white scales, luminous – Agengraphe calibre 6361.M – manual winding – 21,600vph – 55h power reserve – blue Alcantara & black FKM rubber strap – 25 pieces – CHF 37.500

Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph

Credited as the creator of the world’s first mechanical chronograph pocket watch, the Compteur de Tierces, Louis Moinet has recently turned it into the aptly named 1816 Chronograph. This integrated luxury sports chronograph uses the three sub-dial layout of the pocket watch made in 1816, with running seconds and a jumping 30-minute counter at the top, and a 12-hour counter at the bottom. To tie it in even more with the pocket watch, the pushers are styled like the one found on the 1816 original. The full titanium 1816 Chronograph is not limited and retails for CHF 28,900 (excl. VAT).

For more information, please visit LouisMoinet.com.

Quick Facts – 40.6mm x 14.7mm – grade 5 titanium case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – rhodium-plated dial – central hour & minute hands with Super-LumiNova – calibre LM1816, made with Concepto – manual-winding – 28,800vph – 48h power reserve – hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with central seconds, jumping 30-minute & 12-hour sub-dials – grade 5 titanium bracelet with folding clasp – CHF 28,900 excl. VAT

MB&F Sequential Flyback Longhorn

The Sequential Flyback by MB&F rewrote the rulebook on the mechanical chronograph, thanks to its brilliant movement developed with Stephen McDonnell. The clever Twinverter system, with a pusher at 9′,  lets you switch between multiple timing modes. This Longhorn edition comes in steel, with extended lugs, a rhodium-plated base dial and black lacquered sub-dials. Virtually every component can be seen from either the front or the back. It’s limited to 20 pieces, comes on a taupe calfskin leather strap and retails for CHF 168,000.

For more information, please visit MBandF.com.

Quick Facts – 44mm x 18.2mm – stainless steel case – sapphire crystals front & back – 30m water-resistant – rhodium-plated base, black lacquered sub-dials – manually wound dual chronograph flyback movement by Stephen McDonnell – Twinverter switch for multiple timing modes – 21,600 vibrations/hour – 72h power reserve – hours, minutes, day, date, month, retrograde leap year and power reserve indicators – calf leather strap with folding clasp – limited edition of 20 – CHF 168,000

Breguet Tradition chronographe indépendant 7077BB

If it’s unconventional you want, unconventional you get with the Breguet Tradition Chronographe Indépenmdant 7077BB. Dressed in white gold and Breguet Blue, it has a special movement with split, or independent, geartrains for the running time and the chronograph. The running time side beats at 21,600vph and has a power reserve of 55 hours, while the chronograph side runs at 36,000vph and has a power reserve of 20 minutes. The system ensured both can work independently and accurately. The blue alligator leather strap has a white gold folding clasp, and it retails for CHF 86,500.

For more information, please visit Breguet.com.

Quick Facts – 44mm x 14.1mm – 18k white gold case – fluted caseband – screw-lock pushers – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – offset 18k gold dial in galvanic blue – Breguet numerals – rhodium-plated hands – calibre 580DR, in-house – manually wound movement with independent chronograph sub-movement – 21,600vph & 36,000vph (chrono) – 55h power reserve (20 minutes for chrono) – blue alligator leather strap – white gold folding clasp – CHF 86,500 (Incl. VAT)