Symmetrical Beauties, Six of the Finest Two-Register Chronographs

Chronographs come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours, so it’s hard to pinpoint the very best. What helps is the possibility to sub-categorise them, thanks to the fact that there are so many different ones. One class of chronographs that always seems to gather plenty of attention is the two-register, or bicompax chronograph. Loved for its often balanced designs, there’s still plenty of styles to explore. From the latest space-inspired Speedmaster DSOTM to a superb monopusher chrono by Angelus and everything in between, here is our selection of some of the finest two-register chronographs. 

Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon dark red

The latest trio of two-register Dark Side of the Moon iterations of the Omega Speedmaster come in distinct black colourways, with only minimal touches of red or white to set them apart. The Dark Red we had on hand is one of the stealthiest expressions of the Speedy to date, yet it uses red and grey to remain easily legible. The bicompax display is made possible thanks to the manually wound calibre 9908, which also slims down the height to 13.02mm. The sleek, all-black ceramic Speedmaster DSOTM Dark Red is worn on a black rubber strap with a signed black foldover clasp in typical Omega style, and has a price of EUR 15,800.

For more information, please visit Omega.com.

Quick Facts – 44.25mm x 13.02mm – 50mm lug-to-lug – all black ceramic case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – black ceramic crown & pushers – 50m water-resistant – grained black ceramic dial – recessed black subdials – black markers & hands – grey and red printed details – red chronograph seconds hand – calibre 9908, manually wound – METAS Master Chronometer certified – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – black rubber strap with foldover clasp – EUR 15,800

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue

While the Black Bay Chrono Blue is not one of the hyped-up Flamingo Pink or Flamingo Blue models, or even the race-prepped Carbon 25, it is, quite frankly, one of the best-looking ones so far. The blue tone on the dial and bezel gives it a distinct warmth, which is very appealing. The dial itself is lovely and balanced, with two recessed contrasting subdials, a snowflake handset and large luminous markers all around. It also looks fantastic on the Jubilee-style bracelet, which comes with the adjustable T-Fit folding clasp. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue is a boutique exclusive, retailing for a price of EUR 5,720.

For more information, please visit TudorWatch.com.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 14.2mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – box-type sapphire crystal – solid caseback – fixed tachymeter bezel – screw-down crown & pushers – 200m water-resistant – sunray-brushed blue dial – silvery-white subdials – hands & markers with SLN – calibre MT5813, automatic – integrated column-wheel chronograph – 28,800vph – 70h power reserve – stainless steel Jubilee bracelet, T-Fit folding clasp – Boutique Exclusive – EUR 5,720

IWC Portugieser Chronograph

A two-register chronograph doesn’t need to have its subdials aligned horizontally to be sexy, as the IWC Portugieser Chronograph has always proven that to be a fact. Thanks to its vertically aligned subdials, it stands out from the masses. The sleek, elegant design is truly iconic, and last year’s Dune, Obsidian and Horizon Blue editions are among the finest to date. Set in stainless steel, rose gold or white gold cases, you get the classic mix of running seconds at the bottom and a chronograph 30-minute counter at the top. All rely on IWC’s calibre 69355 automatic chronograph movements, and come on a leather strap. Prices range from EUR 9,100 to EUR 23,000, depending on the case material.

For more information, please visit IWC.com.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 13.1mm – stainless steel or gold cases, brushed & polished – knurled crown with pump-style pushers – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – Dune, Obsidian or Horizon blue dials – recessed subdials – polished applied numerals & hands – calibre 69355, automatic – 28,800vph – 46h power reserve – black alligator or gradient blue leather straps by Santoni with pin buckle or folding clasp – EUR 9,100 to EUR 23,000

Hanhart 415 es Chronograph

Hanhart delved deep into its rich and storied chronograph archive and resurfaced with the 415 ES Chronograph late last year. Modelled after a watch from the mid-1960s, the 415 ES is charmingly retro from top to bottom. The black dial is finished with red, white and yellow markings, and gold-toned hands. A neat little touch is the 100-unit scale, used in industrial factories to time and calculate productivity. Inside beats a hand-wound Sellita SW510, and it comes on a leather strap with a pin buckle. By now, there’s also a Pure edition, which exchanges the yellow for white, and Panda and Reverse Panda editions. Prices start at EUR 2,490.

For more information, please visit Hanhart.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 13.5mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – bidirectional rotating bezel with black insert – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 100m water-resistant – matte black dial with red, yellow and white printing – recessed subdials – gold-toned hands – Super-LumiNova – Sellita SW510, manually-wound – 28,800vph – >58h power reserve – leather strap with pin buckle (multiple colours) – EUR 2,490

TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Gulf White Edition

No list with two-register chronographs is complete without the TAG Heuer Monaco. For this rundown, we’ve opted for the Gulf White Edition, which uses the famous orange-and-blue of the Gulf Oil company, and mixes it with a stark white dial and white textile strap with a folding clasp. The Monaco is a true watchmaking icon, and this one captures the eye with that unmistakable crown-on-the-left-pushers-on-the-right layout. The rounded square subdials are finished in black, and you get a black and orange handset as well. Limited to 971 pieces, this one will set you back CHF 9,500, for which you do get an additional perforated blue leather strap.

For more information, please visit TAGHeuer.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 39mm x 14.35mm – grade-2 titanium case, sand-blasted – sapphire crystal front & back – crown on the left, pushers on the right – 100m water-resistant – white dial with black subdials & Gulf Oil stripes – black markers & hands, orange chronograph seconds hand – calibre 11, modular automatic chronograph – 28,800vph – 42h power reserve – white textile and perforated blue leather straps with folding clasp – 971 pieces – CHF 9,500

Angelus chronographe Télémètre

To us, the Chronographe Télémètre by Angelus is one of the most beautiful two-register chronographs in recent years. The compact 37mm by 9.25mm steel or yellow gold case houses stunning grained dials. The snailed subdials, applied markers, syringe-style hands and telemeter scale elevate its character even more. And of course, that THA-based hand-wound monopusher chronograph made by La Joux-Perret is to die for! With ample amounts of details and finishing, it jumps out at you through the caseback. The watch comes on a calfskin leather strap with a pin buckle that matches the case, is limited to 15 or 25 pieces depending on the material, and costs CHF 17,900 in steel or CHF 32,300 in gold.

For more information, please visit Angelus-Watches.com.

Quick Facts – 37mm x 9.25mm – steel or yellow gold case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – crown with integrated monopusher – 30m water-resistant – white nickel, rose bronze or grey titanium dials – grained – syringe-style hands with SLN – recessed & snailed subdials – calibre A5000, manually wound monopusher chronograph 21,600vph – 42h power reserve – calfskin leather strap with pin buckle – limited to 15 or 25 pieces each – CHF 17,900 or CHF 32,300