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Chronograph Watches
The chronograph watch is a watch that also includes the features of a stopwatch so one can
measure smaller units of time in addition to keeping the time.
Although the terms chronograph and chronometer are used synonymously, they are not the same.
The term chronometer is actually awarded to top end chronographs and is generally found on
very high end Swiss watches. Nearly every watch company
makes their own chronograph models these days, and it is a very popular feature for
consumers to desire. Generally you will find that a chronograph watch has the regular
bezel, and then another button at the two and again another at the four. Some companies
have even offered the buttons on the left side of the watch for left-handed people.
Chronographs are highly collectable - especially mechanical models and early automatic models.
Some of the first companies to make automatic chronographs were Movado, Zenith, Breitling
and Hamilton. The tedious work that goes into a mechanical chronograph tends to keep their
prices quite high. Consumers seem to have a sincere appreciation for the mechanical
chronograph, but in sporting events, you will find only quartz movement because of the
accuracy that is needed.
Some of the most popular manufacturers of chronographs are Seiko, Breitling and Cartier.
Seiko has made several lines of watches based on chronographs, and the other two are
high-end watches which of course come with high-end price tags. Swiss chronographs are
more popular overall to collectors, but Seiko and Citizen have plenty of very loyal
followers. If you are looking for a cheaper chronograph with quartz movement, many
digital watches are availble, but also Swatch, Timex, Casio and Pulsar chronographs are a good
option. For mid-priced watches, you can find very high quality for about $200 with
Wenger Commando watches, and a few Seiko models.
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