12 Best Chronograph Watches Under $5,000 in 2024
Chronographs are probably the first complication new enthusiast add to their collections. Adding a stopwatch functionality to a watch, they are practical, easy to use and useful. However, many chronograph watches are expensive and unobtainable for the average collector. Because of this, I decided to put together a list of my 12 favorite chronographs all under the $5,000 price-point.
Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph
Price: $4,600 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 40mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
In the under $5,000 category, perhaps no brand does it better than Oris. This Swiss brand, is one of the only affordable independents in Switzerland that offers in-house movements in some of their watches. While the Divers Sixty-Five chronograph runs on the Oris 771 movement, which is a modified Sellita SW500 movement, the watch still offers a lot value for your money. The watch combines Oris’ classic Divers 65 design into a chronograph. If you are looking for a diver/chronograph combination at under $5,000, this Oris is a great piece. It retails for $4,600 USD on stainless steel bracelet.
Depancel Allure Automatic Chronograph
Price: $2,400 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 43mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Everyone wants a Rolex Daytona. But, whether its due to availability or price, the Daytona is just not accessible to every collector. But if you are looking for something that offers similar design cues, at nearly a fifth of the price, I think the Depancel Allure Automatic Chronograph is a great option. The watch features a panda design with a little twist. The inner portion of the dial has a guilloche-pattern design, the subdials and seconds hand adds a touch of orange color. Additionally, the watch runs on a Sellita SW500 movement, so you know that it will be trustworthy. At 43mm its quite a bit larger (and thicker) than a Daytona, but it is still pretty wearable. You can pick up the Depancel Allure Automatic Chronograph for $2,400 USD.
Longines Spirit Flyback
Price: $4,550 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 42mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
If you are looking for heritage brand whose watches are both accessible and high quality, look no further than Longines. The Swiss manufacturer has been around since 1832 and to this day, creates some of the highest quality timepieces in its price-point. Case-in-point is the Longines Spirit Flyback. This chronograph matches style and functionality. Indeed, the chronograph has a flyback functionality, which is rare in the under $5,000 price-point. Plus, the dial colors, including a dark blue sunray dial, are just stunning. I don’t think you can go wrong with the Spirit Flyback. It retails for $4,550 USD on steel bracelet.
Tissot Heritage 1973
Price: $2,275 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 43mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
It seems everyone’s attention is always focused onthe PRX (and it is a nice looking watch). But in Tissot’s catalog, the Heritage 1973 is probably my favorite chronograph. As its name suggests, the design harkens back to the 1970s. The tonneau case design reminds me of the watches from era, including pieces Bulova and Seiko. And the panda dial with orange accents, adds a little bit of funkiness. Overall, if you are looking for a vintage-inspired chronograph that is just a little different, the Heritage 1973 would be a good choice. It retails for $2,275 USD.
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer
Price: $2,500 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 42mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Japanese Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Ahh the Seitona (Seiko Daytona, get it?). The Prospex Speedtimer has amassed somewhat of a cult following among a subset of watch collectors. And whats not to like? The retro-style chronograph reminds me of the Rolex Daytonas of the 1970s. And while the Speedtimer is offered in multiple different configurations, including with a solar movement, I most prefer the variation with mechanical movement. The SRQ047 runs on Seiko’s in-house automatic movement and features a very comfortable 9-link bracelet. It is about as high quality as you’re going to get from Seiko before you get into Grand Seiko territory. You can find the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer for $2,500 USD.
Frederique Constant Highlife Chronograph
Price: $3,895 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 41mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Frederique Constant is known for producing high quality Swiss made watches with complications, at affordable prices. We’ve seen that with their perpetual calendars, priced around $12,000, and their tourbillons, priced around $15,000. And the brand’s Highlife Chronograph extends value and quality to the chronograph complication. And its not just a well-built chronograph. It looks great too. I’m a big fan of the Highlife collection in general, FC’s integrated bracelet stainless steel sport watch. And at $3,895 USD, it’s a pretty decent deal.
Alpina Alpiner Extreme Chronograph Automatic
Price: $3,295 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 41mm; Water Resistance: 200m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
To me, the Alpina Alpiner collection is a tribute to Genta, without having been designed by the Maestro himself. It’s a little bit Patek Philippe Nautilus (in the wings on the case) and a little bit Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (with the bezel screws). But overall, its really its own watch, and surprisingly modern. The tonneau case and integrated bracelet make the 41mm watch wear smaller than it might seem at first (indeed it is only 42.5mm lug-to-lug). So even if you have a smaller wrist, you can get away wearing the Alpiner Extreme Chronograph. It retails for $3,295 USD.
Zodiac Sea-Chron Automatic Chronograph
Price: $2,995 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 42mm; Water Resistance: 300m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
I love to see a brand go into its archives to re-release one of their past models. And Zodiac did that recently with the Sea-Chron Automatic Chronograph. The Sea-Chron adds a chronograph complication Zodiac’s modern catalog while still staying true to the brand’s dive watch heritage. Indeed, the Sea-Chron has a dive bezel and is water resistant to 200 meters. As far as diver/chronograph hybrids good, the Sea-Chron is a great option at $2,995 USD.
Hamilton American Classic Intra-Matic Auto Chrono
Price: $2,345 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 40mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
In 1969 Hamilton would end all American manufacturing and relocate to Switzerland. But the brand still manages to include much of its American heritage in its design. For example, the American Classic Intra-Matic Auto Chrono is a reinterpretation of one of the brand’s last American-made watches. Like a vintage Daytona or Heuer Autavia, the Intra-Matic is heavy on 70s design. But the bicompax panda design of the watch clearly stands on its own. And on a mesh bracelet, the watch is just oh so handsome. You can pick up the Intra-Matic Auto Chrono for $2,345 USD.
Fortis F-43 Bicompax
Price: $4,000 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 43mm; Water Resistance: 200m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
If you like a bicompax (two subdials) but want something a little more modern than the Hamilton I mentioned previously, the Fortis F-43 Bicompax may appeal. The Swiss made watch is not only modern in design, but modern in size. At 43mm it is not exactly a small watch. But it’s most definitely a great looking watch. The black dial features pops of green on the indexes and hours/minutes hands and orange on the chronograph’s minutes subregister, date aperture and chronograph seconds hand. With this piece, I really believe Fortis has designed something unique and attractive. That’s no small feat in an industry where it seems everything has already been done. The Fortis F-43 Bicompax retails for $4,000 USD.
Baltic Tricompax
Price: $1,793 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 39.5mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Swiss Manual Wind; Crystal: Sapphire.
If you’ve read any of my (or the Wrist Enthusiast team’s) guides, you’ll know what a big fan of Baltic I am. If you are looking for a vintage-inspired watch, you can’t go wrong with a piece from Baltic. They did it well with their diver, the Aquascaphe, and they’ve done it again with their manual wind chronograph, the Tricompax. If you are looking for a piece taken directly out of the playbook of 1970s-era Rolex Daytonas, including either a panda or reverse panda dial configuration, the Tricompax is your watch. And true to the era, the watch runs on a manual wind Sellita SW510 movement. You can pick up the Tricompax for just under $1,800 USD.
Doxa Sub 200 C-Graph II
Price: $2,890 USD; Case: Stainless Steel, 42mm; Water Resistance: 200m; Movement: Swiss Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
One of the things I love so much about DOXA is the variety of color options offer for all their watches. While the brand keeps the number of collections tight and cohesive (the brand identity is strong) they offer many different colors to each watch, in both bold and muted colorways. This is true on the Sub 200 C-Graph II. Smaller than the Sub 200 C-Graph by 3mm, the 42mm Sub 200 C-Graph II is a versatile diving chronograph offered in a slew of funky colorways. My favorite is either the iconic “Professional” orange or the summer “Aquamarine” but you can’t go wrong with any choice. TThe DOXA Sub 200 C-Graph II retails for $2,890 USD.
If you would like to see all of Wrist Enthusiast’s favorite chronograph watches at all price-points, check out our exhaustive guide of our 50 favorite chronograph watches.