Most people who are interested in motorsports love both cars and watches. Since the early 1900s, both the sport of racing cars and the art of making watches have grown.
There are a lot of famous racing chronograph watches, like the Tag Huer Monaco, Rolex Daytona, and Zenith El-Primero, that are based on motorsport. Even though there are modern versions of these watches, many people can’t afford them.
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So, what about regular car lovers who want a great watch but don’t want to break the bank? Let’s take a look at the top 16 watches that were inspired by racing:
1) Omologato
Omologato is one of the few modern watch companies that does a good job of capturing the history of watchmaking. Most brands try to appeal to as many people as possible, but Omologato is all about combining motorsports and watches.
2) Tissot PRC200 Chronograph
This watch is perfect in every way. It is an automatic chronograph from a brand with a long history of making watches. It is also water resistant to 200m.
There are many different types of watches in the Tissot PRC200 sports line collection. Want a leather strap for it? you’ve got it, do you want it with a rubber band? You got it, and if you want it on a bracelet, they’ve got it. Whether you like a sporty watch or a real classic one, it won’t be hard to choose one.
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Check on Amazon for the price
Case Size: 42mm
Movement: Swiss Quartz
3) Seiko Lord SPC237P1
In the 1970s, Seiko was the first company to make a Quartz watch. Quartz chronograph Seiko SPC237P1. On the black and silver dial and case, there is a hint of orange. This is different from most chronographs because it has a date window at 12 o’clock.
Price: $300 aprox
Case Size: 44mm
Movement:7T04 Quartz
4) Citizen Brysen CA0649-06X
Citizen Brysen is part of the line of Eco-Drive cars. Even though it’s not mentioned on Citizen’s website, the person who made this watch was inspired by motor racing.
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Check on Amazon for the price
Case Size: 44mm
Movement: Quartz
5) Casio Edifice
One of the most popular lines of Casio watches is the Edifice line. This line uses the latest technology and takes design cues from auto racing. All of them are Quartz powered chronographs, but there is a standard, solar powered, and smartphone link range.
The limited edition Honda Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso range is without a doubt my favourite. The case size is the only thing I don’t like about Casio Edifice. All of their models are pretty big, so you’ll either like it or not.
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Check on Amazon for the price
Case Size: Multiple options
Movement: Quartz
6) Seiko Men’s ‘RECRAFT Series’ (Model: SSC667 & SSC669)
The 1970s were a big influence on the Seiko Recraft line, which is a mix of old and new. Both the SSC667 and the SSC669 are real chronographs from the 1970s. It’s not often that a watch comes from the factory with a Nato strap.
A quartz solar chronograph runs the watch. But it’s interesting to note that the second hand sweeps instead of ticking like an automatic watch.
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Check on Amazon for the price
Case Size: 43.5mm
Solar Quartz Chronograph Movement
7) Autodromo Watches
Like Omalogato, the Autodromo brand is for people who love cars. Bradley Prince started the Autodromo brand. He has a background in industrial design, which is where he got his start.
The Ford GT Chronograph from Autodromo is truly amazing. And if you want something more casual, check out the Autodromo Stradale watch. It was made to look like the instruments on the dashboards of Italian sports berlinettas from the late 1950s and early 1960s.
These watches are more expensive than Omalogato, but they have automatic movement and sapphire glass.
Price: $695
Case Size: 40mm
Seiko VK64 Hybrid Meca-Quartz Chronograph Movement
8) Tissot T-Race Moto GP
Do you like Moto-GP? Then the Tissot T-Race Moto GP watch is just what you need. The watch is very sporty and has a very different design. Even the way this watch comes in its box is different. The box that it comes in looks like a helmet. Most of the models are only made in small numbers (4999 total units). If you really want an automatic movement, the T-Race line only has one choice left.
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Check on Amazon for the price
Case Size: 43mm
Movement: Swizz Quartz
9) Certina DS2 Sports Collection
Certina is a Swiss brand that not many people know about, but it’s even older than Rolex. It was started by brothers Adolf and Alfred Kurth in 1888. The latest Sports collection from Certina has watches that are great examples of what a chronograph should be. The watches in this collection have different levels of formality. You can have it subtle or have it in loud yellow colour. Most of the models have quartz movements, but we also have two options that are automatic.
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Check on Amazon for the price
Case Size: 41mm
Movement: Quartz
10) Victorinox Alliance Sport Chrono
Victorinox is a Swiss company that has been making knives, especially pocket knives, since 1884. They use their knowledge of metals to make watches that are strong and of high quality.
It comes in 5 different styles, but the grey case with a rubber strap is my favourite. It has a 44mm case size and runs on a Quartz movement.
11) Hamilton Pan Europ
Hamilton is also an American watch brand that has been around since 1892. Hamilton made its name by giving timepieces to the US railroad when it was building important infrastructure.
The Pan Europ line is the same as the Pan-Europ line from the 1970s. Its 42mm case is just about the right size to appeal to a wide range of people. The Hamilton Pan-Europa uses an automatic H 30 movement that has complications for the day and date. This watch is the only one on this list that doesn’t have a chronograph feature.
Check on Amazon for the price (discounted price)
Case Size: 42mm
Movement: Automatic
12) Christopher Ward C7 Rapide Chronograph Quartz
Christopher Ward is a British watch brand that is still pretty new. The first watch they made didn’t come out until 2005. This brand wants to make watches that are as good as Swiss ones but cost a lot less.
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This is shown well by the C7 Rapide Chronograph. Before Omalogato or Autodromo came along, this was the watch that motorsport fans could relate to. The Ronda 5021.D Quartz movement inside this chronograph is made in Switzerland.
Price:£495 £560
Case SIze: 42mm
Movement: Quartz
13) Straton Curve Chrono
Modern Swiss watch company Straton started out with a Kickstarter campaign in 2015. Fans quickly fell in love with this watch brand because it reminded them so much of old cars. This is not surprising because the man who started Straton loves classic cars, racing, and watches. In fact, his way of life fits right in with what the brand stands for.
This small brand got its start with their first watch, the Vintage Driver Chrono. The Curve Chrono, their newest chronograph, is also a throwback to the 1970s. Everything about it is classy, from the shape of the case to the colours on the dials.
It comes in 5 different styles. This watch is run by a Seiko Meca-Quartz movement. This is a hybrid movement with the accuracy of a quartz watch and the sophistication of a mechanical chronograph.
Price: $499
Case Size: 39.5 & 42mm
Movement: Seiko Meca Quartz
14) Huawei GT2 Pro Porsche Design
Purists usually look down on smart watches. Their main complaint is that they don’t have any morals. But check out the Huawei GT2 Porsche Design watch if you like the way smart watches work but also want one that looks good on your wrist.
The body of this watch is made of titanium, and the back is made of ceramic, which we racing fans love. The screen is made of Sapphire glass, which means it is as tough as nails.
15) Avi-8 Hawker Hurricane
This watch is the perfect mix of old and new for someone who loves cars and fighter planes from World War II. Just by looking at the dial, you can tell what this watch is all about.
This classic chronograph watch is made to do its job. The marks on the dial are big and easy to read. The watch comes with a leather strap that is hand-stitched to finish the look.
16) Seiko SSB 359P1
There are a lot of chronograph watches from Seiko, but this one is my favourite. It has everything a good racing watch should have.
This includes big pushers, a carbon fibre dial with a hint of red, and a high-quality textured fibre strap.
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What is Racing Watch?
In motor racing, keeping track of time is very important. Because of this, racing watches have always been a popular type of wristwatch. Several well-known brands, like Rolex, Omega, and Tag Huer, got their start in racing. Iconic watches in this category include the Rolex Daytona, Omega Speedmaster, and Tag Heuer Carrera, Monaco, and Autiva.
Let’s look at some of the things that make a racing watch what it is:
1) Chronograph: Basically, a chronograph is a stopwatch. The second and minute hands of a chronograph are on separate, smaller dials. Some can even be read by a separate dial. It’s used to keep track of short amounts of time, like a race car’s lap time. It can be started, stopped, and reset with the push of a button.
2) High contrast dials: A race car driver should be able to read his watch as quickly as possible when he is pushing his car to its limits on a racetrack. Therefore, an ideal racing watch should have big numbering and high contrast dials.
3) Tachymeter: A watch with a tachymeter helps a race car driver figure out how fast they’re going on average over a certain distance. This goes well with the Chronograph.
4) Angled Dial Orientation: A racing driver needs a dial that is easy to read. And for the same reason, a dial with an angle is easier to read when a driver has both hands on the wheel. This is a great feature, but you don’t have to have it.
5) Straps that let air in and won’t break: Motor racing is a very intense sport, and the cockpit of a racing driver can get very hot, especially in the summer. In this case, a strap that is easy to carry and lets air through is best. In the beginning, rally-style leather straps were the only ones used for racing. As time went on, however, perforated rubber straps also became popular.
Watches have always been used first and foremost to keep track of time. But they aren’t as important as they used to be. Since most racing cars now have high-tech data logging systems, racing watches are mostly used for fashion now. And a watch seems like something from the past.
But nothing beats the coolness of a motorsport watch that looks great. In the watch business, one popular niche is watches that are based on motorsports. In fact, the fact that there are so many chronograph watches on the market shows that this type of watch has only become popular in the past few years. We hope that our list makes it easier for you to find gems in this market that is already full. Tell us in the section below, “Comments,” which one you liked best.
Sources: https://micdot.com
Category: Vehicles
