Every week, we look at countless watches to feature in our Buying Guide, narrowing them down based on a common theme such as colour, material, complication or case shape. Scouting what fits within our selected topic at hand sometimes reveals surprising trends, and this time, we reached an eye-opening conclusion. In the field of relatively attainable mechanical chronographs, both manual and automatic, the spread of brands and models is thinning. While not too long ago we had an abundance of choice for a budget of, let’s say, CHF 2,500, nowadays, a lot of brands have moved their mechanical chronographs up a tier or two. Luckily, though, with a bit of nosing around, there are still plenty of compelling choices on offer! So, with that in mind, here’s our rundown of six chronographs costing CHF 2,500 or less (with one or two slight exceptions). 

Tissot pr 516 auto chrono

Tissot has been on a proverbial roll lately, with hit after hit joining the catalogue. Next to the PRX collection, the PR 516 has been making headlines as well. The latest is this super-cool PR 516 Automatic Chronograph, equipped with, who would’ve guessed, an automatic chronograph movement! It taps into the retro-styled watchmaking game perfectly and the blue-and-white Panda-style dial. Add to that the new multi-link stainless steel bracelet and a rather sensible sticker price of EUR 2,145, and you have a real winner on your hands! Again! Well played, Tissot, well played…

For more information, please visit TissotWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 14.19mm – 49mm lug-to-lug – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – knurled pull-out crown with pump-style pushers – sapphire crystal – see-through caseback – 100m water-resistant – white & blue Panda style dial – blue rings on sub-dials – applied marker & hands with SLN – ETA A05.231, automatic cam-actuated chronograph – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – multi-link steel bracelet with butterfly clasp – EUR 2,145

nivada Grenchen chronosport

The Chronosport by Nivada Grenchen is a quirky yet compelling retro chronograph based on a prototype from the 1970s that never entered full-scale production. The compact 38mm wide case has a distinctly muscular profile and is fitted with a unidirectional black aluminium bezel with double scales. With a height of 15.7mm, including the very thick sapphire crystal, it’s a rather stout chronograph. The dial has an unconventional layout and comes in black with taupe-coloured sub-dials. Power comes from an automatic Valjoux 7750, supplying a maximum of 42 hours of running time. The price ranges from USD 2,180 to USD 2,380, depending on the type of strap/bracelet.

For more information, please visit NivadaGrenchenOfficial.com.

Quick Facts – 38mm x 15.7mm (incl. crystal) – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – unidirectional rotating bezel with double scales – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 200m water-resistant – black dial with taupe sub-dials – applied markers & hands – ETA Valjoux 7750, automatic cam-lever chronograph – 28,800vph – 42h power reserve – stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp or a selection of 9 other straps – USD 2,180 (on strap) – USD 2,380 (on bracelet)

cimier 711 chronorgaph

Another blast from the past with an unconventional look is the Cimier 711 Heritage Chronograph Pop collection. This finds its inspiration in the 1960s but is livened up by a pop of colour on the dial. With black sub-dials at 7 and 11, you can guess where it gets its name. You can choose between Tangerine, Pink, Aqua Blue and Lime Green dials, all backed by the Valjoux 7750-based calibre CIM1000. It comes on a flat-link or mesh steel bracelet or a black leather strap. The punchy 39.5mm by 14.45mm Cimier 711, to put it short, costs CHF 2,480 on leather or CHF 2,525 on either of the two bracelets. If these colours are a bit much, you can also opt for Panda or Reverse Panda dials.

For more information, please visit Cimier.com.

Quick Facts – 39.5mm x 14.45mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – knurled crown with pump-style pushers – 100m water-resistant – Tangerine, Pink, Aqua Blue or Lime Green dial – black sub-dials – sailing tachymeter/telemeter scales – markers & hands with SLN – CIM1000 – automatic chronograph – 28,800vph – 48h power reserve – flat-link or mesh steel bracelet, or black leather strap – CHF 2,480 (strap) or CHF 2,525 (bracelets)

Hamilton jazzmaster performer auto chrono

Ok, we’re overstepping our self-imposed budget a little with this one, as the Hamilton Jazzmaster Performer Auto Chrono costs EUR 2,595, including VAT. That isn’t an insurmountable price gap, of course, but a gap nonetheless. However, Hamilton’s newest sports chronograph looks very good in black PVD! The black dial is livened up with multi-coloured sub-dials for the running seconds and chronograph indications. Furthermore, it has an exposed date disc and silver finishing touches. It’s powered by Hamilton’s calibre H31 (ETA/Valjoux 7753 base) and comes on a perforated leather strap with a black PVD-coated folding clasp.

For more information, please visit HamiltonWatch.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 15.22mm – black PVD-coated steel case – sapphire crystal front & back – 100m water-resistant – black dial with silver elements – multi-coloured sub-dials – applied indices & hands with SLN – exposed date disc – calibre H-31 (Valjoux 7753 base) – automatic chronograph – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – black perforated leather strap with blue stitching – black PVD folding clasp – part of the permanent collection – EUR 2,595

studio underd0g 01Series Gen-3 Chronograph

For the real bargain hunters out there, Studio Underd0g is a pretty solid option. The brand shot to stardom thanks to its whimsical, colourful play on foodie themes, with watches like the Salm0n, Strawberries & Cream or even the collab with H. Moser & Cie capturing the hearts of enthusiasts and collectors. The 3rd generation of the 01Series chronograph has been reduced in size a touch, now measuring 38.5mm x 12.9mm (including crystal). The two-layer dial follows the familiar food-related concept. Studio Under0g’s commitment to the Seagull ST-1901B manually wound chronograph, now with a minimum order quantity of 10,000 units, is commendable, to say the least! The series is priced at EUR 600, making for excellent value for money!

For more information, please visit Underd0g.com.

Quick Facts – 38.5mm x 12.9mm (incl. crystal) – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 50m water-resistant – 2-layer colourful Watermel0n, Desert Sky, Go0fy Panda and Mint Ch0c Chip dials – contrasting ‘Big Eye’ sub-dials – blackened hands with SLN – bespoke Seagull ST1901B, manually wound chronograph – 21,600vph – 50h power reserve – Saffiano leather strap with pin buckle – available in time-limited pre-order batches – EUR 600

hanhart 415 es chronograph

We round things off with Hanhart’s latest vintage-inspired model, the 415 ES Chronograph. As a faithful revival of a watch from the mid-1960s of the same name, it comes in at a compact 39mm across and 13.5mm from top to bottom. The steel case is proportioned almost exactly like its predecessor, with a matte black dial taken from the original as well. That means contrasting gilt hands with white, yellow and red markings. It’s equipped with a manually wound Sellita SW510 chronograph movement, which has a power reserve of at least 58 hours. Worn on a black, mid-brown or dark-brown leather strap, this one will set you back EUR 2,390, which is very fair!

For more information, please visit Hanhart.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 13.5mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – bidirectional bezel with ceramic insert – sapphire crystal front – solid caseback – fluted crown with pump-style pushers – matte black bicompax dial – gilt hands with SLN – luminous yellow hour numerals – red & white printed markings – Sellita SW510, manually wound chronograph – 28,800vph – >58h power reserve – black, dark- or mid-brown leather strap with pin buckle – EUR 2,390