At The Top Of Your Game

Sports watches fit for purpose and ready for anything.

A good sports watch is a welcome addition to any collection. A great one is simply indispensable. Choose right, and you will have the perfect balance of style and functionality, plus an equal amount of mettle.

Watches of Switzerland 20th Anniversary IWC Pilots Chronograph Limited Edition

Leading the charge this year is none other than our very own Watches of Switzerland 20th Anniversary IWC Pilots Chronograph Limited Edition. Known and loved the world over, the IWC Pilot’s Chronograph is without a doubt one of the most iconic pilot’s watches on the market today, and is instantly recognisable on the wrist. For our 20th Anniversary, we wanted to take this classic pilot’s watch and create something truly special. Presented in a 43mm, stainless steel case, it pairs a black dial with patina coloured Superluminova-coated hands and indices to create a vintage-inspired look. Hours and minutes are indicated centrally, with small seconds shown on the sub-dial at 9 o’clock and the day and date displayed through two windows at 3 o’clock. The sub-dials at 12 and 6 o’clock respectively display 30-minute and 12-hour counters for the chronograph, with a central hand in white for the chronograph seconds. Inside is the robust IWC 79320 Calibre, a self-winding chronograph movement beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph and offering a max power reserve of 44 hours. Limited to 50 pieces, and with 41 sold at the writing of this article, you’ll need to get flying.

Rolex
Sea-Dweller

Initially created five decades ago, the Sea-Dweller was enshrined as Rolex’s professional divers’ watch. At Baselworld Fair 2017, for the 50th anniversary of the model, Rolex released the Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller, which — at 43mm — boasts a larger case and wider bracelet. At this heft, encased in corrosion-resistant 904L steel case, the icon beckons the Deep with a promise of waterproofness to an astounding 4,000 feet (1,220 metres). As a pro dive watch, this Sea-Dweller also contains Rolex’s patented helium safety valve at 9 o’clock, which controls the pressure amassed in the case during decompression for saturation dives. The essential unidirectional rotating bezel in black Cerachrom surrounds the black dial with Chromalight luminescent-filled white gold hands and indexes. Surprisingly, for the first time ever on a Sea-Dweller , Rolex added a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for land dwellers. As a final touch, the dial bears the name Sea-Dweller in red, a reference to the first model. Inside is the self-winding calibre 3235, a new-generation movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex, possessing the Chronergy escapement and a 70-hour power reserve. Finally, the folding Oysterlock safety clasp includes two extension systems: the Rolex Glidelock system permits 20mm of adjustment in intervals of 2mm; while the Fliplock extension link enables a quick 26mm adjustment for wearing over wetsuits.

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas Chronograph

Vacheron Constantin’s popular line of sport watches, the Overseas collection, was inspired by the “222’ presented in 1977 and has been in production since the 1996. Recently refreshed, the new line maintains its vigorous look yet with streamed lines for a smoother looking case, but retaining its rugged notched bezel motif. Bearing the Hallmark of Geneva, measuring 42.50mm in diameter and housed in an all-steel case, this watch boasts either a rich blue or off-white dial, both with silvered detailing and a 3, 6, and 9 o’clock configuration of sub-dials. Time is displayed centrally, while a small window between 4 and 5 o’clock reveals the date. The combination of the refined design with the chronograph functionality means that this is a sports watch with grace, which is enhanced even further, as the steel models are each delivered with three interchangeable attachments: a steel bracelet with easy-fit system; a rubber strap; and a leather strap. And powered by the Calibre 5200, the first in-house movement for an Overseas model, this collection has really come into its own.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Chronograph Ceramic

Verifying that a sports watch can still maintain a sense of elegance, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents its 46mm Master Compressor Chronograph Ceramic. Featuring a black ceramic case — a material that’s popular for its ability to be lightweight yet extremely sturdy — this chronograph houses a stylish charcoal grey symmetrical dial with white and blue highlights. Driven by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 757, the watch offers an a chronograph 12-hour register at 9 o’clock, 30-minute register at 3 o’clock and central seconds hand; a second time-zone via the grey open-worked hour hand with an accompanying day/night indicator; plus local time indication viathe central blue trapezoid skeletonised hour and minute hands,with small seconds in a subdial at 6 o’clock and the date by aperture at 5 o’clock . At 100 meters water resistance, and fitted with a high-tech material watch strap, also in black, this is resolute watch is ready to take on all of life’s expeditions.

Tudor Heritage
Black Bay Chrono

Tudor has a long, deep heritage of developing both professional dive watches — since 1950 — and motorsport-inspired chronographs — since 1970. For 2017, the brand has made a daring move to combine elements of the two to create the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chrono, which has roots in its Black Bay’s aquatic heritage along with its Motorsport chronographs racetrack functionality. Sized at a rational 41mm in diameter, this instrument comes in a satin-finished steel case, supporting a steel bezel with engraved tachymetric scale. Poweerd by the Manufacture Calibre MT5813 with column wheel and vertical clutch, the movement boasts a 70-hour power reserve. Its matte black dial with two submerged sub-dials — a running seconds register at 9 o’clock and a 45-minute counter at 3 o’clock — plus a date window in white at 6 o’clock, ensure legibility by land or sea, and waterproof to 200 metres makes it the complete sports watch.. Finished on a robust brown leather strap or steel braclet, this instrument is a standout on the wrist.

Breitling
Colt Skyracer

This year, Breitling offers an impossibly light tool watch with the launch of its Colt Skyracer. Sized at a generous 45mm, it weighs only 54.6g thanks to Breitlight™ — a Breitling-developed carbon case and bezel material that’s about six times lighter than steel. Powered by the Calibre 74, a thermocompensated SuperQuartz™ movement, this watch promises an 8-year battery life, is COSC certified, and offers a remarkable accuracy of a mere 10-second deviation per year. Boasting a black dial with large white Arabic Superluminova™ numerals, red detailing, plus a date window at 3 o’clock, this is a functional yet trim sports watch that has been created by one of the world’s foremost watchmakers.