Best Chronograph for £5k

[Gatsods]

First timer posting in the Watches section on PH. Looking for suggestions as above.

At the moment, I'm quite taken with the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, but I also really like the IWC Portofino (albeit I think a little beyond the budget). Leaning slightly towards sporty vs dressy. Work & weekends primary place to wear it.

Would quite like a black leather/not-metal strap. Daily wear is an Aquaracer and the "collection" is arguably only 2 watches at present (Le Locle on a brown leather the other one which doesn't have a battery), so trying to build it up differently.

Thoughts & suggestions welcome!

[WhisperingWasp]

Without wanting to go straight to the obvious surely an Omega Speedmaster of some sort is the answer to that question.

Plenty of choice but a Speedy Pro Moonwatch for me, specifically.

[Gatsods]

It may end up being the answer just as it's clearly something which would be a great very long term piece, but they seem to be £7,100 now on a leather strap as far as I can tell!

[jules_s]

Go used - allow circa £500 for a service and get something that was/is far better quality than is on the market today.

[the-norseman]

Tudor "panda" for me at the moment.

[fridaypassion]

Used planet ocean. I daily one there's nothing better at that price point.

[JEA1K]

Speedmaster 100%, although it would need to be pre-owned or heavily discounted if new with current prices.

[S600BSB]

Had my Seamaster for nearly 20 years and took delivery of a burgundy Black Bay last week. They are both fantastic watches IMO.

[MarkJS]

fridaypassion said:

Used planet ocean. I daily one there's nothing better at that price point.

I’d second this and look at a PO.

I’m a massive Omega fan, but I have to say that my purchase of a Speedmaster Pro moonwatch (Hesalite) was my biggest watch regret and I moved it on pretty quickly.

[Jayho]

I'm not quite at that position yet, but likelihood my next big purchase would be a chronograph around the same budget.

I've narrowed mine down to the following:
Omega Speedmaster - Just a classic and wanted one forever. Even when buying new, usually quite easy to negotiate a 20% discount from the AD. Before they went up in price as much as they have, I did negotiate a good deal on a brand new one but talked myself out of buying another piece at that point.
Zenith El Primero - Think they're absolutely stunning, well made and not too recognisable. Takes a bit of searching and a bit of waiting, but sometimes you can find them on sale down to £5-6k. Unfortunately for me I'm not in the position to buy it yet.

Ones which I've considered but ultimately ruled out:
Tudor Black Bay Chronograph - Absolutely lovely watch, but I do already have a Black Bay and a Ranger in the collection, so it just feels a bit OTT to have yet another Tudor in the collection.
IWC - They're just too big for my tiny wrists and in all honesty I was a little underwhelmed when first handling one.
Breitlings - Just never appealed to my that much. When I was younger I just found them a bit try hard and ghastly. But they have grown on me, especially the new TOP TIME DEUS

Just my 2p

[WelshChris]

MarkJS said:

I’d second this and look at a PO.

I’m a massive Omega fan, but I have to say that my purchase of a Speedmaster Pro moonwatch (Hesalite) was my biggest watch regret and I moved it on pretty quickly.

Any reason why? - I'd never part with mine.

[Ninjin]

Please remember those considering the speed master moon, this is a manual wind chrono. All the others have automatic movements.

[MarkJS]

WelshChris said:

MarkJS said:

I’d second this and look at a PO.

I’m a massive Omega fan, but I have to say that my purchase of a Speedmaster Pro moonwatch (Hesalite) was my biggest watch regret and I moved it on pretty quickly.

Any reason why? - I'd never part with mine.

I think it was a combination of Omega undoubtedly trying to stay close to the original Moonwatch and my stupidity/urge to have one. I felt the bracelet and certainly the clasp were a little too rattly with sharper edges than I’d expected and the Hesalite marked very easily (and I’m extremely careful with watches). The pushers/action/feel of the chronograph felt fragile too. Nothing ever actually broke or stopped working of course. The look and feel of the watch just never felt the money IMO.

I haggled a price at an Omega boutique of £3150 and sold it privately at £3700 18 months or so later so it wasn’t a complete disaster - and I’d scratched an itch I suppose.

[ac13]

Left field suggestions could be:

The Tutima Nato Chronograph

https://tutima.com/watches/m2/

Or the smaller and dressier Saxon

https://tutima.com/watch/saxon-one-6420-04/

or the Sinn 140 St

https://www.classic-watch.de/Sinn-140-St-S_1

I've always liked a centre minute chronograph

[bigandclever]

I'm a Sinn fan, what about a 900 Diapal?

https://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collections/sinn-wat...

[vixen1700]

https://www.guinand-uhren.de/our-philosophy.html?g...

Something a bit different that you won't see everyday.

Guinand do a nice range of chronos, made in tiny numbers from their Frankfurt factory. An old Swiss company resurrected by Helmut Sinn.

Really nice watches and reasonably priced too.

[Castrol for a knave]

An El Primero, various models around the £5k mark?

https://www.zeitauktion.com/en/ZENITH-EL-PRIMERO-C...

I think these are massively underrated and any watch enthusiast will know the history and exactly what it is.

[Barchettaman]

Something from the Longines Master series maybe? Lovely things and likely to be available at a discount.

[pistonheadforum]

Handwinding
Saphire Glass
Weird and pointless 24h dial
Display caseback
Decent Price

[pistonheadforum]

A chronograph is a cool and nice thing to own - does not need to cost a fortune.