The Chronograph - From Racetracks to Battlefields

Few types of watches have enjoyed such a close relationship with history as the chronograph. From the racetracks of Le Mans and Daytona to the cockpits of military aircraft, the ability to measure elapsed time has played an important role in some of the most demanding environments imaginable.

Along the way, the chronograph has become something more than a practical instrument. It has given us some of the most recognisable and desirable watches ever made.

Breitling played a particularly important role in this development. In 1915, Gaston Breitling introduced a wrist chronograph with a separate pusher, followed by further refinements in 1923. In 1934, his son Willy introduced a design with a second pusher dedicated to resetting the stopwatch.

But how did it all begin?

A watch with another job to do

A chronograph is essentially a wristwatch with a built-in stopwatch. Usually operated by two pushers on the side of the case, it allows the wearer to start, stop and reset a timing function independently of the regular time display.

The word originates from the Greek khronográphos, meaning time recording.

Chronographs have existed in various forms since the early 19th century, but it was during the early 20th century that they evolved into the wristwatches we recognise today.

The familiar arrangement of pushers at two and four o'clock soon became an industry standard.

With the basic design established, the chronograph found a natural home in activities where timing was essential. Aviation, military operations, scientific research and, perhaps most famously, motor racing.

Racing against time

The relationship between watchmaking and motorsport is almost as old as motor racing itself.

Whether measuring a lap, a sector or an entire race, accurate timing has always been essential. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that watchmakers and racing teams developed close relationships.

Over the years, manufacturers including Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Williams and Aston Martin have formed partnerships with some of the world's leading watch brands.

The king of cool in 'Le Mans' from 1971. McQueen did all the driving himself and created a legend that still sells watches today

Many of these associations have come and gone, but a handful have created something far more enduring: watches that became legends in their own right.

One of the most famous owes much of its success to a Hollywood actor and a rather fortunate coincidence.

Steve McQueen and the Heuer Monaco

In 1971, Steve McQueen starred in Le Mans, a film that remains one of the most authentic portrayals of motor racing ever made.

McQueen played Michael Delaney, a racing driver competing in the legendary 24-hour endurance race. On his wrist was a square Heuer Monaco chronograph.

It was an unusual choice, and apparently not McQueen's first preference.

Several watch brands were considered for the film, including Rolex, Omega, Tissot, Heuer and Bulova. McQueen reportedly favoured Omega, but there was a complication.

He had already selected the white racing suit he would wear in the film, modelled on the outfit worn by Swiss racing driver Jo Siffert. The suit carried a prominent HEUER logo.

The famous Heuer Monaco - the original worn in the film to the left. The modern day version to the right

Wearing another manufacturer's watch would have looked rather odd.

McQueen consequently chose the Heuer Monaco, a distinctly unconventional chronograph with a square case and blue dial, rather than the more traditional Carrera or Autavia.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The Monaco became one of the most recognisable chronographs ever made, and McQueen's association with the watch continues to feature prominently in TAG Heuer's marketing more than half a century later.

It is worth remembering that McQueen was considerably more than an actor pretending to be a racing driver. In 1970, he finished second overall in the gruelling 12 Hours of Sebring, sharing a Porsche 908 with Peter Revson.

He was 40 years old at the time, and reportedly drove with his left foot in a cast.

Not bad for a Hollywood superstar.

Paul Newman and the world's most famous Daytona

If Steve McQueen helped make the Heuer Monaco famous, fellow actor Paul Newman did something similar for the Rolex Daytona.

The Daytona was introduced in 1963 as a chronograph specifically associated with motor racing. Its tachymeter bezel allowed drivers to calculate average speeds over a measured distance.

Early Daytonas were not particularly successful commercially, and some of the dial variations that are now enormously desirable were relatively unpopular when new.

Would you pay $17,752,500 for this watch? In 2017 somebody did it remains the most expensive Rolex watch ever sold at auction

Paul Newman changed all that, although he probably never intended to.

In 1968, his wife Joanne Woodward gave him a Rolex Daytona reference 6239 with an exotic dial. On the caseback she had engraved the words:

DRIVE CAREFULLY ME

It was a personal reminder to take care while pursuing his passion for motor racing.

Newman wore the watch extensively, and photographs of him wearing it helped establish the association between his name and the distinctive dial design.

Over time, collectors began referring to these exotic-dial Daytonas as Paul Newman models.

In 2017, his own Daytona was sold at auction for an astonishing $17.8 million, including the buyer's premium.

Not bad for a watch that originally cost a few hundred dollars.

Rolex subsequently became one of the most prominent names in motorsport sponsorship, establishing long-standing relationships with legendary drivers including Sir Jackie Stewart and Denmark's own Tom Kristensen.

For many years, Rolex was also the official timepiece of Formula 1, a role it held from 2013 until the end of 2024.

But while racing drivers were turning chronographs into cultural icons, another group of professionals was using them for rather more serious purposes.

From racetracks to battlefields

The chronograph was never exclusively a racing driver's watch.

Long before motorsport transformed chronographs into fashionable accessories, pilots and military personnel had recognised the value of being able to measure elapsed time.

In aviation, timing could be essential for navigation, fuel management and operational procedures. A watch needed to be accurate, legible and easy to operate, often while wearing gloves.

There was little room for unnecessary decoration.

Among the manufacturers supplying chronographs for military use was Heuer, whose association with aviation produced one of the most distinctive military watches of the 20th century.

The Heuer Bundeswehr 1550 SG.

The Heuer Bundeswehr — built for a different kind of race

During the 1960s and 1970s, Heuer supplied chronographs for use by pilots of the German armed forces, commonly referred to as the Bundeswehr.

The Heuer 1550 SG  'Bund' was a substantial watch, even by modern standards.

The Heuer 'Bund'. Its 43mm case featured prominent chronograph pushers, a rotating bezel and a highly legible black dial with contrasting white markings

 

There was nothing particularly delicate about it.

The design was purposeful, almost industrial, with a clear emphasis on functionality. The rotating bezel provided an additional means of tracking elapsed time, while the chronograph allowed more precise timing of individual events.

It was a watch designed to do a job.

Unlike the Monaco and Daytona, the Bundeswehr chronograph never relied on celebrity endorsements or glamorous advertising campaigns to establish its reputation.

Its appeal came from the design itself.

More than half a century later, the 1550 SG remains highly regarded among collectors of military watches. Its distinctive case has aged remarkably well, demonstrating that a design created primarily for practical reasons can also possess considerable aesthetic appeal.

And it was precisely this design that caught our attention when we began developing our latest chronograph.

Introducing the FIELD 002 Chronograph

When we set out to create the FIELD 002, we wanted a chronograph that combined classic watchmaking design with the practical requirements of an everyday utility watch.

The new Enoksen FIELD 002 Chronograph. Less is always more

Rather than starting with a completely new case design, we chose to revisit one of our favourites: the Heuer Bundeswehr 1550 SG.

The FIELD 002 adopts the characteristic 43mm case architecture of the original military chronograph, including its distinctive profile, prominent pushers and rotating bezel.

But this is not intended to be a reproduction.

We developed our own dial design around the Seiko VK63 meca-quartz movement, combining the accuracy and reliability of quartz with the satisfying operation of a mechanical-style chronograph.

The stopwatch features a sweeping central chronograph hand and an instantaneous reset, while the three subdials provide elapsed-minute, running-seconds and 24-hour indications.

The case has a finely sandblasted finish, giving it a restrained, purposeful appearance that complements the field-inspired dial colours.

An anti-reflective sapphire crystal, 100-metre water resistance and luminous hands and markers complete a watch designed for regular use rather than occasional admiration.

At 43mm, the FIELD 002 makes no attempt to disguise its origins. Like the Bundeswehr chronographs that inspired it, this is a substantial, highly legible watch with a strong visual identity.

But we have also introduced something of our own.

The distinctive field colours, original dial layout and contemporary movement give the FIELD 002 a character that is recognisably different from its military ancestor.

A timeless idea

More than a century after the first wrist chronographs appeared, the basic principle remains unchanged.

Two pushers, a stopwatch and the ability to measure elapsed time.

The technology has evolved enormously, but the fundamental appeal of a well-designed chronograph has not.

Whether worn by a racing driver at Le Mans, a military pilot in the 1970s or someone simply appreciating a good watch today, the chronograph remains one of watchmaking's most versatile and enduring designs.

The FIELD 002 is our interpretation of that tradition.

And if you appreciate classic chronograph design combined with distinctive field colours and modern reliability, this watch might be just what you have been looking for.

Learn more about the FIELD 002 here -->