Fratello’s Top 5 Chronograph Watches Of 2025 — Featuring Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Zenith, And More

Another Friday, another list! This week, we continue the series highlighting our favorite watches of 2025. It’s time for our favorite chronographs. Whereas last week’s list of GMT watches wasn’t easy to compile due to a lack of spectacular options, we were not left wanting this week. If anything, 2025 has given us an abundance of great chronograph options, with some pushing the envelope of what watches in this genre can be.

Unlike the last two lists, we had no trouble picking our top five chronographs. Let me rephrase that: it wasn’t difficult to find five watches that could be on this list. We had a tougher time trimming this list to just five. This year gave us many impressive chronographs that stood out for their technical achievements or their stunning designs. We feel the chronographs we’ll highlight today cover both criteria, so let’s jump in and find out what they are.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5

Our first pick is the most talked-about chronograph in terms of technological development this year. Lex wrote an interesting analysis of recent technological developments in the watch industry, focusing on the significance of Audemars Piguet’s newest Royal Oak chronograph, which reinvents the category. It is definitely worth checking out because it’s a great read. But before you do, let’s quickly go over the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5. Admittedly, though, that sounds a bit weird because going over the technological idea behind the watch and discussing the details is not something one can do quickly.

So, what is the central idea behind the watch? If you have followed Audemars Piguet’s innovations over the past few years, you will know that the brand’s technical director, Giulio Papi, has focused on the user-friendliness of watches. Remarkably, he was inspired by the usability of an iPhone to explore similar possibilities with watches. While the Audemars Piguet RD models have always been the result of excellent research and development, the first grand display of that focus on intuitiveness was the brand’s Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4, introduced in 2023.

The ingenious new Audemars Piguet caliber 8100

Not only was that Code 11.59 the brand’s most complicated watch to date, but it also kick-started a series of complicated watches focused on optimized usability via the crown and pushers. The watch was followed by this year’s various perpetual calendars, taking the ingenious use of the crown and redefining the practicality of a perpetual calendar. With the new RD#5 chronograph, Papi tackled the challenge of having to use force to operate the chronograph pusher.

Thanks to the patented new rack-and-pinion mechanism, the new Audemars Piguet caliber 8100 stores energy in the rack and keeps it under tension. The mechanism prevents the chronograph from vibrating and eschews the friction spring, a brake that requires constant energy. While the caliber’s energy consumption is comparable to that of a traditional chronograph movement, the new caliber 8100 stores the energy, which is released to reset the chronograph. With a light touch of the bottom pusher, the chronograph’s seconds hand returns to zero in a retrograde motion. Thanks to the use of lightweight titanium, the reset is lightning quick and uses minimal energy.

You get a tourbillon because there was room for it

Additionally, the new Royal Oak Chronograph features a crown with an integrated pusher for switching between winding and time-setting modes, an innovative vertical-clutch system designed to start, stop, and reset smoothly, and a peripheral rotor. This results in a 379-part movement that fits into a traditional 39mm “Jumbo” case and offers a 72-hour power reserve.

It also features a flyback function and minute and hour counters, accompanied by rare instant-jumping hands. Additionally, the caliber has a flying tourbillon. Papi and his team integrated the tourbillon because the new chronograph uses fewer parts, freeing up space to include it. The final model in Audemars Piguet’s RD series costs €260,000. But its value goes far beyond the price tag, as you will understand. That’s why it is our first pick for this list.

Patek Philippe 5370R Split-Seconds Chronograph

Our second pick is no less impressive. While it’s not as technically ingenious as the Royal Oak, one glance at the Patek Philippe 5370R Split-Seconds Chronograph was more than enough for me to fall head over heels in love.

It was one of my highlights of Watches and Wonders 2025. The watch features a beautifully sculpted 41mm rose gold case with a design deeply rooted in the history of Patek Philippe. The case flanks with the recessed grooves are wonderful, and the lugs, each with a gold cabochon, look amazing.

The case is matched with a brown Grand Feu enamel dial with sub-dials and a tachymeter scale in beige champlevé enamel. The colors and finish are excellent, and when combined with the Breguet numerals and detailed scales, they create a stunning dial. Overall, the presence is out of this world.

If you turn the watch around, you are greeted by the glorious caliber CHR 29-535 PS. This rattrapante chronograph movement comprises 312 parts, including dual column wheels and a horizontal clutch. It offers 65 hours of power reserve and looks amazing thanks to the immaculate finishing. The new Patek Philippe 5370R is an excellent addition to the brand’s catalog, even at €288,700. When a watch looks this good, the price becomes an easily forgettable detail.

Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009

Our next pick is a more modern chronograph that surprised us in all the right ways. The Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009 was one of the releases that Grand Seiko unveiled during Watches and Wonders. The watch is part of the brand’s Sport collection and displays an intriguing and futuristic look.

I wasn’t immediately a fan when I saw the press images, but as soon as the watch landed on my desk, I was sold. The angular 43mm Brilliant Hard Titanium case, with a 15.6mm thickness and a 50mm lug-to-lug, is something else. Yes, it’s big! However, thanks to its brilliant curvature, it sits comfortably on the wrist.

Once it’s there, you will get an excellent feel for the meticulously designed and crafted case. Every angle reveals a new detail, and the finishing adds to the visual drama perfectly. The futuristic case is paired with a complex brown dial and a black rehaut featuring the minute/chronograph seconds scale.

The black sub-dials correspond with the rehaut and are integral to the chronograph functions. They feature hands with orange tips, just like the central chronograph hand. The third sub-dial is a different color because it is the running seconds indicator. But the main attention grabber is the set of huge hour markers. They match the case shape perfectly.

The joy of operating the Hi-Beat caliber

If you turn the watch around, you will see Grand Seiko’s Tentagraph 9SC5 caliber through the curved case back’s sapphire display. This Hi-Beat movement operates at 36,000 vibrations per hour, features 60 jewels, and offers a three-day power reserve. As Lex wrote in the introduction article, the caliber features Grand Seiko’s Dual Impulse Escapement, which transfers energy to the free-sprung balance wheel indirectly through the pallet fork and directly from the escape wheel. The three-pointed hammer ensures the chronograph hands return to zero instantly with a press of the reset pusher.

Once on the wrist, the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph is a lot to take in. Its mixture of sheer size and low weight is the first major thing that you have to get used to. Additionally, the case shape is overwhelming, but once it is in place, it makes a lot more sense. Using the watch is a delight. The oversized pushers that activate the brand’s Hi-Beat chronograph caliber have a stellar look and feel. For me, the Grand Seiko SLGC009 was this year’s biggest chronograph surprise, and it retails for €17,500.

Angelus Chronographe Télémètre Steel Rose

Our fourth pick is a watch that impressed all of us at Fratello. It was great to see new releases from Angelus during Watches and Wonders, showcasing the brand as a celebrated maker of classic chronographs. The brand’s Chronographe Télémètre Steel Rose is a perfect blend of vintage style and modern production standards.

This monopusher chronograph features a 37mm stainless steel case with a mere 9.25mm thickness and a 44mm lug-to-lug length. The proportions are spot on. While this chronograph may seem modestly sized, the substantial lug-to-lug and the brilliant dial ensure a substantial presence on the wrist.

Atop the stainless steel case is a box-style sapphire crystal that protects the excellent dial. This domed rose-bronze dial features concentrically engraved sub-dials within a finely grained backdrop, providing depth and detail. These are further enhanced by the circular brushing on the dial’s perimeter. The mix of finishes contrasts nicely with the beautifully elegant applied indexes and lume-filled hands plated with black rhodium. As Thomas explained, the vintage typography adds even more character to this beautiful dial.

A limited edition of only 25 pieces

If you turn the watch around, you will see the A5000 monopusher chronograph movement produced by La Joux-Perret. The A5000 ticks at 21,600 vibrations per hour and has a 42-hour power reserve. It has a 4.2mm profile, keeping the watch nice and slim overall.

The finishing is also quite beautiful, making it an outstanding caliber to admire once the watch is off the wrist. Overall, the new Angelus Chronographe Télémètre Steel Rose is so much more than just a 25-piece limited edition that sold out at CHF 17,900. It is also glorious proof of a classic chronograph brand finding relevance with a beautiful retro-style offering that brings a charm we didn’t know we needed.

Zenith Defy Chronograph USM

Our final pick is a much-discussed collaborative effort by Zenith and USM that revealed several surprises. Rather importantly, a chronograph version of the classic Zenith Defy A3642 was a first. Sure, a Defy powered by an El Primero caliber is far from new, but one with this specific silhouette was. Somehow, the Zenith designers made it look effortless, as if it had always existed. Additionally, the integration of the classic A386 dial with the overlapping sub-dials was another surprise move that added classic Zenith design cues. Those two things are remarkable enough to talk about, especially if you see how well the creative team at Zenith made it all work.

However, the most significant aspect was undoubtedly Zenith’s collaboration with the Swiss furniture brand USM. These two long-standing, innovative Swiss brands working together resulted in some surprising details. First, we all agreed it was refreshing that this doesn’t feel like a marketing exercise in which two brands are fighting for relevance through horrific branding elements. Instead, as an easy first step, they chose the classic USM colors for the dials. The shades of the blue, green, orange, and yellow dials work so well with the 37mm octagonal case, its 14-sided bezel, and Gay Frères ladder bracelet.

A wonderfully natural integration of the two brands’ signature elements

Additionally, the silver sub-dials are accentuated by small hands in the same color as the main dial. This contributes to a playful design that works wonderfully well and represents both brands perfectly. Furthermore, the central chronograph seconds hand features the signature USM Haller ball joint, for which the brand’s furniture is renowned. As you can see, there is even a small luminous dot on it. It’s another fun element that you only truly understand if you know and understand the brand.

If you turn the watch around, you are greeted by Zenith’s El Primero caliber 400. The high-beat movement operates at 36,000 vibrations per hour and offers a 50-hour power reserve. It is a wonderfully modern version of the classic El Primero 3019 PHC, which, introduced in 1969, was one of the world’s first three automatic chronograph calibers.

This is another great storytelling aspect of this collaborative effort, contributing to a crisp series of colorful chronographs. Each one of the watches (60 pieces in each color) came in a special, modular USM Haller case, which is the cherry on top of this fantastic collaborative quartet. With a price of €12,000, all four variants have sold out, at least online. This Zenith collab with USM shows that brands can still surprise us by mixing classic and familiar ingredients to come up with something that feels fresh and new. As a result, it is the perfect last entry on this list.

Final thoughts on our five favorite chronograph watches of 2025

There you have it — the list of our five favorite chronographs of 2025. However, as mentioned, we also had to leave some great ones out. It is worth mentioning the impressive carbon TAG Heuer Monaco and Carrera models equipped with the revolutionary TH-Carbonspring, the introduction of the Universal Genève “The Nina” models, the stunningly beautiful Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf,” and the Singer Heritage Collection Chronographs. But what do you think about the chronographs released this year? Let us know in the comments section what some of your favorites are. We will see you next week for our third year-end list.