Why are all chronos so thick except Daytona

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by jssans

Which is the fattest chrono ? Maybe the Tudor. That watch is a monster.

Nope. The honor of thickest chronograph goes to Grand Seiko at > 16mm thickness


(From ABTW)

It does have dual time function though

[huncho]

Originally Posted by jaisonline

Looks sharp also.

imo it only looks "sharp" because it looks like a daytona lol

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by Etschell

Because auto chronos have a rotor and a lot of chronos are modular.

[horseShu]

can't blame the OP.

being the most recognizable luxury brand in the world, i can't blame most people if their watch journey starts and ends with Rolex.

its great for assessing someone who claims to be a 'watch enthusiast'.

"i am super into watches!"

"yeah? name three luxury watch brands other than Rolex."

"Tag Heuer, uh... Seiko? Invicta? I give up."

[IR201]

Originally Posted by horseShu

can't blame the OP.

being the most recognizable luxury brand in the world, i can't blame most people if their watch journey starts and ends with Rolex.

its great for assessing someone who claims to be a 'watch enthusiast'.

"i am super into watches!"

"yeah? name three luxury watch brands other than Rolex."

"Tag Heuer, uh... Seiko? Invicta? I give up."

What on earth are you talking about


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[myporsche]

Originally Posted by horseShu

can't blame the OP.

being the most recognizable luxury brand in the world, i can't blame most people if their watch journey starts and ends with Rolex.

its great for assessing someone who claims to be a 'watch enthusiast'.

"i am super into watches!"

"yeah? name three luxury watch brands other than Rolex."

"Tag Heuer, uh... Seiko? Invicta? I give up."

OP actually made a good point about Daytona being relatively thin chrono movement, most Omegas, 7750 based chronos, Blancpain chronos, are too thick for me. At one point in my watch hobby I had to let go of a Breguet Type XXI Chrono as much as I had loved it and wanted one, it was way too thick and top heavy (those are Lemania based). I'm not a Daytona fan but like that it is not bulky and relatively a thin automatic chronograph, this has nothing to do of knowledge of horology or drinking Rolex KoolAid, its a great thin chrono. AP also makes a great thin chrono in the Royal Oaks (F.Piguet).

[Shauz]

My thoughts exactly!

[Shauz]

Originally Posted by amanbra

Woah what the hell is going on with the spring bar???

My thoughts exactly!

[IR201]

Originally Posted by myporsche

OP actually made a good point about Daytona being relatively thin chrono movement, most Omegas, 7750 based chronos, Blancpain chronos, are too thick for me. At one point in my watch hobby I had to let go of a Breguet Type XXI Chrono as much as I had loved it and wanted one, it was way too thick and top heavy (those are Lemania based). I'm not a Daytona fan but like that it is not bulky and relatively a thin automatic chronograph, this has nothing to do of knowledge of horology or drinking Rolex KoolAid, its a great thin chrono. AP also makes a great thin chrono in the Royal Oaks (F.Piguet).

Thank you! Said it way better than I could have (obviously lol).


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[inadeje]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Reminder.... Bvlgari is 6.9m thin. Also includes GMT complication too.

Here's a pic
https://www.bulgari.com/en-us/103371.html

This is an amazing piece.

[inadeje]

Most chrono movements of old used a piggy back chrono module that sits above the movement, rendering chronos historically thicker watches. Around 2 decades ago column wheel chronographs with a vertical clutch as used in the Daytona, Zenith el primero and numerous others allowed for a slimmer movement due to the incorporation of the chrono mechanism into the horizontal plain of the movement.

[subtona]

Bvlgari chrono is awfully thin.


The thickness issue doesn’t apply just to the chronos, the rest of Rolex line up is consistently thinner than the typical competition. Among the reasons that Rolex sells a million watches a year.

[gt0279a]

It is unfortunate many brands make unnecessarily thick chronographs.

Even the 7750 can be made into a ~14mm watch case with 100m WR, but most are in the 15.5mm-16mm range.

A watch salesman will tell you the brand is going after 'wrist presence" or it simply it can not be manufactured thinner than the 16mm hockey puck he is trying to sell.

The reality from what I understand is it more expensive to manufacture a watch with more precise tolerances that is thinner and has decent WR.

[Krash]

I never considered my Speedmaster thick, but it’s manual not automatic.


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[JP.]

Most automatic chronos are ETA 7750-based. That requires thicker case.

I have two Ebel chronos. Other one has inhouse Cal.137 (based on Lemania) and the other one has Zenith El Primero.

Both are very slim.

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

The new Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Sport is 13.6mm thick which is one millimeter thicker than the Daytona, but it has a date wheel.

A classic with pedigree that the Daytona can only dream of. And it's got a date function - innovative!

[Oyster Sauce]

Originally Posted by myporsche

OP actually made a good point about Daytona being relatively thin chrono movement, most Omegas, 7750 based chronos, Blancpain chronos, are too thick for me. At one point in my watch hobby I had to let go of a Breguet Type XXI Chrono as much as I had loved it and wanted one, it was way too thick and top heavy (those are Lemania based). I'm not a Daytona fan but like that it is not bulky and relatively a thin automatic chronograph, this has nothing to do of knowledge of horology or drinking Rolex KoolAid, its a great thin chrono. AP also makes a great thin chrono in the Royal Oaks (F.Piguet).

+1 Although there are "higher horology" chronos that are thinner than the Daytona, for its "class of watch" (stainless steel rugged daily chrono) it is among the thinner chronos. For example, although I currently have and enjoy a Speedy Pro, previously had a Speedy Reduced -- I felt that the form factor of the Reduced was just heavenly -- so thin! Of course, the Reduced was modular and a very different movement from the Speedy Pro. For thinness, the Reduced and Daytona are the exception to the rule, though.

The Daytona really stands out for being an integrated automatic chrono with a thin profile; even though I don't have one (and likely will not ever acquire one), I give it big respect for this. I don't understand why other similarly positioned brands (Omega, GS, etc) don't invest in a chrono that's thinner...I think it would make their products instantly a lot more compelling.

Regardless, wear whatever you have in good health

[stateman]

Originally Posted by subtona

Bvlgari chrono is awfully thin.


The thickness issue doesn’t apply just to the chronos, the rest of Rolex line up is consistently thinner than the typical competition. Among the reasons that Rolex sells a million watches a year.

Think this is a really important point…and one of the reasons why Rolex is broadly appealing to so many…for all the other reasons that we all know, but also because it provides nearly its entire range at sizes that can fit a wider range of wrists.

[jaisonline]

Originally Posted by huncho

imo it only looks "sharp" because it looks like a daytona lol

Yeah. Data feature is nice also.

[asiparks]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Reminder.... Bvlgari is 6.9m thin. Also includes GMT complication too.

Here's a pic
https://www.bulgari.com/en-us/103371.html

A tip of the hat to Bulgari for making the subdials large and legible too....

They really knocked it out of the park with this watch

[amanbra]

The new chronomaster original is 38mm and 12.6mm thick i just discovered, i'm paying a visit to the AD after we're out a lockdown I think...

[AltiTudor]

The Cartier Santos chronograph is 12.5mm thick as well. And modular.

[MRBolton]

The Bvgalri would be so nice if it weren’t so big width-wise! The height is amazing, and the watch wears so light weight. The non chrono version in titanium is like air!

[Roli4life]

I would stay away from the Bvlgari. It sits flat but on my 7 1/4 inch wrist the lugs felt like little razor blades when I would flex my wrist.
Some of these companies were just trying to build a small chronograph that wasn’t durable, or a thin watch that wasn’t comfortable.Rolex seemed to take everything into consideration when building the Daytona.

So I’m with you. To me it seems like there are companies that can make thin chronographs but they are incredibly fragile in comparison. Also I too do not like the modular chronographs.

This is why I think Rolex doesn’t make the Daytona a 41 mm.
They are proud of how comfortable and compact it is. Yet it is still built like a tank.



But if you’re really looking for something that slides under the cuff, and gives the Daytona some good competition. Check out the JLC DSC. It’s about 13 mm due to its domed sapphire. It ha a ceramic bezel, and it houses a great calum wheel chronograph.

[subtona]

Rolex watches are on the whole thinner than most competitors. For me it is one of the main features that set them apart from the competition

[DRS Enabled]

That's why it's one of the best in the game. Not to mention Daytona has 72 hour power reserve too. In comparison, Speedmaster is not only wider, thicker, but also with a mechanical movement and 50 hour power reserve.

[OG1982]

Originally Posted by DRS Enabled

That's why it's one of the best in the game. Not to mention Daytona has 72 hour power reserve too. In comparison, Speedmaster is not only wider, thicker, but also with a mechanical movement and 50 hour power reserve.

Lets not forget that it was the Speedie that won the 'Space race'

[OG1982]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

Nope. The honor of thickest chronograph goes to Grand Seiko at > 16mm thickness


(From ABTW)

It does have dual time function though

What, even thicker than a Planet Ocean Chrono? Must be one hellova beast if so!

[WILLIWALKER]

Let's not neglect the aspect of reliability, ease of service, durability and self-winding.
With all this the daytona are incredible.
We can mention the Datograph which, in manual winding, is unique, the decoration of the movement and above all a unique feeling of winding.

[Dougiebaby]

Originally Posted by IR201

It seems Rolex is the only company that doesn’t make chronos so thick in height. Why is that? Other companies don’t have the tech? Would be strange at this point. I’m confused.


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The reason most chronos are thicker is that most add the chrono complication to an existing movement. Adding the chrono component on top of another movement increases the total movement’s height.

Whereas, the Daytona’s movement was designed as a chrono from the start. Also it is an engineering feat in that it only has 201 parts.


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