Girl Chronographs: The Best Timepieces Below 40mm

Never underestimate the power of a watch to elevate your look—even more so when it’s a good-looking chronograph. These below-40mm numbers will do the trick.

By Charmaine Ho

Published: October 2, 2024

Count the Seconds: Girl chronographs — Omega brand ambassador **Kaia Gerber** wearing the Speedmaster 38.

There is arguably no other wrist adornment that will get you as much admiration and respect as a timepiece of good pedigree. It gains you instant admission into an insider's club and sets you apart as one who is in the know as opposed to the ones who aren’t. It’s a social signifier that shows off your style as much as it does your savvy with a simple flick of the wrist. Plus, on the time-telling front, it offers so much more convenience than a phone you have to dig out from your bag.

Add a trusty chronograph function into the mix, and what you have is a sporty-chic number that lets you make every second count with elegance and flair. Other good news? With the plethora of readily available choices, you’re sure to find one that lets you stand out in all the right ways. Here are a couple of below-40mm standouts—or what we like to call girl chronographs—from this year to start you on your journey.

Tag Heuer's Carrera Chronograph Skipper

Nautical sports lovers will love this colour-saturated 2024 edition from Tag Heuer. Staying true to the colour scheme of the brand’s historical Skipper watch from 1968, this 39mm automatic rose gold number features a sea-blue circular brushed dial with contrasting subdials beneath its “glass box” sapphire crystal front. It’s driven by the brand’s automatic Heuer 02 (Ref. TH20-06) calibre, which accounts for regatta timing—the 15-minute interval before the starting gun is fired. This particular function is indicated on the tri-coloured counter on the right, while the left displays the hour counter. For a quieter vibe, turn to the 1 steel versions that the brand launched last year.

Omega’s Speedmaster 38mm

This collection has remained a firm favourite since its introduction in 2017. It offers all the technical know-how of the collection’s 42mm brethren under a more refined and elegant form. Now that Omega has introduced eight new models into its beloved ranks this year, there are even more options to fall in love with. Available in the brand’s proprietary Sedna gold and Moonshine gold, or stainless steel, the watches come with a luscious green or chocolate sun-brushed dial that’s encircled within a 52-diamond lined bezel (approximately 1.5 carat). Beneath its luxurious looks, the Speedmaster 38mm is equipped with the brand’s Co-Axial Calibre 3330 movement: An automatic COSC-certified chronometer (read: high accuracy) with a power reserve of 52 hours.

Zenith’s Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar

Next up is this watch from Zenith’s 2024 lineup that packs quite a punch for one so small. Within its 38mm case is an impressive number of functions that only reveal themselves upon a closer look. The hours and minutes hands in the centre are accompanied by a 1/10^th of a second central chronograph hand (it makes a complete turn around the dial in 10 seconds), while the 60-minute counter with a moon phase display is at the 6 o'clock position. The small seconds aperture is at the 9 o'clock position, the 60-second counter is at 3 o'clock, and the complete calendar display for day, month and date is located above these two apertures and the 4.30 position respectively. Inspired by a 1969 watch from the brand’s archives, this retro-chic timepiece is driven by an automatic El Primero column-wheel movement with a power reserve of 60 hours.

Cartier’s Tortue Monopusher Chronograph

Then, there’s this Cartier creation that offers a point of differentiation at first glance, thanks to its distinctive turtle-shaped case (Tortue means turtle in French), which was first introduced in 1912. This year sees Cartier reissuing the timepiece as part of its celebrated Cartier Privé opus—a collection that pays homage to the brand’s horological heritage through contemporary reinterpretation of historical watches under a limited edition release. Available in a platinum case with a silvered opaline dial, or in gold with a grained gold-finish dial, this 200-piece edition is equipped with the Maison’s Manufacture 1928 MC calibre, a manual-wind chronograph movement that starts, stops and resets all through a single push-button located at its crown.

Special Mentions

At 41mm, it is slightly bigger than the other watches here, Tudor’s Black Bay Chrono “Pink” is worth checking out for the audaciously feminine colour of the dial, contrasting with monochromatic design elements and counters. Another plus of this steel ticker is the fact that it boasts a 70-hour power reserve and comes with the brand’s “T-fit” adjustment clasp so that you can easily adjust the strap for a comfortable fit without breaking a nail.

At IWC Schaffhausen, it’s the automatic Portofino Chronograph, launched in 2022, that gets our vote. Bearing an elegant vertical dial design (the two recessed snailed counters show the 30-minute elapsed times at the 12 o’clock position and small seconds at 6 o’clock), the steel 39mm watch is a lesson in minimalist refinement with its silver-plated face adorned with slender rhodium-plated hands and hour marker appliques. Even better is the fact that the watch comes in several different executions that lets you pick one that suits your style temperament best.

Newer doesn’t always mean better, as this evergreen chronograph can attest. Released in 2019, Vacheron Constantin’s Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 manual-wind chronograph exudes the gentlemanly, vintage spirit of its 1955 predecessor— which gets its name from its cow horn-shaped (“cornes de vache” in French) lugs, and has the distinction of being the watchmaker’s first-ever water-resistant chronograph. This new, modern take stands at 38.5mm (3.5mm larger than the original) and features a grey, velvet-finished opaline dial with snailed counters and discreet accents of red and blue.

Last but not least is the highly coveted Patek Philippe Nautilus Flyback Chronograph Ref. 5980/60G, which was introduced under a new, dare we say, fashionable guise earlier this year. Available in white gold with a greyish blue opaline dial (as seen through the watch’s slightly enlarged dial opening), the watch’s au courant feature lies in its calfskin straps that have been embossed with a denim motif completed with white hand-stitching. Equipped with the watchmaker’s automatic caliber CH 28-520 C movement, this 40.5mm mono-counter (at 6 o’clock) timepiece presents a thoroughly fresh take on a beloved classic that will have onlookers gapping—if you’re one who’s lucky enough to get your hands on it, that is.