Tested: The 9 Best Racing Watches For Car Enthusiasts

Though the two undeniably serve very different purposes, cars and watches have an inextricable connection that dates back to the dawn of the automobile. Not only are these items both steeped in tradition, but they also employ a great deal of complex engineering and an intricate use of mechanics, while also needing to merge form and function. What’s more, for most of motorsport history, watches have been used for timekeeping — establishing an even more concrete link between the two. And it’s for these reasons that so many car enthusiasts also possess a vast appreciation for fine timepieces. This has ultimately led to a wide range of racing watches designed for and aimed at auto enthusiasts and gearheads — the finest of which we’ll be showcasing today in this guide to the best automotive-inspired watches for car enthusiasts where we got to test out our favorites.

How We Tested

When it comes to auto-themed watches, the pool is much smaller than, say, divers or pilot’s watches. That said, there are still a good deal of models to sift through. Although we have plenty of knowledge in this category, we took a look at the space before commencing our testing. We created a shortlist of candidates based on brand reputation, pedigree (if any), aesthetic, function, materials, and strap design. From there, we acquired our units for testing and spent some time with each model to see how they felt and looked on the wrist. Our results are detailed down below.

Wrist Size: We should also mention that our tester has a wrist diameter of around 8″, so keep that in mind when comparing it to your own wrist.

What Is a Racing Watch?

Coming into prominence around the same time, mechanical chronographs and auto racing have been linked together seemingly since the beginning. In 1911, Heuer patented the first chronograph purpose-built for car dashboards, following the growing trend of raceways opening up around the world. It seemed only logical that drivers and team members would want an instrument to time their races and laps, as well as their average speed.

The linkage grew and grew, until the race to launch the first-ever mechanical chronograph occurred in the late ’60s from the likes of Seiko, Zenith, and Heuer (with Breitling and Hamilton). Auto racing was also exploding in popularity at the time and a fashion sense was becoming imbued into racing culture as a whole.

Chronographs are the tool watch of choice here since they feature a unique way to time things with their sequence of subdial registers, operated usually by a pair of pushers on the outside of the case. However, not every chronograph is considered a racing watch. These typically feature a tachymeter bezel, which is a scale used to measure the driver’s average speed over a given distance. Last but not least, racing watches typically feature leather straps, often with “racing” or “rally” straps.

And this isn’t limited to just cars either. There are watches designed to time yacht races (aka regatta timers), horse races, and even bike races. However, for the purposes of this guide, we’ve focused on automotive-themed timepieces.

What to Look for

Case: Not unlike the frame that a car is built around, a watch’s case serves as the backbone and chassis for the rest of the timepiece. Cases obviously come in a wide variety of shapes, styles, and constructions, though materials utilized in motorsport — such as carbon fiber or titanium — are often some of the most common.

Movement: Practically any auto enthusiast can tell you that what’s under the hood of a car really matters, and this belief is no less true with motorsport-themed watches and the movements that they contain. While often of the mechanical variety, a myriad of different types of horological movements can be found in driver-focused watches.

Dial: Another way some watchmakers establish an even greater connection between timepieces and watches is through the use of dials that are modeled after automotive instrumentation and gauges. This aesthetic is fairly common in this space, as are chronograph watch dials that feature sub-dials and tachymeters — scales used for measuring speed over distance.

Band: A watch’s bracelet or band plays an enormous role in its overall appearance, and with so many of these watches aiming for a motorsport-inspired appearance, quite a few models boast bands with visual nods to classic car interiors. Like a tire, a watch’s band can also be swapped out at will, allowing its wearer to dress it up or down depending on the occasion. A popular choice is a perforated leather strap, with small holes, or a rally strap, with larger, stylized round “dot” holes.

Motorsport Connection: While timekeeping is seldom done with a watch these days, there are still dozens of timepieces that possess tangible ties to race teams, specific automakers, iconic race events, or legendary race liveries. And though this factor doesn’t really change a watch per se, it does give it a more concrete connection to the world of motorsport.

Q Timex Reissue 1971 Velocity 36mm

If you want to explore the world of faithful, affordable retro reissues, observe what Timex is doing with their Q Timex Reissue line. An ode to ’70s motorsports, this 1971 Velocity model is modeled after the ’71 Electric with its trapezoidal date window, its sector dial, its matte black aluminum tension bezel, and its flag-inspired chapter ring. Not to mention, the white and burgundy colorway with a bright orange seconds hand is as eye-catching as ever and the domed acrylic adds even more retro charisma to the viewing experience –– even if it’s not as scratch-resistant as the sapphire crystal variant, and it shows.

Well-proportioned thanks to a 36mm stainless steel case with around a 41mm lug-to-lug and 11.5mm thickness, the 1971 Velocity runs on the caliber 377 meca-quartz hybrid movement that we’ve seen from Q Timex before. Paired with a tropic-style black rubber strap, its style is an interesting mix of vintage skin diver and retro racing, albeit with a much more tame water resistance at just 50m (no surprise here considering the push-pull crown).

YEMA Rallygraf

The Yema Rallygraf is an attractive yet affordable motorsport-themed watch that punches well above its weight — and MSRP. The Rallygraf is a modern-day reissue of the brand’s original ’70s-era racing chronograph — the very watch famously worn by Mario Andretti when the race legend piloted his 700-hp Brawner Hawk MK III race car to victory at the 1969 Indy 500. Constructed around a 39mm stainless steel case with a black tachymeter bezel and a knurled crown with double seal “O” ring seals, the Rallygraf features a Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement, a steel mesh band, and a uniquely designed dial with mirrored trapezoid-shaped subdials underneath a double-domed mineral crystal.

Still an underrated prospect in the watchmaking world today, Yema has one of the most unique and affordable meca-quartz chronographs around. Aside from its bicompax trapezoidal registers that evoke race car gauges, the watch gives you a lot for the price. Fitting nicely with its 39mm diameter and 48mm lug-to-lug, the watch is beautifully finished to a mirror shine from almost any angle, including the crown and the two satisfyingly snappy pushers. To match the racing theme, Yema has equipped the piece with a matching blue rally strap, which you just don’t see enough of these days.

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC911

While they might not get the same reputation as other high-profile automotive watches, Seiko’s 6139 was arguably the first automatic chronograph when it debuted in the late ’60s and became favorites of many at the time. Powered by the solar caliber V192 movement, the Prospex Speedtimer is redolent of these classic ’60s and ’70s models. This modern-day version is housed in a 41.4mm stainless steel case that feels much smaller than we anticipated all things considered.

Despite the brand saying that there’s a “curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflecting coating on the inner surface,” there’s no real curve to the crystal at all. However, the distortion at an angular view makes us think the inner part of the sapphire may be concave. We couldn’t help but notice the Rolex influence here, but we did notice some unique qualities as well, such as the heavy use of brushing on the main case, as well as the overall design of the pushers. Likewise, the dial is timeless in its layout.

Autodromo Group B Series 2 Automatic

From 1982 to 1986, Group B rally racing has garnered a sort of mythos in modern-day car culture. In 2015, Autodromo paid its own homage to the infamous category with a minimalist time-only series that distills the ethos of Group B with its decidedly ’80s aesthetic. Available in several evocative colorways and even this black-and-white option, the integrated watch sports a 39mm bi-metallic case of titanium and stainless steel while employing industrial touches such as notches on the bezel, a hexagonal crown, and chamfers around the case.

We love the slim feel (no surprise considering the integrated bracelet) and the flat AR-coated sapphire crystal, under which the stark steering wheel-meets-gauge dial design features thin markers, small Arabic numerals, and a white and yellow handset. For a mesmerizing touch, the hands and applied dial elements all glow in different shades of green and blue. Ticking for 42 hours at a time, it’s powered by a Miyota 9015 automatic movement allowing for a hacking seconds feature.

Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono

Born out of the iconic race with Seiko and Zenith to become the first automatic chronograph, Hamilton partnered with Heuer and Breitling in the late ’60s on the iconic Heuer Caliber 11 movement. It was used back in 1969 in the Hamilton Chrono Matic and today gets honored with the American brand’s bicompax Intra-Matic. Featuring some of the most traditional styling we’ve ever seen on a vintage-inspired modern chronograph revival, the 40mm panda watch is incredibly classy and easily evokes models of yesteryear.

We love the classic panda colorway, which pairs well with the chapter ring that serves as an internal black-toned tachymeter. The lume here isn’t aggressive and is incorporated subtly. Adorned with a black leather strap with beautiful tan backing and traditional hardware, the watch is powered by the ETA-based H-31 automatic chronograph movement. Despite the moderate 40mm stainless steel case, the watch is rather thick at 14.45mm, which has nothing to do with the flat sapphire on top; essentially, this will be tougher to wear on small wrists.

Tissot Heritage 1973

Constructed around an oval-shaped 316L stainless steel case modeled after one of Tissot’s chronographs from 1973, the aptly named Heritage 1973 is a Swiss-made chronograph with an unmistakable motorsport influence. At the heart of the Tissot Heritage 1973 is a Swiss Valjoux A05.H31 automatic movement with 27 jewels and a 60-hour power reserve. Outfitted with a tachymeter-equipped panda dial, the watch also comes paired with a breathable leather rally strap that’s inspired by the steering wheels of vintage race cars.

Tissot might not be the first name you think of when it comes to automotive pedigrees, but the Swiss brand has still had its fair share of racing partnerships and sponsorships over the years. As such, the Heritage 1973 is an ode to its collaboration with the Kessel Classics F1 racing team, evoking iconic Tissot chronographs like the Navigator. Debuting in 2020, this watch adds a third sub-register (the Navigator only had two)and a dash of blue to break up the black coloring. With a 43mm diameter and 14.8mm thickness, this hefty timepiece sits quite high on the wrist but earns some extra presence thanks to its beautiful tonneau case shape.

TAG Heuer Monaco

The original square-cased chronograph famously worn by Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Le Mans, the TAG Heuer Monaco is an incredibly iconic motorsport-themed timepiece — as well as the world’s first square and waterproof chrono. And despite more than half a century having passed since adorning the King of Cool’s wrist, the Monaco remains a horological icon. Outfitted with a crown on its left opposite a pair of chrono pushers, the watch’s 39mm case features stainless steel construction and houses a Swiss-made Calibre 11 automatic movement.

One of the most unique-looking watches in existence (still), the Monaco is just as legendary as ever, and not just because of its history. Even new models are highly desirable by fans and collectors, new and old. Maintaining the mid-century styling of the original, this modern take is a faithful rendition. Unlike the original, though, this version has a right-sided crown and an in-house Heuer 02 automatic movement which debuted in 2016. Sporting two gentle curves on the sides, the case doesn’t seem like it would be as thick as it is, but at 15.21mm, it’s quite large –– despite some of that being attributed to the high-boxed sapphire. It’s also important to mention that TAG Heuer did take some liberties with the bracelet here, now looking a touch more modern than the watch itself, yet still working with the overall design.

Breitling Top Time B01 Deus

Breitling’s Top Time is an authentic-looking vintage-inspired chronograph that exists across a wide number of references — all of which are born out of limited-edition collaborations. Regardless of the variant, the Top Time sports a 41mm stainless steel case encompassing an in-house B01 self-winding mechanical movement. While the Top Time series also includes additional models like the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Corvette versions, the brand also produces collaborations with lesser-known names such as world-renowned motorcycle-turned-lifestyle brand and custom moto shop Deus Ex Machina.

As one of the most fun moto watch collabs that’s ever come together, this Top Time B01 Deus combines Breitling’s automotive ancestry with Deus’ modern success in the motorcycle industry for a super sporty chronograph. Featuring a reverse panda orientation, this piece just oozes energy. We love the trio of rounded-off square sub-registers, although the lightning bolt seconds hand feels a bit superfluous (although we love the red color). Considering the 50.3mm lug-to-lug and 13.3mm thickness, the watch still wears quite modestly on the wrist. As for the rally strap, this is one of the most energetic examples we’ve witnessed with a bright yellow interior and a velvety smooth finish.

Porsche Design Chronograph 1

Back in the ’70s, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche –– grandson of Ferdinand Porsche –– left to create his own namesake lifestyle brand. First introduced in 1972, the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 remains a horological icon — and one that’s only grown better with time. This modern-day version of the Chrono 1 sports a fully blacked-out colorway, a beefed-up 40.8mm titanium case fortified via a black titanium carbide coating, and a matching black titanium bracelet with a titanium clasp. Keeping the chronograph ticking is a COSC-certified, 25-jewel Porsche Design caliber WERK 01.140 movement with a 48-hour power reserve, 28,800 BPH, and the design house’s signature rotor design — albeit in black chrome plating.

You won’t really see any (good) watches built by actual car companies but this is the next best thing. Limited to 1,000 units, this All Black Numbered Edition from 2022 changes things up a bit from its predecessors, including its utilization of titanium (instead of steel) and bead-blasted coating (instead of PVD). The larger 40.8mm case (from 38mm) doesn’t change the appearance much but it’s worth mentioning, especially since it means an increased thickness of 14.15mm (from 12.5mm). However, it’s lightweight at just 4.7oz. We especially love the titanium bracelet here, which makes micro-adjusting easy with its double screw pins. This bracelet uses some of the quickest quick-release mechanisms around, and one that’s ridiculously easy to use.

Honorable Mentions

We weren’t able to get our hands on arguably the two most iconic racing watches ever made, but we felt we couldn’t leave them off our guide here out of respect to both.

Though originally designed for use on the race track, the Omega Speedmaster would become the first-ever watch to be worn on the moon in 1969 — and has since gone on to be worn on the wrists of astronauts on lunar missions more than any other timepiece on (or outside of) earth. The modern version of the watch — the Omega Speedmaster Racing — pays tribute to the timepiece’s racing heritage with a checkered flag-inspired dial encompassed by a black ceramic bezel. Inside the case is a Calibre Omega 9900 self-winding chronograph movement with column wheel and Co-Axial escapement, as well as a 60-hour power reserve and a Rhodium-plated finish with Geneva waves in arabesque.

First brought to market in 1963, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is almost certainly the most iconic chronograph ever produced. Modern versions of the world-famous Swiss-made chronograph typically feature Oystersteel cases mated to matching Oystersteel bracelets. The latest iteration of this timepiece doesn’t look at all dated, however, boasts a slew of nods to the original 1960s-era model including its black bezel and molded tachymetric scale. Keeping the watch ticking is a Calibre 4130 self-winding mechanical chronograph movement that features a Parachrom hairspring that bolsters shock resistance and protection against temperature variations. Alongside being a simply stunning timepiece, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona also makes for a fantastic investment.

The Best Chronograph Watches to Buy

If you’re into auto-inspired timepieces, chances are you’ll dig the watches from our guide to the best chronographs.