Nothing else but sports watches
More lightweight, more technical and more versatile than ever, the sports watches shift seamlessly from your office to the great outdoors, from a weekend on the seaside to a spur-of-the-moment hike. Your favorite tick-tock fanatic, Arthur Frydman, journalist at Le Point, and I are taking a look at models that prove sports watches are no longer judged just on their performance, but by its ability to keep pace with our lives.
Watches designed for sport… and a whole lot more!
Today, sports watches need to be up for whatever, from the concrete jungle to the great outdoors.
Over at Herbelin, the new Cap Camarat Diver Automatic Titanium proudly wears its diver’s watch heritage on its sleeve. Water-resistant to 200 metres, this edition boasts a 42mm titanium case — a material lighter than steel. Protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the horizontally stamped anthracite-grey dial features a bidirectional internal rotating bezel, operated by a second crown — a nod to the “compressor” watches of the 1960s. It is also skimmed over by a striking orange sweep seconds hand with a lollipop tip, bringing a proper contrast to the whole set.
Inside this sports watch, a Swiss Sellita SW220-1 self-winding calibre tuned in the French manufacture’s workshops in Charquemont. It drives a day-date display and delivers a 41-hour power reserve. The khaki FKM rubber strap comes also in black. Spot on for flexibility, UV resistance, and comfort, even during heatwaves.
So, at Tissot, the Chrono L is a worthy successor of the Chrono XL. Powered by a Swiss quartz EOL (End Of Life) movement, it alerts the owner when the battery is on its last legs, thanks to the seconds hand jump forward in four-second intervals. It preserves its sporty design cues while downsizing the case to 42mm (45mm for the XL model), a much better fit for current trends.
Water-resistant to 100 metres, the timepiece is available with three dial iterations. They are each paired with a specific strap (although you can swap all of them): a black dial with a light brown leather strap, a blue dial with a dark brown leather strap, and a green dial with a steel bracelet. Protected by a sapphire crystal, each dial is swept over by luminescent hands and a special feature: a compass. Simply point the hour hand at the sun to work out where south is. After that, it takes a few additional steps — and a sharp eye. That is, of course, only if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, with the sun actually shining… And with your smartphone out of battery.
An understated technical perspective
Performance is no longer judged solely by the number of complications on offer. Comfort and material choice now also take centre stage. These two G-Shock GMA-P2100SR models illustrate it perfectly. Measuring a compact 46 × 40.2mm and weighing just 40 grams, they represent a new take on Casio’s iconic octagonal shape in a version designed for slimmer wrists.
Their crystal is finished with a polarised vapour deposition. It shifts colours depending on the light, from pink to orange on the clear white model, and green to blue on the translucent black one. These multiple shades can’t help but remind you of the glow of a summer sunset.
Beneath its light aesthetic, however, lies a genuine G-Shock: shock resistance, 200-metre water resistance, a 1/100-second chronograph, countdown timer, five daily alarms, world time across 31 time zones, automatic LED lights… And so much more features!
When sport meets posh
For ages, sports watches and dress watches were part of two totally different worlds. These days, though, the lines are getting pretty blurred. The new Chiffre Rouge Chronograph Blue Ultramatte certainly is the best illustration of it. With its 41mm ultramatte grey steel case — fitted either with a blue PVD bezel or a rose gold ring depending on the iteration — it displays an asymmetrical shape that you will recognise immediately.
True to the brand’s classic codes, it highlights the cannage motif on its dial, the red seconds hand — “the colour of life”, according to Christian Dior — alongside the number 8 in the date window.
Beneath this couture-inspired aesthetics beats one of watchmaking’s most celebrated chronograph movements: Zenith’s legendary El Primero. It operates at 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz), delivering a 50-hour power reserve and visible thanks to the see-through case back. Water-resistant to 100 metres, the limited runs count 35 pieces (for the rose gold bezel version) and 55 pieces (for the matte blue bezel model), the Chiffre Rouge proves that sporting performance and refined elegance marries well together.
Herbelin, Cap Camarat, Automatic Titanium Diver – €1,300
G-SHOCK, GMA-P2100SR-1A and GMA-P2100SR-7A – €129
Tissot, Chrono L on leather strap – €395
Tissot, Chrono L on steel bracelet – €445
Dior, Chiffre Rouge Chronograph Blue Ultramatte – €15,300
Dior, Chiffre Rouge Chronograph Blue Ultramatte and a rose gold bezel – €25,000
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