These yacht racing chronographs are designed to time the countdown to the start of a sailboat race. And while most of us can’t afford a boat and aren’t going to be using these for their intended purpose, here are some yacht racing watches that might be more attainable than an actual yacht. Yema recently released two two updated yachting watches based on their models from the 60s, each with oversized minute subdials that are designed to more easily time the countdown of a sailboat race and therefore reach the starting line at the perfect time. So that you have the maximum amount of speed going into the race, obviously giving you the best advantage with as much momentum as possible. So you’ll notice that the subdial is obviously larger so that it’s easier to read quickly, but also broken down into different subsections for typing five minute increments, which is a common trend among different yachting timer watches. But I really love the two different colorful variants and both using Seiko MECA quartz movements. Personally I would love to see this in a hand wound mechanical version, but generally MECA quartz are a bit more accessible. They’re able to keep the price down a bit more. Side note not completely a yachting watch, but if you do like this, another micro brand, Mizumi, has a slightly more motor sport, it’s racing inspired take on a somewhat similar design that you might like. Figured I’d just throw it out there in The mid range Frederic Constant seems to have quite a few options in this category, often with five cutouts at the top of the dial, with the each dot slowly filling with a different color for each minute that is passed. And then after five minutes passed, it continues to fill with a different color to signify the next five minute interval. So for example, after two minutes of starting the timer, the first two dots will fill with red, and after five minutes they’ll start to fill blue and repeating. Lawyer has quite a few vintage models that use a similar method, likely pre dating the Frederic Constant. Obviously their brand is probably mostly well known for their motorsports racing watches, but clearly they made watches for other types of racing as well. And one of my absolute growls in this genre. I know I’m a Seiko fan. If you watch this channel for any amount of time, you know I do have a lot of love for Seiko, even though I get a little bit frustrated with some of the things they’re doing now. Partially cause I have so much love for them. But they do have such an incredible history and catalog of previous watches. For example, this Seiko Yacht Timer from the 80s is one of my absolute favorite favorite vintage Seikos ever. I’ve been trying to get my hands on them for so long, but the price kept going up and up and up and I thought, oh, one day the price will go down and that’s when I’ll get it. But it just kept going up. I love that the pushers are on top of the case, Bullhead style, rather than where chronograph pushers are typically found on the right side of the case. The bead blasted finish is incredible. Obviously much less flashy then, for example, a Polish case, especially if you’re out in the water on a boat. And the oversized minute subdial on the left, broken up into five minute increments to time the five minute countdown timer until the start the race. For me, I’d probably use it as a five minute countdown timer until my pizza is burning in the oven, but whatever. Still a very cool watch. Now it’s sort of become a collectible, rare and discontinued and heavily sought after model because they really didn’t make a ton of these and I kind of missed a chance to buy one when it was more affordable, and I’m very much regretting it now.