The best timepieces for navigation, racing, or looking the part out on the water

Precision is to sailing what speed is to auto racing; it can be the difference between gold and silver on the winner’s podium. Marine chronometers have been perfected over the centuries to accurately keep time and ease operations on board. Get regatta-ready or anchor your yachtsman’s outfit with any of these sophisticated instruments, or share your favourites with us on our social media channels.

Seamaster Planet Ocean 36th America’s Cup

The watchmaker that has gone from the moon to the Mariana Trench is just as comfortable in the space in between. Omega celebrates its appointment as Official Timekeeper of the America’s Cup 2021 with the limited-edition Seamaster Planet Ocean 36th America’s Cup. The competition is commemoratively stamped south of the white ceramic dial while a silhouette of the trophy counterweighs the seconds hand. Locking in waterproofness to 600m is the blue, red, and white ceramic diving bezel that acts as a 5-minute countdown timer. The 43.5mm steel Master Chronometer is limited to just 2,021 pieces worldwide.

Garmin Quatix 6X Solar

The new Garmin Quatix 6X Solar runs on the sun and boasts specialist modes for all water sports, including sailing. This performance powerhouse has a 21-day power reserve while its generous 51mm stage showcases vital information spanning solar intensity to the Garmin Chartplotters display. This links the boat’s data to the watch for easy reference of speed, depth, temperature, and wind statistics, even allowing users to control the boat’s autopilot on their wrist. Lost? Fret not, as SailAssist data determines direction, waypoint marking, and Bluechart G3 mapping. Talk about a smart watch.

Panerai 47mm Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta

Inspired by the swiftness of the Luna Rossa racing syndicate, Panerai infuses cues that speak of speed into the 47mm Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta. The team’s colours and the lightweight materials of its full-foil AC75 racing boat – such as the dark grey sail cloth that fashions the dial – are supplemented with complications such as the regatta countdown, GMT function, and flyback chronograph. Turn the carbotech timepiece over to check out the Luna Rossa logo and America’s Cup profile engraved on the titanium case back.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown 2020

Frederique Constant’s Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown 2020 flaunts its expertise in understated aesthetics and marvellous mechanical watchmaking. Occupying the upper hemisphere of the anthracite grey dial, finely decorated in Clous de Paris guilloché, is the regatta countdown complication comprising five apertures that change between grey, white, and orange to indicate the 10-minute countdown to flag-off.

Corum Admiral 42 Automatic Full Black

Best known by its 12 colourful nautical pennants, the Admiral gets a enigmatic makeover by Corum. The latest Admiral 42 Automatic Full Black features black PVD treatment on its stainless-steel dodecagonal case, a blackened brass dial, and minute track in greyscale. Splashes of colour come in the tracing of the hour markers’ flags in vibrant blue, red, yellow, green, or orange, each limited to 100 pieces. The automatic CO 395 supplies this trendsetter with 42 hours of autonomy – enough time to respectably place in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.