Farer Racing Chronograph

Racing chronographs are hardly a rare sight. In fact, they are among the most popular themes for chronograph watches on the market. Independent watchmaking is no exception. Whether you are looking for an affordable option such as the Rallygraf Alpine Series from Yema or something positioned a bit further up the market like the Scalegraph from Baltic, there is no shortage of compelling choices. Sitting somewhere between them are watches such as the Depancel Autosport and Chronoking from Nivada Grenchen, and the list could easily go on.

With so many racing chronographs already available, one might wonder whether there is still room for another. Fortunately for enthusiasts, there almost always is. As long as creative watch designers continue to find new ways of combining colours, proportions, materials, and dial layouts within the small canvas of a watch, new interpretations will continue to emerge. One of the latest examples comes from the British brand Farer, which has recently introduced its new Racing Chronograph Collection.

True to Farer's design philosophy, the collection places just as much emphasis on colour and character as it does on function. Inspired by the racing chronographs of the 1960s and 1970s—a golden era that gave rise to icons such as the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, Heuer Monaco, and Heuer Carrera—the new models borrow many of the defining visual cues of the period, including contrasting dials, external tachymeter bezels, and compact proportions. Farer then infuses the collection with its own distinctive identity through carefully considered colour palettes and modern detailing, making the watches unmistakably its own.

The Case, Dial and Other Common Features

Although the collection consists of three distinct models, they share many defining characteristics. The first is their compact size. Each watch measures 38.5 mm in diameter, 44 mm lug-to-lug, and 13.4 mm in thickness.

All three models feature a bidirectional 12-hour bezel. While modern racing chronographs typically come with a tachymeter bezel to measure average speed, Farer has instead opted for a 12-hour scale. This can be used to track a second time zone or to measure elapsed time over a period of up to 12 hours.

The case follows the familiar chronograph layout, with a screw-down crown positioned at 3 o'clock and two chronograph pushers placed above and below it. The crown is engraved with the Farer logo, while its screw-down construction helps the watches achieve 100 metres of water resistance. As a result, the Racing Chronograph Collection is sporty not only in appearance but also in capability.

All three models feature a tri-compax layout, consisting of a 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o'clock, a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock, and a running seconds sub-dial at 9 o'clock. To improve legibility in low-light conditions, Farer applies Super-LumiNova to both the dial and the 12-hour bezel markings.

Sellita Movement Inside

Staying true to its vintage inspirations, the Racing Chronograph Collection is powered by a manual-winding chronograph movement. Farer has chosen the Sellita SW510 M b, specifically the Élaboré Grade version, which delivers a healthy 63-hour power reserve. The handwound movement is a fitting choice for a watch that draws heavily from vintage racing chronographs while being engineered to modern standards. Rather than hiding it behind a solid caseback, Farer has opted for an exhibition caseback, allowing the wearer to admire the no-date chronograph movement in operation.

Gara

Though all three models look interesting, the Gara seems to be the simplest in terms of design. It features a deep green colour on both the sub-dials and the bezel, which stands out beautifully against the sunray silver dial. The yellow chronograph seconds hand adds contrast to the green and silver colour scheme. A subtle hint of orange is also introduced to the dial. It can be seen at the tip of the running second hand as well as on the minute markers around the outer edge of the dial.

Volante

The Volante is the model that really showcases one of Farer's greatest strengths—its ability to use multiple colours that work together harmoniously and resulting in a dial that looks expressive. Like the Gara, this watch also features a sunray dial, but in a sky-blue tone. The bezel as well as the hour and minute hands are rendered in a deep navy blue. The seconds sub-dial hand uses the same sky-blue colour, while the other two sub-dials feature navy blue hands. That's not all. To make things even more interesting, Farer also introduces yellow and orange accents to the dial. The first 10 minutes of the 30-minute counter are highlighted in yellow, while the chronograph seconds hand is finished in orange. In a nutshell, the abundance of colours definitely brings to mind the vibrant colour schemes often seen on classic racing cars.

Libre

The Libre is quite different from the other two models. Instead of a sunray dial, it features a textured dial, giving the watch a noticeably different character. While the main dial is finished in white, burgundy serves as the accent colour throughout the watch. It is used on the bezel, dial texts, hour and minute marker, and the sub-dial at 3 o'clock. Another distinguishing feature is the significantly larger sub-dial at 3 o'clock, which gives the watch a classic "Big Eye" chronograph appearance. A touch of blue is also introduced on the dial through the chronograph second hand and the 30-minute counter hand, bringing a little more colour and personality to the watch.

Pricing and Availability

The Racing chronograph collection are priced from £1,875, placing them in the entry-luxury segment. Buyers can choose from a variety of strap options in different colours including rubber, leather, suede leather, and a milanese mesh bracelet. Opting for the Milanese mesh bracelet would increase the price by £20 GBP. The watches are available to pre-order now through Farer's website, with deliveries expected to begin in July 2026.