The Favre Leuba Chief Chronograph pairs a 1970s-inspired design with a modern automatic movement, a 41 mm steel case and 100 m water resistance. The “288 years” in this title reflects the watch’s 2025-era context: Favre Leuba’s current history page describes a 289-year journey, counting from Abraham Favre’s documented independent watchmaking in 1737. The key buying questions are which dial and attachment you want, and whether the watch’s dimensions and chronograph layout suit you.
What does “288 years” mean for Favre Leuba?
The brand’s official timeline separates Abraham Favre’s apprenticeship, which began in 1718, from his independent watchmaking activity in Le Locle, recorded on March 13, 1737. It also places his appointment as master watchmaker of Le Locle around 1749. Favre Leuba’s present-day history page describes a 289-year journey, so 288 years is best understood as the 2025-era framing of this watch’s story, not the brand’s current age. Favre Leuba’s history timeline is the brand’s account of its own past.
The timeline follows the company’s international expansion and later milestones including the Bivouac altimeter/barometer watch in 1962 and the Bathy depth-indicating dive watch in 1968. Any “world’s first” description of those instruments should be read as the brand’s claim, rather than an independently established ranking. After the quartz crisis and changes in ownership, Favre Leuba returned with a revival in 2024.
How the Chief Chronograph connects heritage and the 2024 collection
The Chief collection was introduced as part of Favre Leuba’s 2024 revival. The brand presents it as a restyling of historical design cues, while independent watch coverage identifies a 1970s model as an inspiration for the Chief Chronograph. That makes this a heritage-led contemporary watch, not a reproduction of a period model.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
- THE WATCH SAYS IT ALL: Instantly step up your style game with a Mega Chief Diesel watch, featuring a unique case shape, a sleek dial with cut-out detail, and luminous hands that stand out day or night
- CASE & DIAL: These Diesel watches for men feature a 51mm diameter, round stainless steel case with a white dial, and a mineral crystal face that resists scratches
- WATCH BAND: Men's watches from Diesel with 26mm band width and a brown genuine leather band with an adjustable buckle closure
- MOVEMENT: Quartz movement with chronograph analog watch display and date window; three subdials to track minutes, seconds, and 24-hour time; stopwatch functionality; imported
- WATER RESISTANT MEN'S WRIST WATCH: Up to 100m (330ft); can be worn bathing, swimming or snorkeling and shallow diving; 10 ATM
In September 2024 press material, Favre Leuba representative Patrik Hoffmann said, “We explored our archives to create models inspired by our rich heritage,” the brand’s Chief collection press material. The matched 2025 article about this watch is marked SponsoredPost, so its descriptions are useful as reported detail but should not be mistaken for independent hands-on testing.
Case, dial layout and movement
| Specification | What is reported |
|---|---|
| Case | 41 mm diameter, 316L stainless steel; 14 mm thick according to the 2025 sponsored article. |
| Crystal and back | Sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback, as reported in the 2025 article and official press material respectively. |
| Water resistance | 100 m, according to official press material and the 2025 article. |
| Movement | Favre Leuba FLC02, described by the 2025 article as based on the La Joux-Perret L113; official press material identifies the La Joux-Perret L113. |
| Power reserve | 60 hours, according to official press material, the 2025 article and GPHG’s profile. |
| Frequency | 28,800 vibrations per hour (vph), reported by the 2025 article and GPHG. |
| Chronograph | Bicompax layout with counters at 9 and 3 o’clock; the 2025 article identifies running seconds at 9 and a 30-minute counter at 3. Official press material describes a column wheel. |
Sources: Favre Leuba press material; aBlogtoWatch’s 2025 sponsored article; GPHG profile. GPHG corroborates the stated reserve and frequency, not the other specifications. These are published specifications; the available sources do not establish a controlled comparison of accuracy or comfort.
Dial and attachment choices
The 2025 article names an Ice Blue example and reports dark Blue and Black dial options. It describes an H-link steel bracelet and a color-matched rubber strap, each with quick-release tabs. Exact references and current configurations may vary, so confirm the reference number and included attachment for the specific watch being offered. The official product page confirms that reference 00.20101.113.02.302 exists, but that alone does not establish current availability in every market.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- THE WATCH SAYS IT ALL: Only The Brave; when you wear those words featured on the Mega Chief Diesel watch chronograph dial, you show the world how you live each minute; in fact, the watch's three sub-dials track minutes, seconds, and tenths of seconds
- CASE & DIAL: These Diesel watches for men feature a 51mm diameter, round stainless steel case with a black dial and red accents, and a mineral crystal face that resists scratches
- WATCH BAND: Men's watches from Diesel with a 26mm band width, silver stainless steel bracelet band, and links that can be removed for a customized fit
- MOVEMENT: Quartz movement with chronograph analog watch display and date window; three subdials to track minutes, seconds, and 24-hour time; stopwatch functionality; imported
- WATER RESISTANT MEN'S WRIST WATCH: Up to 100m (330ft); can be worn bathing, swimming or snorkeling and shallow diving; 10 ATM
Rank #4
- Full 316L Steel, 1.43" AMOLED Screen: A solid metal case and hex bezel with the weight of a real watch, and a big bright face you can read at a glance. Built to take a beating and still look sharp.
- 14-Day Battery Life - 480mAh: A single charge powers the Chief through the workweek, business trips and the weekend, so it stays on your wrist. No daily charging, no dead-battery mornings.
- IP67 Water Resistant, All-Day Comfort: Rated for splashes, sweat and rain and tested from -18F to 145F, with a comfortable strap for desk-to-dinner wear. The solid heft of a real metal watch.
- Easy Setup with the Da Fit App: Pair with the free Da Fit app (App Store and Google Play), scan the code and follow the prompts. No tech skills needed; works with Android and iPhone.
- Bluetooth Calling, 200+ Watch Faces and Wellness: Calls on your wrist, a dial for every occasion, plus heart rate, SpO2, sleep and steps for general fitness reference.
Rank #3
- BOLD STYLE: Instantly step up your style game with Diesel's men's watches; this Master Chief leather watch features a unique case shape, a sleek dial with cut-out detail, and luminous hands that stand out day or night
- 49 MM MEN'S WRIST WATCH: 49mm diameter; black stainless steel case with unique crown guard; mineral crystal face resists scratches
- COMFORTABLE FIT: Watches for men with a 27mm band width; black stainless steel bracelet band; links can be removed for a customized fit
- PRECISE TIMEKEEPING: Quartz watch movement with chronograph analog display and date window; three subdials to track minutes, seconds, and 24-hour time; stopwatch functionality; imported
- WATER READY: Water Resistant up to 100m (330ft); this analog watch can be worn bathing, swimming, snorkeling, and shallow diving; 10 ATM
Rank #2
- THE WATCH SAYS IT ALL: Only The Brave; when you wear those words featured on the Mega Chief Diesel watch chronograph dial, you show the world how you live each minute; in fact, the watch's three sub-dials track minutes, seconds, and tenths of seconds
- CASE & DIAL: These Diesel watches for men feature a 51mm diameter, round stainless steel case with unique rose gold-tone crown guard and black dial; luminous hands and hour markers, and a mineral crystal face that resists scratches
- WATCH BAND: Men's watches from Diesel with a 26mm band width, black stainless steel bracelet band and links that can be removed for a customized fit
- MOVEMENT: Quartz movement with chronograph analog watch display and date window; three subdials to track minutes, seconds, and 24-hour time; stopwatch functionality; imported
- WATER RESISTANT MEN'S WRIST WATCH: Up to 100m (330ft); can be worn bathing, swimming or snorkeling and shallow diving; 10 ATM
- Steel bracelet: the more integrated, all-steel look described for the H-link bracelet.
- Rubber strap: a color-matched alternative with quick-release tabs, according to the 2025 article.
- Dial: Ice Blue, dark Blue and Black are the reported choices; verify the exact color and reference before ordering.
Price and availability depend on date and market
Published prices are dated rather than current quotes. Favre Leuba’s 2024 press release listed CHF 4,500. The 2025 aBlogtoWatch sponsored article reported $4,975 on rubber and $5,075 on bracelet. Those figures refer to different sources and dates; they do not establish today’s price, local taxes, stock or regional availability. Check with Favre Leuba or an authorized retailer for a current offer and exact configuration. The available sources do not verify an Amazon listing or affiliate availability.
What to weigh before choosing one
- Wrist fit: 41 mm across and 14 mm thick are useful comparison points, but the sources do not provide a controlled wear test or a fit assessment across wrist sizes.
- Chronograph use: the two-counter layout distinguishes running seconds from the 30-minute chronograph counter, with a column wheel identified in the official press material.
- Attachment and color: decide whether the reported steel bracelet or rubber strap, and a reported dial color, match your preference; confirm these against the precise reference on sale.
- Heritage versus evidence: the archival design story is part of the proposition, while published specifications and sponsored descriptions should not be confused with independent testing.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
