The chronograph may have been first conceived in 1820 to record the speed of racehorses around a Parisian racetrack, but it really only came into its own when human ingenuity created the internal combustion engine. What is now arguably the most ubiquitous complication in watchmaking evolved from unprecedented speed. This symbiotic relationship, between self-propulsion and the urge to measure it, defined a new era. Chronographs allowed drivers to calculate not only their speed but fuel consumption, range and a host of other imponderables in seconds.Simple as it was, the chronograph predates both the desktop computer and even the Apple Watch by decades. Aera’s C-1 Chronographs are inspired by a very particular period – a golden age - of the evolution of both timekeeping and motorsports. In the 1950s and 60s, sports cars became something not limited to the track but a status symbol on the open road too. Watchmakers sought to offer a modern take on what was already a well-established complication and slap it on the wrists of weekend drivers. Even in our fully digital world, the link between automotive engineering and analog timekeeping remains an unbreakable spiritual bond. This month, the journal celebrates and explores the enduring passion of humankind for mechanical excellence on the road.