Most chronographs pair a colored dial with a black or brown strap. The Tissot Chrono XL Classic T116.617.36.042.00 commits fully: blue dial, blue leather strap, with warm rose gold-tone touches to keep the monochrome look from feeling flat. The result is one of the most distinctive dressings of Tissot's 45mm chronograph.

Under the dial is the same serious Swiss engine found across the Chrono XL Classic range, the PowerDrive quartz chronograph ETA G10.212. It measures time to 1/10 of a second with a 30-minute counter, supports ADD and SPLIT timing and alerts you when the battery is running low. Arabic numerals and indexes give the dial clear structure, and Super-LumiNova on the hands helps after sunset.

Tonal blue works surprisingly well with gray suiting, white shirts and light denim, and the leather softens the scale of the case. If you want a large chronograph that looks considered rather than loud, this is it.

Chrono XL Classic blue on blue, ref. T116.617.36.042.00

• 45mm stainless steel case, 11.02mm thick, rose gold-tone accents
• 22mm between the lugs
• Blue dial with Arabic numerals, indexes and date
• Swiss quartz chronograph: ETA G10.212 PowerDrive
• Tenth-of-a-second and 30-minute timing, ADD/SPLIT
• Sapphire crystal
• Water resistance to 100m
• Blue leather strap with buckle

Head-to-toe blue, finished with just enough warmth.