Louis Moinet is credited with inventing the first chronograph in 1816. However, at that time it was not called a chronograph, but a kind of ” Compteur de Tierces “.Moyne’s invention includes a centrally mounted hand-activated and resets by two buttons to accurately measure the interval of 1/60 of a second. However, this innovative timepiece was not built for racing, but for measuring the orbits of stars, planets, and moons. 
It was Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec who invented the first racing watch in 1821 for King Louis XVIII to time horse races. Rieussec’s “time-writing” device included an ink-tipped hand that would mark the dial with a little ink dot via a press of a button. So every time a horse crosses the finish line, race officials can press a button, and at the end of the race, a dial displays the various timings for all the runners. The term “chronograph” is derived from the Greek words Chronos (for “time”) and graph (for “writer”).
The chronograph complication and the racing replica watch evolved significantly over the next century. Creations such as Heuer’s “Time of Trip” dashboard chronograph in 1911, Longines’ first chronograph for the wrist in 1913, and Breitling’s first wristwatch chronograph with two pushers in 1933 all advanced the racing chronograph to where it is today. In the first half of the 20th century, many major watch brands introduced their chronograph models, most of which were built to meet the military needs of the two world wars.
During the second half of the 20th century, when wartime was over in Europe, watchmakers transformed their focus from military timepieces to flourishing industries and pastimes such as diving, air travel, and motorsports. As a result, some of the best in the business released chronograph fake rolex watches dedicated to racing.
Perhaps the most significant year in chronograph history was 1969 with the invention of the automatic chronograph movement. Depending on whom you speak to, Zenith, Seiko, or a consortium made up of Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton-Buren, and Dubois Depraz have all been credited with this progress.