One part timekeeper, one part stopwatch, and all parts cool, chronographs are found on the wrists of explorers, pilots, and astronauts. Even if the closest you'll ever get to a cockpit is next month's business trip, and you'll only see the inside of the International Space Station from photographs, a chronograph watch may be the timepiece for you.
Thanks to its time-tracking capabilities, you can track adventures or time everyday happenings. A chronograph timepiece is a must if you want to be among the watch elite. Neil Armstrong, Chuck Yeager, and you: all wearing watches with the right stuff. Let's launch into an exploration of chronographs.
What in the World (or Outer Space) is a Chronograph?
"Chrono" is from the Greek word for time, and "graph" means "writing": a device to write or record time. But don't all watches record time? A chronograph differs from a regular timepiece because it also measures elapsed time. In other words, it includes one or more stopwatches in addition to telling the time of day.
Whether you are a pilot who needs to precisely calculate time and distance on the fly (our puns are always intended) or you are tracking the cooking time on the ribs currently sizzling on your grill, a chronograph helps you keep track of passing time.
Essential Parts of a Chronograph
Two-Faced
Chronographs measure elapsed time using subdials on the main face. You can find watches with one, two, or even three subdials that help you measure time intervals. That could mean tracking splits on your morning run or billable hours at your desk. Subdials make your watch look like a cool, high-tech cockpit with all its instruments and displays. These dials aren't just for looks though. It's their functionality that's out-of-this-world.
Common subdials are a continuous-seconds measurement, a 30-minute timer, and a 12-hour timer.
While most chronographs use these subdials on the watch's face, some track time with an additional hand, which rotates to indicate passing time.
Pushing Limits
You operate your chronograph’s subdials with pushers. These are the little buttons on the side of the watch's face. They stop, start, and reset the stopwatch functions. If the watch face is the cockpit, think of these like the yoke that allows you to navigate through the projects you are timing with your chronograph.
How It Does That Thing It Does
So, you know about subdials and pushers. But how do you use them to track time? While your watchmaker may put their spin on chronograph dials, most operate on the same principles. Here's the 3-step process for operating a basic chronograph:
Green Light
The first pusher you need is your start button. You usually find this on the side of the dial at the 2 o'clock position. Pressing this button starts the chronograph.
Red Light
Pressing the same pusher that started your timer will cause it to stop the stopwatch.
Reset
When you need a fresh start, you need a different pusher. Usually located at the 4 o'clock position, this button resets all the subdials to zero. This action deletes your last timing session, preparing you for another timed interval when needed.
Status: It's Complicated
Any watch feature that does more than just tell standard time is called a complication. One typical example of a complication is the display of the date or day of the week. Chronograph features are also considered complications. Rather than complicate your life, having these features on your timepiece can make your life easier.
A timepiece's features are what allow it to do more than just look good and tell you the time. We've already discussed the basic functionality of a chronograph. Let's explore some additional features that will further amp up your timekeeping.
Tachymeter
Some chronographs include a tachymeter. No, this doesn't measure how many velvet Elvis paintings or flamingo lawn ornaments you have. It's not that kind of tacky tracker.
The tachymeter is a scale around the rim of the watch's dial. It helps you calculate speed based on travel time or measure distance based on speed. Whether you want to calculate speed at the Monaco GP or challenge a friend to see who can manage a faster time on your favorite black diamond run, this feature is for you.
Telemeter
When you were a kid, did you calculate the location of a storm by counting the "Mississippis" between lightning and thunder? You were using a low-tech version of a telemeter.
A chronograph's telemeter estimates the distance from the watch to the point of a sound. Using the difference between the speeds of light and sound, with the help of your watch, you can calculate how far the sound traveled. Some chronographs include this feature. Your inner 11-year-old storm chaser will love it.
Split-Seconds Chronograph
If your watch includes a split-seconds chronograph, you can record more than one time interval. This feature is also called rattrapante, which is French for "catch up." This complication is somewhat rare but entirely useful. It allows you to track multiple time intervals when they start simultaneously but don't end together.
What does that mean? Imagine you are watching a race. Both runners start at the same time but complete their first lap at different speeds. A split-seconds chronograph complication allows you to track both runners' lap speeds simultaneously.
When looking at watches for sale, pay special attention to the chronographs. These complications provide additional functionality that will make your everyday life less complicated. Whether you are timing your coffee run to see if you can set a new PR for caffeinating or working to beat yesterday's killer time up your climbing wall, it's worth taking the time to find yourself a chronograph. You’ll love it to the moon and back.