Chronograph
Definition of chronograph:
You bought a watch that chronograph is one of its advantages. What does this mean? When can it be used?
In the literal sense, a chronograph is a tool that can measure time intervals; or, more simply, an analogue device that can measure a specific time. This feature is also present in digital watches, called a timer. You must have seen these watches before. Today, the use of this watch model (chronograph) has flourished. But chronograph watches are more used for sports and are more attractive due to the beauty of many hands.
Chronograph watches are offered with different levels of accuracy and sensitivity. This accuracy can be measured in tenths of a second or even a hundredth of a second. The most common chronograph watches have a sensitivity of 4.1 seconds, 1/10 and 1/60 seconds. There are some restrictions for a minute time; the lower the sensitivity and accuracy of these coefficients, the more advanced the watch technology. Chronograph watches usually have three hands and are controlled by two push buttons. The watch crown and these two push buttons adjust the chronograph hands.
In the figure below, you can see a typical chronograph watch face. The parts related to the chronograph time display system are highlighted.
As you can see in the picture, the accuracy of this chronograph watch is 1/10 of a second.
How to use
Typically to measure time, first press the A button to start the chronograph. Press the A button to stop again; The second display shows less than 1/10 seconds and the 60-second displayer shows the last seconds, and the 30-minute displayer shows the last minutes (up to 30 minutes). Do this again to continue recording the time. Finally, press the B button to reset the chronograph.
Take a closer look at the photo to get a better understanding.
Displayed time 5 minutes 4 seconds 6 tenths of a second
Note: Chronograph watches have different functions depending on the type of the watch's movement. One of these functions is measuring the average of several stopwatches.
Other chronograph watches can measure times longer than 30 minutes. These watches use a different hand to display every 60 minutes. The accuracy and sensitivity of these watches vary according to the type of movement and the fraction of a second. The most common of these systems is the front motor.
Displayed time 1 hour 20 minutes 10 seconds 0.6 seconds
What is the reason for using a chronograph?
"What do you want to use your chronograph for?" Says the salesman. The customer responds: "Use ?! "I did not think about it."
1. A chronograph offers other capabilities beyond just measuring the time. It measures cooking time, walking and running rates, cycling, exercise, work appointments and other applications. For example, you can tell how long it takes to change car oil with a chronograph. Of course, you can do this too; When your spouse says it takes me five minutes to show up, activate your chronograph, which is better not to do!!! :)
2. Readability:
Your screen is not easy to read today despite the complex chronograph designs. Manufacturers make every effort to make the displays of their watches easy to read while their designs are elegant. Of course, not all of them succeed, so pay attention to the readability of the chronograph display.
3. Interior parts and exterior design:
When designing chronograph watches, the proponents of combination watches prefer them to modular watches because, in hybrid models, all the required components are used, which is why it is so important. The chronograph may require complex and heavy operations that require a significant charge.
4. How to pull the handbrake of a chronograph train?
Imagine being able to reactivate your chronograph just as it was running; this is where the term "train stop" comes to mind. To prevent this from happening, chronograph manufacturers have activated curtain buttons which function with different modes. You should pay attention to these points when buying a watch.
5. Need for speed: There is always a direct relationship between the frequency of movement and the size of the oscillations of one second; The higher the frequency, the fewer oscillations, so as the average motion frequency of the watch increases over time, chronographs are generated that can measure more minor oscillations in less than a second based on these changes. The most common frequency of modern mechanical watches is 28800vph; It can measure one-eighth of a second, while a watch with a frequency of 18,000 vph can measure events in one-fifth of a second.
Definition of stopwatch:
The term stopwatch is often mistakenly referred to as an instrument in the watch which can measure the duration of an event at the push of a button. This tool is a chronograph or chronoscope (timer). Of course, despite the criteria set by this standard, a watch that has a stopwatch certification may also have this tool.
The COSC institute has an additional condition in its technical regulations for the approval of a watch, which is the permanent display of seconds.
A stopwatch is defined as follows:
The stopwatch is a high-precision wristwatch capable of displaying seconds that a COSC official has tested over several days at different positions and temperatures.
Each stopwatch is unique, identified by a number engraved on the watch's body, and has a certificate number issued by COSC.
Each movement is tested separately for five consecutive days at three different temperatures. This means that every watch that has been dubbed a "stopwatch" has a certified movement.
Mechanical stopwatch
Mechanical stopwatch: ISO 3159 defines a stopwatch with a Spring Balance Oscillator. Only movements with the described precision in ISO 3159 can receive the official stopwatch certificate. These movements are tested for 16 consecutive days according to the test schedule.
Every day, even on Saturdays and Sundays, the movements are evaluated and re-tuned.
Based on the experiments, seven different criteria are calculated.
If all the requirements are met, the watch movement will receive a "stopwatch" certificate.
Quartz Chronometer:
Quartz Chronometer: There was no international standard for Quartz electronic watches in the past.
According to ISO 3159, the COSC institute has issued a set of applicable tests for quartz chronometer watches that can control their performance, similar to mechanical chronometer watches. Due to the unique technical characteristics of these watches, COSC changed the correct tests and performance regulations for these watches.
This was used to develop the characteristics of quartz movements until they set new regulations for these watch's movements.
For these watches, it became mandatory to be equipped with an electronic system that compensates for changes in different temperatures.
A new quartz watch is ten times more accurate than a traditional one. In addition, these watches are a unique product that is produced on a smaller scale.
The figure shows that a quartz chronometer is tested for 11 days in one position and at three different temperatures.