A wrist watch is an important and necessary accessory that helps to give a "zest" to the image, to emphasize a person's status and position in society. A modern wristwatch is not just a device for measuring time, but also a multifunctional device that can be very useful. Indeed, such accessories may include a calendar, chronograph, alarm clock and many other useful functions. And if an alarm clock with a calendar does not raise questions about their use, then they appear with a chronograph.
What is the function of a chronograph?
First of all, it must be said that the chronograph is an independent measuring system that has no connection with the general movement. This complicates the design to some extent, but at the same time allows obtaining the highest quality and most accurate measurements. In fact, a chronograph is a counter that records certain periods of time. With this device you can record seconds, hours and minutes. For example, it is often used to measure jogging or cycling times, business meetings, and even the touted "food delivery to the second." In addition, chronographs are used by doctors to measure the heartbeat, by housewives when preparing meals, and by the military in calculations.
How do I use a chronograph?
The chronograph is switched on and off using separate buttons on the case. Note that some models have a multifunctional chronograph activation button, multiple pressing of which allows you to stop recording a time interval. One of the advantages of using a chronograph over a conventional stopwatch is that there is no need to switch the dial. That is, the work of the clock itself, which continues to show the exact time, is not disturbed.
The use of a chronograph on most watch models is standard and does not present any difficulties. So you can quickly learn how to use a chronograph on your watch. In one-button models, the first press starts the chronograph, and when you need to complete the distance measurement, you need to press the corresponding button again. If you need to return the arrow to its original position, press the button a third time.
Chronographs with two control buttons are very popular today. The first button starts measuring the segment, then the second one stops this process. In this case, you get the opportunity to continue the measurement without returning the arrow to its original position. This is necessary when defining any specific cycles of action.
High-end wristwatches can be equipped with a chronograph with three buttons. This is the so-called split system. With this split chronograph, you can simultaneously record several events that started at the same time. You can start and stop measuring lines independently of each other.
Modern sophisticated chronographs allow not only to measure several segments at once, which began simultaneously and end at different times, but also have the function of summing such calculated segments. There are also special versions of chronographs that allow you to measure time intervals up to 12 hours.
Currently, in specialized stores you can pick up such wristwatches, which are equipped with a high-quality and accurate chronograph. All this will allow you to use your wristwatch with maximum efficiency.
By their design, chronographs are modular (when the stopwatch module is superimposed on top of a regular base movement and connected to it) and integrated (when it is initially assumed that the caliber will be equipped with a stopwatch). The latter, of course, are much more reliable and cooler.
A bit of history
In 1910, Gaston Brightling introduced the world to the first wrist chronograph, the progenitor of modern timepieces. And it was intended for pilots, the emerging aviation at that time. It is worth noting that the aviation theme has been entrenched to this day for the famous Swiss brand Breitling. But this chronograph had one small inconvenience, there was only one button (sometimes combined with the crown), which performed all 3 functions (start, stop, zeroing), in 1934 Breitling eventually corrected this nuance. Another interesting fact is that self-winding chronographs began to be produced only almost 50 years later, in 1969. Most likely, this is due to the fact that it was very difficult to place all the nodes at the same time in the limited space of the case.
In the modern world, a chronograph has a slightly different position from its original position; now its presence is more of an aesthetic addition to a wristwatch than a demanded function. Its analog indicators add some "complexity" to any movement, look organic in the overall concept of the dial.
It is a mistake to believe that a chronograph looks organic only on a sports watch or makes a watch device too massive. There are very sophisticated options that look very elegant and are great for a business and even evening look. These include, for example, watches Karen Millen, Versace, Versus, Jacques du Manoir, Hugo Boss, George Kini.
