Horological Meandering

Apart from the tactile feel, the chrono seconds hand starts without any Flutter or Shudder; It starts without any delay at the precise instant of pusher being depressed; the reset is precise and  seconds hand returns to rest dead-on; no whiplash shudder. Under a high speed camera I am told that typically most chrono seconds hands exhibit a significant flutter and that this would be the best way to judge the chrono quality.

I believe the chronograph should provide what would call as a "wholesome experience" and not tactile pleasure alone.

On the pure tactile feel front my ranking of a few watches that I happened to test are

1. Datograph Perpetual - 10/10 ( absolutely smooth, no wobbling of the pusher no flutter of seconds hand and a very smooth reset)

2. Patek 5960 - 7/10 ( hard to depress and there is a very audible metallic noise; no flutter, reset needs a hard push again, definite wobble of the pusher buttons)

3. Zenith Class Elprimero ( Cal 400Z) - 8/10 ( relatively hard press, no flutte, slight wobble of pusherr)

4. Buran Chrono - 4/10 ( not so hard, but huge time lag from press of pusher to the chrono seconds hand moving from rest; Return to reset not precise)

5. Duometre Chrono 10/10 ( as good as Dato Perpetual; more alive because of the lightning seconds!; no wobble of pusher)

6. Galshutte Chrono ( cal 39) - as good a Zenith El Primero. Pusher feels a trifle better in terms of smoothness, very slight wobble of pusher.

Another easy test I would recommend is to try this; When the chrono seconds hand is just crossing 58 and on 59, try to press the stop button. In most chronos which donot have precise jumping minute counter, the minute counter hand would have already begun the gradual movement when chrono seconds hand is leaving 58 and this minute  counter hand will not stop, but move to the next minute even without the chrono seconds completing the 60. If this test works well and if the chrono minute hand actually does not begin the movement until the seconds is just about moving from 59 to 60; that chrono WORKS...

regds.

  login to reply