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Glossary

What a chronograph is

what is a chronograph

A chronograph is a watch with a built-in stopwatch. Pushers start, stop, and reset the elapsed-time hands, usually on subdials, while the main hands keep ordinary time.

What you are looking at

Central chronograph seconds (or a subdial) measure elapsed time. Additional subdials may count minutes and hours. A tachymeter scale on some bezels converts elapsed time to speed over a fixed distance. It was useful historically and is mostly decorative today.

Practical notes

Chronographs add thickness, complexity, and often cost. If you'll never time anything, you can still love the look. Just be honest that you're buying it for the look. If you want a daily beater, check that the pushers and crystal can handle how rough you are on watches.

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