Federico says you don't need a chrono because your phone has a timer, but with this reasoning, we don't need watches either because our phones have clocks.
But watches are wrist candy... wrist candy doesn’t also need sprinkles and fudge. So no it’s not the same. You a track coach timing your runners? You need an aviator to help with calculations on the plane you don’t fly? It’s about looks and if you like the chronograph get it. I like the look but I’ve only used them a handful of times altogether. You really didn’t listen did you?
I've been wearing chronograph exclusively since the mid-70s and have always found uses for them. I've worked shift-work most of my life and mainly worked alone, so timing my individual tasks kept me on my toes. I could see which tasks took longest and helped me see where time loss was evident. I found dozens of uses for chronograph. Non- chronograph watches look like little clocks. Chronographs look like watches.
ok then there is no reason for a watch because you have the time on your phone ??? Stop nit picking, Chronographs are a must have in a collection. They look nice and can be very useful at certain times.
If you are a chef or a cook, you will understand why. In cooking on many instances, precision is vital, to the degree of seconds, that may make or break a dish, and thats where a chrono does the job of helping its user keep precision in minutes plus seconds. The bezel does not confer that level of accuracy as it does not give clear indicators to the degree of seconds. Hope that enlightens you mate.
Max Lim If you really want to the second accuracy, surely a quartz Chrono would be better than a mechanical one. Especially since you'd get your watch all dirty when you touch it to start the chrono. Seems like a G Shock 5610 would be ideal.
gmansplit why would I get a quartz then? That defeats the purpose of appreciating watch mechanics and horology. Why not tell that to many famous chefs in the world who also use the chronograph function too? There’s always a reason. Of course chronographs are delicate and get dirty, but that’s the whole point and joy of being a watch lover and someone who cooks, it’s all about relating experiences. The ability to keep your chrono clean while cooking. How about a diver who uses a dive watch? Surely saltwater will gradually corode the Watch through viscous friction. Tell that to them as well. Tell them that they might as well get a quartz diver.
I don't agree. According to their rationale you shouldn't buy a mechanical watch in the first place. Chornograph or any other complication is just one other step in the same direction.
One doesn't buy a chronograph because they want a watch with a chronograph function. Instead, they buy a beautiful watch that they absolutely love and it just happens to have a chronograph. But yeah, a chronograph, like a moonphase, is pretty much a useless complication in this age and makes servicing more expensive.
I'm wearing a chronograph right now: a Daytona homage from China with a VK-63 movement. It's one of three quartz-controlled chronograph watches I own, and I also have two digital ones. Unlike most chronograph wearers, I actually use the timing function. Yesterday, I used it to time one of my Thoroughbred horses over flying furlongs. Ha ha. Actually, it was boiled eggs.
As a techie, I consider unneeded to be undesirable. In the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "Perfection is not reached when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to remove".
I had a Daytona for years and never used the chronograph, now I have a GMT Master and I much prefer the cleaner dial and the date, plus I like the better lume on the 3 hands models
You both are doing an amazing job and are super fun to watch! Here's 5 reasons why you need a chronograph ;) 1. To time precisely what your doing down to the second or to a thousandth of a second in some cases. 2. The romance of watching the sweeping hands of a complex mechanical device do what they do. 3. Combined with a tachymeter allows for rapid calculations of how fast or slow you are in the blink of an eye. 4. To know that you have something of historical significance from the invention of Louis Monet, to something that played a significant role in artillery, racing, space exploration. 5. Just knowing that you are getting something that is cool as hell!
In academia at conferences and seminars people are always mismanaging their time during presentations. Rushing near the end or constantly asking the host how much time they have left. A chronograph allows you to pace yourself and be constantly aware of the time you have left. With everything going on you typically won't manage to do the same with just the time (even if you do remember to check when exactly you started). I also like to use it when I host meetings. Making sure we spend an appropriate amount of time on each topic. I think the use of a chronograph makes me a better chairman. The main benefit over a phone or the rotating bezel of a dive watch is that it is much more elegant and discreet to use in public. I once used a loud clicking dive watch as a way to make sure no one spends more than 5 minutes talking at a group's "week start" and I felt kind of awkward. First and last time I used a dive watch for something like that. With a chronograph people are barely aware you are timing things. I think in this video you are mostly thinking of things you would use a chronograph for in your own professions and lifestyles. But there are a lot of people with professions and hobbies where they need to do things for very specific amounts of time (or have to know the length of time they have been doing something). From soccer coach or baker to yoga instructor. The truth is that a quartz chronograph would be more useful for those things. But where is the fun in that?
Manny, we love hearing about your hands on experience using a chronograph. It's a different way to utilize the complication than just timing a race or something more generic. Do you find the subdials too small for when you're presenting or hosting a meeting? Thanks for sharing! - WatchBox Team
@@the1916company Ha a reply! Thanks. When legibility is sacrificed for design it makes the chronograph feature a lot less useful. I think you should be able to read a chronograph at a glance the way you read the time from the main dial. Contrasting colors help with that. Which is why I am a big fan of panda dials. It combines a great style with a very useful design.
Think this comes down to the individual and the situation or profession you find yourself in the most. For example I don't own a diver, because I am not a diver. Nor do I ever find myself in a situation in which I swim enough to warrant one. I do however have to take various timings though out the day at work. Sure I could reach into my pocket 30+ times a day for my smartphone but having a basic timer on my wrist is so much easier. In fact I find it so much more convenient to me that I pretty much always wear a chronograph even when at home. Got a Speedy Pro for work and a JLC Master Chrono for home or a night on the town. Two chronographs and no regrets on buying/using both.
You don't get a watch with complications because you need them...but because you love them. To make videos on why is not a good idea to buy them is not a good idea...at all
Hi Chato, I think you may have mistaken the purpose of this video. It's tongue-in-cheek and intended to be humorous more than anything. If you watch the last two minutes of the take, I don't think you can mistake this for anything but an entertainment short. Best, Tim
But I love chronographs! And are we going to talk need or luxury? Gentlemen when it comes to watches we don't talk logic, need and reasoning.... Tim, that piece is ufffff. Thank Federico and Tim. Another great video. Cheers!
Nothing more satisfying than getting to click the chronograph pusher to time the beginning of the 15 minutes it will take to get my rice to a perectly cooked fluffy texture on the cook top. And I don't even have a nice watch.
I am a race fan and usually attend a few races a year and have used the tachymeter to get average speed and lap times of cars in the race. It's fun and keeps me engaged in the race.
Both of you have made good logical points; and I agree with you two. However, most buyers of expensive watches are not logical; they are emotional. The emotional person pays $23,550.00 for a new ROLEX DAYTONA ,shows it to everyone, and claims it is a good investment. ( Everyone thinks it is a fake .) The Logical person pays $300.00 for a vintage ZENITH, $1100.00 for a new SIG P229 Stainless Elite, and $ 20,000.00 on a small piece of real estate ( all of which will appreciate before the Daytona). Remember, its the sizzle and not the steak; logic has nothin' to do with it!
Don't feel bad! You can also make a list of "why to get a chronograph". This just gives you a reason to get another watch. Different watches for different purposes :).
Chronographs became really popular through the 60's and 70's when motorsports got huge rise. In those great times it was the norm for a race driver to use a chronograph to time his laps, acceleration. The tachymeter function came really quite useful also.
Great vid! As an interesting counter-point, I do need a chronograph on my watch because I teach test prep with a "no phone" rule in the classroom. So, having a chronograph on my watch is actually part of my EDC for timing students' task completion speed. However, i do agree that it is largely a romantic complication for the vast multitude of cases. And agreed, it does make many watches look much more awesome.
Let's be honest, if we really argue about "functionality", everyone should get a G-shock. Can't beat the accuracy, legibility, durability and also service cost.
I use my chronograph as a calendar. Seconds = days and minute counter = months. Pretty much the opposite of a perpetual calendar as it requires 365 corrections per year, but hey, I enjoy the interaction 😂😂😂
I would rather buy a very nice $200 stopwatch, than a chronograph. It's designed to be started and stopped many times, and since it's not for diving, it works perfectly for all the same things, and is very inexpensive to service- unless you buy a Heuer.
guys,are you kidding? 1)same if you buy a triple calendar or a watch with 2-3 complications:more money to service it. 2)most people buying a diving watch won't never use for more than 2 meters into the water. 3)same with a date fonction:why buy it when you have the date on your cellphone? bottom line:there isn't a real reason to buy any complication than for the love of the complication.
If your gonna get a cool chronograph, get one with a solid warranty and customer service. I own a shinola runwell chronograph, and i feel safe in knowing it has a solid lifetime warranty with great customer service. If an accident dose happen, the warranty covers it and they may even repair it
I am a little confused here.. so chronographs are not practical.. and it's a down side because your phone has a timer and a clock.. wait.. why did I a watch in the first place? right.. I remember, I got because my phone is in my pocket and it's too hard to reach for it for most of the time unless it's for picking up calls.. uh wait I have my Bluetooth headset for that.. right.. I digressed.. don't we all bought we bought because we like the look of it? unless you are getting something as an investment of course.. you can hate Google's gut but believe that it will appreciate in value hence you bought the stock. same idea applies here. sorry for rambling.. just putting my thoughts out there.. hope this help increasing the interaction counter of the video.. love your videos just not this particular point you have made.
It was more a tongue in cheek video Victor... Tim and I both own a few chronos and we love them. We just wanted to make a video highlighting some of the cons as well. Federico
watchuwantinc hey Ferdico, thanks for the reply. I totally appreciate the video and I can't start to imagine how much effort you guys must put into making these video. I have been looking at speedies lately and I was hoping this video actually will steer me away from wanting a chrono.. I appreciate how you guys go through different aspects of the drawbacks of a chrono, and I am not trying to get into any arguments. just thought the practicality stand point is a little flawed when any 10 20 dollars digital watches from Casio could possibly more practical. again, big fan of the channel, basically watching everything that comes out. and i don't mind the "product placement" at all ;)
The Breitling M1 Chrono avenger is Water resistant to 1000 m and because the chronograph pushers are engaged magnetically you can use the chronograph function ......Yes.....UNDER WATER...!
I have automatics/manuals on every complication except the chronograph. The reason has nothing to do with the areas mentioned here, it's because it's the most demanding form of tracking time (time keeping on top of time keeping), and for those that time more than the pizza delivery man, a mechanical chronograph just doesn't cut it.
I find as I get older, my eyes have a more difficult time reading the wristwatch I'm wearing. I'm now down to only one chronograph (in a collection of 9 watches), as a simple three-hand dial is easier for me to read at a glance.
I agree that if you're only going to have one or two watches a chrono is probably not the way to go. On a side note you have to be insane to take a Speedmaster in the water! 50m WR basically means "don't do it"!
chronographs and diver bezels both serve a purpose. I bought a le jour mark 1 chronograph with swiss ETA 7750 valjoux movement. crhonographs serve a good purpose especially when cooking meals etc. also I own oceanx sharkmaster professionals divers watches which reach 3,300 ft 1,000m. the bezels serve a good purpose to when cooking etc, not just needed for water....
2 things, 1) dude on the left needs to go back to the barber and straiten out the bangs. 2) I left the crown in the wind position on my Submainer and let in water from a shower, it fogged up. I warmed up the watch with a hair dryer and the water evaporated...
Guys!!! Just Chill! It's because of you & your indirect marketing that some among us have turned out to be watch snobs or watch collectors! Yes you are right that a chronograph isn't important... but it's classic at times and also looks sporty.. But, nowadays people aren't after chronograph because of their functions, simply because of their gorgeous looks & designs. That's may be the reasons. I'm myself using an orient day/date with a blue dial since 10 years & honestly, it's a very good watch. But , while watching your videos from time to time, i just found myself turning into a watch collector simply because of the looks & history. But also because I'm greatly appreciate automatic & mechanical movements, may it be Chinese Seagull, Japanese Miyota's or Swiss movements. I just can't prevent myself from buying a watch that i sincerely appreciate! But, I must surely put a stop to it as my wife will sooner or later throw me out if I don't stop wasting money on watches that'll probably not wear at all.
Seiko 6138-6139 and Citizen 8110a are not that "special", but there is not parasitic loss due to the chrono being activated. I worn them for years and the chrono function was actually always engaged (so to have a moving second hand). I used the chrono function to keep time while running, and I don't keep my phone with me while i run.
Great subject matter. Chronographs are maybe my least favorite complications, but I know most watch nerds love them. I love calendars and and GMT/dual times more for me.
I have the perfect use for a chronograph; measuring my solve time of the print edition New York Times crossword puzzle. If my phone is handy it's just too tempting to cheat, plus it's just good for the soul to start the morning with a real newspaper, a nice watch and pen, the perfect oat milk latte and NO PHONE!
Nice try and great video my friends but sorry I'll keep my chronos. Can't leave without watching those little engines in action just for the fun if it!! Lol
IT HAS TO BE SAID that even the simplest of complication, such as date/day, pulls some power from the mainspring power. IMHO, the person that wants the best chance at superlative timekeeping, keeps it simple.. zero complications works best.
I have citizen eco-drive chronograph ..I didn't take off my wrist for 5 years , holidays , sea swimming , swimming pools , dishes , showers etc etc. Apart from wear and tear to the bezel the watch is still running great in my watch collection box (glass front) it's now 6 years old.
As long as people love their watch, it doesn't really matter... I love my Omega Speedmaster '57 co-axial chronograph (S&G) and that's all that matters hehe. It also happens to be fun to randomly use the chronograph for no reason. The Tachymeter isn't particularly useful, but I can check how fast the train/bus is going without using google! (I live in Japan so public transport is normal here...) If I go swimming, I use my G-shock or none at all anyways! I'd rather not risk an expensive watch getting damaged for something I could prevent; this goes for any diver! I know it can, but I just won't!
One thing that would be incredibly useful would be a egg timer thing. So like a chronograph but you set a time in minutes and seconds and it rings when it’s done. Like an alarm but much shorter and more precise.
Ka, I agree. I've got 3 quartz Seiko chronos; Solar Chrono Divers, and a "Flighty" (a "Speedy" rip-off for FIVE THOUSAND dollars less). And I agree with Fed, chronos ARE cool; I like they way they look.
I have a simple idea in watch collecting... My prized pieces are always mechanical and I keep them separate. I rarely wear them. However, if possible I acquire the same model with a quartz movement for simplicity. I use those everyday.
Since you say you you can get almost anything for 10k, I'm interested to know what options for perpetual calendars can we get below 10k? I've always wanted this complication!
You two talking about how some watches are too expensive, such as Daytona, let me remind you that a brand , occasionally a model (e.g. Daytona) are like a location regarding properties - You do not rate a property as such, its the location that matters. There are better watches than Daytona, but Daytona costs more - because it can.
I do own a chrono because I liked the looks but yeah, from the serviceability standpoint it adds to the cost of ownership. Over time I found myself gravitating towards simple three-hand models or small seconds because these styles are more universal. I don't even need a stopwatch. I do occasionally measure time it took me to hike somewhere but a simple rotating bezel would suffice and even that's an overkill.
I use chronograph while working and stopping it while doing other things - drinking coffee, using telephone, taking just a break. In the end, I can tell precisely, how much I time I have spent on that job. Doing it on phone is too complicated.
So true, I have 3 chronographs. ROO Chrono, Cartier Roadster Xl Chrono, and Breitling Bentley GT...I have not run the chrono on any of those in over a year :(
Watches that do things on their own can be boring so i love complications you can use whenever you want Also 7750 is lateral but the teeth design is much more efficient because of its small diameter and its much less worse than a regular lateral clutch. The problem with lateral clutches is to engage they have to have teeth designed for engagement rather than for running but the 7750 is much much better than an st19 or similar with triangle teeth.
almost agree on drawbacks but the most important: chrono is the most sexy and iconic complication. Having a chrono in its collection is a must have: at least an Zenith EL PRIMERO. the most iconic and performant!
I'm so confused what to get I have a budget of £6000 for my 21st in April and I just don't know what to get I've been looking at the zenith el primero chronograph which I've found for around 3500 but there is so much choice in that budget I could even get a jaeger lecoultre ultra thin moon for around 5500.
Antonio Degas but who gives a shit? We wear nice watches for reasons other than timing stuff down to one fifth of a second....it is man jewellery, it’s a status symbol, it’s an appreciation of incredible engineering and history, watches are important!
Thank you, guys for confirming the things that I've always believed, yet watch sellers have always denied--that watches with chronographs are less accurate over the long term and are likely to need more frequent servicing..You guys left out two other disadvantages of chronographs: The dial on a chronograph is cluttered with the chrono function, and if you don't use that, it's a waste of space. And maybe the biggest reason is that the second hand on the main dial is dead when you're not using the chrono function--You have to look at some tiny inset dial or the seconds..The only reason I ever might buy a mechanical chronograph is as a collector's item--to admire and to demonstrate occasionally, rather than to actually use as a timer.If you need to time things with a stopwatch frequently, it's crazy to do it with a several-thousand-dollar mechanical watch. Even if I had a Speedmaster or other expensive Swiss chronograph, I'd spare it from the abuse and use a $20 digital LCD timer for timing laps or exercise sets.
The most useful extra functions for a wrist watch are day and date. Therefore annual/perpetual calendar watches, despite their high prices, are in fact sensible products if you can afford them. The next useful function is waterproofness. Therefore dive watches are excellent, especially for outdoorsy folks, but also for anybody who doesn't want to worry about damaging their watches in heavy rain or while washing their hands. GMT watches, or any watches with two time zones, are superb for business people who travel a lot or collaborate with clients/coworkers on the other side of the globe. And of course if your watch is manual, a power reserve indicator is terribly useful. ............A chronograph is friggin' USELESS. Its main attraction is that it looks macho. Very few people ever need to time themselves with a chronograph, and even fewer know how to read a tachymeter. The only common complication more useless than a chronograph would be moon phase. But while a dress watch with moonphase display can remain thin, a chronograph watch is almost invariably the bulkiest of sports watches, typically about 14 mm tall and forever getting in the way of the shirt cuff. A workhorse day/date watch for the office. An elegant dress watch (no complications) with an alligator strap for evenings. A rugged dive watch for outdoors and sports. Get these three first. A chronograph, if you must have one, should be your 4th watch.
wow, an actual quality comment! A (nice/non Bell) day-date, GMT with 200m wr watch would be an all you need next to a dresser. But that unicorn unfortunately doesn't exist....
What you're saying pertains to mechanical chronographs. What about Quartz chronographs? IMO, All you need to woory about with regards to a quartz movement is the seals and the battery leaking.
Just an idea to make list videos like this more watchable: make it show on the video which number you are currently discussing and what the said point entails. Keep up the good work!
Yes, there is little practical reason to buy a chronograph watch (The same could be generally said for mechanical watches, and If you want to really time things, then get a Casio with precision to 1/100th of a second). The attraction is that it looks cool and interesting both front and back with all the dials and gears on it.
I have a Zenith Sports Chrono that I adore, however I owned 7 watches before I bought a chrono (this was the first). As much as I enjoy my Zenith a chrono would still have been among the last watches in my collection.
1. Service cost
2. Service cost
3. Service cost
4. Service cost
5. Service cost
Yeah, they know how to charge, and ad things just like an airline these days!
Tim Mosso's Sunglasses I don’t care if I Accidentally Damage my watches I would simply go out and buy Another one it’s easy as that so why worry
I'm not, not buying something I like because I don't want to maintain it. Life's too short. Besides I use my chronograph feature once or twice a week.
Federico says you don't need a chrono because your phone has a timer, but with this reasoning, we don't need watches either because our phones have clocks.
No one in business trusts a man without a watch... But a successful man without a phone is truly something that is admired.
Good one
But watches are wrist candy... wrist candy doesn’t also need sprinkles and fudge. So no it’s not the same. You a track coach timing your runners? You need an aviator to help with calculations on the plane you don’t fly? It’s about looks and if you like the chronograph get it. I like the look but I’ve only used them a handful of times altogether. You really didn’t listen did you?
We don't need a woman, I have a hand
i guess Im kind of off topic but does anyone know a good site to stream newly released series online?
I've been wearing chronograph exclusively since the mid-70s and have always found uses for them. I've worked shift-work most of my life and mainly worked alone, so timing my individual tasks kept me on my toes. I could see which tasks took longest and helped me see where time loss was evident.
I found dozens of uses for chronograph. Non- chronograph watches look like little clocks. Chronographs look like watches.
Tim must be mortified.
I wonder how often he uses his diver for diving..
diving into a bag of chips you need your decompression stops.
@@dagsabot5589 that was brutal))))
@@dagsabot5589 that was brutal)))))
Good one
@@dagsabot5589 hahahahah
ok then there is no reason for a watch because you have the time on your phone ??? Stop nit picking, Chronographs are a must have in a collection. They look nice and can be very useful at certain times.
I cook a lot. The Chronograph has been a good friend to me.
Second that.
Why can't you just use a dive bezel?
If you are a chef or a cook, you will understand why. In cooking on many instances, precision is vital, to the degree of seconds, that may make or break a dish, and thats where a chrono does the job of helping its user keep precision in minutes plus seconds. The bezel does not confer that level of accuracy as it does not give clear indicators to the degree of seconds. Hope that enlightens you mate.
Max Lim If you really want to the second accuracy, surely a quartz Chrono would be better than a mechanical one. Especially since you'd get your watch all dirty when you touch it to start the chrono. Seems like a G Shock 5610 would be ideal.
gmansplit why would I get a quartz then? That defeats the purpose of appreciating watch mechanics and horology. Why not tell that to many famous chefs in the world who also use the chronograph function too? There’s always a reason. Of course chronographs are delicate and get dirty, but that’s the whole point and joy of being a watch lover and someone who cooks, it’s all about relating experiences. The ability to keep your chrono clean while cooking.
How about a diver who uses a dive watch? Surely saltwater will gradually corode the Watch through viscous friction. Tell that to them as well. Tell them that they might as well get a quartz diver.
I don't agree. According to their rationale you shouldn't buy a mechanical watch in the first place. Chornograph or any other complication is just one other step in the same direction.
One doesn't buy a chronograph because they want a watch with a chronograph function. Instead, they buy a beautiful watch that they absolutely love and it just happens to have a chronograph. But yeah, a chronograph, like a moonphase, is pretty much a useless complication in this age and makes servicing more expensive.
I'm wearing a chronograph right now: a Daytona homage from China with a VK-63 movement. It's one of three quartz-controlled chronograph watches I own, and I also have two digital ones. Unlike most chronograph wearers, I actually use the timing function. Yesterday, I used it to time one of my Thoroughbred horses over flying furlongs. Ha ha. Actually, it was boiled eggs.
I love Pagani design. Have 3.
Cheap, reliable and stunning. Best bang for bucks I would say.
As a techie, I consider unneeded to be undesirable. In the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "Perfection is not reached when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to remove".
there's some irony :)
www.iwc.com/us/en/watch-collections/pilot-watches/iw377713-pilot-s-watch-chronograph-edition-antoine-de-saint-exupery-.html
@@bigthingsonwheels oof
I had a Daytona for years and never used the chronograph, now I have a GMT Master and I much prefer the cleaner dial and the date, plus I like the better lume on the 3 hands models
You both are doing an amazing job and are super fun to watch!
Here's 5 reasons why you need a chronograph ;)
1. To time precisely what your doing down to the second or to a thousandth of a second in some cases.
2. The romance of watching the sweeping hands of a complex mechanical device do what they do.
3. Combined with a tachymeter allows for rapid calculations of how fast or slow you are in the blink of an eye.
4. To know that you have something of historical significance from the invention of Louis Monet, to something that played a significant role in artillery, racing, space exploration.
5. Just knowing that you are getting something that is cool as hell!
In academia at conferences and seminars people are always mismanaging their time during presentations. Rushing near the end or constantly asking the host how much time they have left. A chronograph allows you to pace yourself and be constantly aware of the time you have left. With everything going on you typically won't manage to do the same with just the time (even if you do remember to check when exactly you started). I also like to use it when I host meetings. Making sure we spend an appropriate amount of time on each topic. I think the use of a chronograph makes me a better chairman.
The main benefit over a phone or the rotating bezel of a dive watch is that it is much more elegant and discreet to use in public. I once used a loud clicking dive watch as a way to make sure no one spends more than 5 minutes talking at a group's "week start" and I felt kind of awkward. First and last time I used a dive watch for something like that. With a chronograph people are barely aware you are timing things.
I think in this video you are mostly thinking of things you would use a chronograph for in your own professions and lifestyles. But there are a lot of people with professions and hobbies where they need to do things for very specific amounts of time (or have to know the length of time they have been doing something). From soccer coach or baker to yoga instructor. The truth is that a quartz chronograph would be more useful for those things. But where is the fun in that?
Manny, we love hearing about your hands on experience using a chronograph. It's a different way to utilize the complication than just timing a race or something more generic. Do you find the subdials too small for when you're presenting or hosting a meeting? Thanks for sharing! - WatchBox Team
@@the1916company Ha a reply! Thanks. When legibility is sacrificed for design it makes the chronograph feature a lot less useful. I think you should be able to read a chronograph at a glance the way you read the time from the main dial. Contrasting colors help with that. Which is why I am a big fan of panda dials. It combines a great style with a very useful design.
Think this comes down to the individual and the situation or profession you find yourself in the most.
For example I don't own a diver, because I am not a diver. Nor do I ever find myself in a situation in which I swim enough to warrant one. I do however have to take various timings though out the day at work. Sure I could reach into my pocket 30+ times a day for my smartphone but having a basic timer on my wrist is so much easier. In fact I find it so much more convenient to me that I pretty much always wear a chronograph even when at home. Got a Speedy Pro for work and a JLC Master Chrono for home or a night on the town. Two chronographs and no regrets on buying/using both.
You don't get a watch with complications because you need them...but because you love them. To make videos on why is not a good idea to buy them is not a good idea...at all
Hi Chato, I think you may have mistaken the purpose of this video. It's tongue-in-cheek and intended to be humorous more than anything. If you watch the last two minutes of the take, I don't think you can mistake this for anything but an entertainment short.
Best,
Tim
I was waiting for you two to take the conversation to its logical conclusion.....
Exactly, which is why it is a colossal waste of time for those watching it, expecting a legitimate evaluation. Stupid.
But I love chronographs! And are we going to talk need or luxury? Gentlemen when it comes to watches we don't talk logic, need and reasoning.... Tim, that piece is ufffff. Thank Federico and Tim. Another great video. Cheers!
Nothing more satisfying than getting to click the chronograph pusher to time the beginning of the 15 minutes it will take to get my rice to a perectly cooked fluffy texture on the cook top. And I don't even have a nice watch.
I am a race fan and usually attend a few races a year and have used the tachymeter to get average speed and lap times of cars in the race. It's fun and keeps me engaged in the race.
I wanted to use mine for the same. However I think timing laps is hard unless you have a fly back feature.
Both of you have made good logical points; and I agree with you two. However, most buyers of expensive watches are not logical; they are emotional. The emotional person pays $23,550.00 for a new ROLEX DAYTONA ,shows it to everyone, and claims it is a good investment. ( Everyone thinks it is a fake .) The Logical person pays $300.00 for a vintage ZENITH, $1100.00 for a new SIG P229 Stainless Elite, and $ 20,000.00 on a small piece of real estate ( all of which will appreciate before the Daytona).
Remember, its the sizzle and not the steak; logic has nothin' to do with it!
That beats a mother in law with a raised eyebrow!
By the way, when you were younger did they call you the Duke Of Plums?
Speak for yourself, because I use my chronograph all of the time! It's my favorite complication and so useful.
I just got a chronograph... this ruined my day. 😂😂 Everything you said (sadly) was true.
Don't feel bad! You can also make a list of "why to get a chronograph". This just gives you a reason to get another watch. Different watches for different purposes :).
Don't get sad,a chrono is a must have.dont listen to the rationale
In the end, a watch this day is only a custom jewelry everyone has accurate timing on their phones.
Chronographs became really popular through the 60's and 70's when motorsports got huge rise. In those great times it was the norm for a race driver to use a chronograph to time his laps, acceleration. The tachymeter function came really quite useful also.
I use mine to time how long I've been parked when you are in pay and display car parks also I think a quality quartz is best for this
Robert Marshall j agreed. For less wear and tear on the movement and less service cost, a quartz chronograph is the way to go
Great vid! As an interesting counter-point, I do need a chronograph on my watch because I teach test prep with a "no phone" rule in the classroom. So, having a chronograph on my watch is actually part of my EDC for timing students' task completion speed. However, i do agree that it is largely a romantic complication for the vast multitude of cases. And agreed, it does make many watches look much more awesome.
Let's be honest, if we really argue about "functionality", everyone should get a G-shock. Can't beat the accuracy, legibility, durability and also service cost.
I'm a simple man, Tim doesn't wear sunglasses, I hit a like button
I use my chronograph as a calendar. Seconds = days and minute counter = months. Pretty much the opposite of a perpetual calendar as it requires 365 corrections per year, but hey, I enjoy the interaction 😂😂😂
Not a bad idea, But it would be better if, Seconds = month ( every hour mark), Minute counter= days, as it has 30 marks
I need timing on laundry, cooking and parking meters and I just use rotating bezel on my divers. I really don’t find chronos handy.
I would rather buy a very nice $200 stopwatch, than a chronograph. It's designed to be started and stopped many times, and since it's not for diving, it works perfectly for all the same things, and is very inexpensive to service- unless you buy a Heuer.
Chronos look cool. no other reason needed. 11MAY18
Michael Powell yup! Totally agree. Nothings as cool as dials in a dial! 🕶✌🏻
guys,are you kidding?
1)same if you buy a triple calendar or a watch with 2-3 complications:more money to service it.
2)most people buying a diving watch won't never use for more than 2 meters into the water.
3)same with a date fonction:why buy it when you have the date on your cellphone?
bottom line:there isn't a real reason to buy any complication than for the love of the complication.
If your gonna get a cool chronograph, get one with a solid warranty and customer service. I own a shinola runwell chronograph, and i feel safe in knowing it has a solid lifetime warranty with great customer service. If an accident dose happen, the warranty covers it and they may even repair it
I am a little confused here..
so chronographs are not practical.. and it's a down side because your phone has a timer and a clock..
wait.. why did I a watch in the first place? right.. I remember, I got because my phone is in my pocket and it's too hard to reach for it for most of the time unless it's for picking up calls.. uh wait I have my Bluetooth headset for that.. right.. I digressed..
don't we all bought we bought because we like the look of it? unless you are getting something as an investment of course.. you can hate Google's gut but believe that it will appreciate in value hence you bought the stock. same idea applies here.
sorry for rambling.. just putting my thoughts out there.. hope this help increasing the interaction counter of the video..
love your videos just not this particular point you have made.
It was more a tongue in cheek video Victor... Tim and I both own a few chronos and we love them. We just wanted to make a video highlighting some of the cons as well.
Federico
watchuwantinc hey Ferdico, thanks for the reply. I totally appreciate the video and I can't start to imagine how much effort you guys must put into making these video. I have been looking at speedies lately and I was hoping this video actually will steer me away from wanting a chrono..
I appreciate how you guys go through different aspects of the drawbacks of a chrono, and I am not trying to get into any arguments.
just thought the practicality stand point is a little flawed when any 10 20 dollars digital watches from Casio could possibly more practical.
again, big fan of the channel, basically watching everything that comes out. and i don't mind the "product placement" at all ;)
you are a rare species, most of the people have phone to their face 24/7
Remember when Daytonas were only ten grand 😞
The Breitling M1 Chrono avenger is Water resistant to 1000 m and because the chronograph pushers are engaged magnetically you can use the chronograph function ......Yes.....UNDER WATER...!
I have automatics/manuals on every complication except the chronograph. The reason has nothing to do with the areas mentioned here, it's because it's the most demanding form of tracking time (time keeping on top of time keeping), and for those that time more than the pizza delivery man, a mechanical chronograph just doesn't cut it.
I find as I get older, my eyes have a more difficult time reading the wristwatch I'm wearing. I'm now down to only one chronograph (in a collection of 9 watches), as a simple three-hand dial is easier for me to read at a glance.
You two work great together ! most enjoyable videos on youtube watch circuit
I just got a chronograph I use it for sports!
Good reason?
I agree that if you're only going to have one or two watches a chrono is probably not the way to go. On a side note you have to be insane to take a Speedmaster in the water! 50m WR basically means "don't do it"!
chronographs and diver bezels both serve a purpose. I bought a le jour mark 1 chronograph with swiss ETA 7750 valjoux movement. crhonographs serve a good purpose especially when cooking meals etc. also I own oceanx sharkmaster professionals divers watches which reach 3,300 ft 1,000m. the bezels serve a good purpose to when cooking etc, not just needed for water....
2 things, 1) dude on the left needs to go back to the barber and straiten out the bangs. 2) I left the crown in the wind position on my Submainer and let in water from a shower, it fogged up. I warmed up the watch with a hair dryer and the water evaporated...
Guys!!! Just Chill! It's because of you & your indirect marketing that some among us have turned out to be watch snobs or watch collectors! Yes you are right that a chronograph isn't important... but it's classic at times and also looks sporty.. But, nowadays people aren't after chronograph because of their functions, simply because of their gorgeous looks & designs. That's may be the reasons. I'm myself using an orient day/date with a blue dial since 10 years & honestly, it's a very good watch. But , while watching your videos from time to time, i just found myself turning into a watch collector simply because of the looks & history. But also because I'm greatly appreciate automatic & mechanical movements, may it be Chinese Seagull, Japanese Miyota's or Swiss movements. I just can't prevent myself from buying a watch that i sincerely appreciate! But, I must surely put a stop to it as my wife will sooner or later throw me out if I don't stop wasting money on watches that'll probably not wear at all.
I wouldn't buy new but the amount of great value to be found in vintage valjoux Chrono definitely intrigues me
All true. Except that we love irrational purchases in this hobby!
I agree, who needs a mechanical with today's technology? We do!!!!
Seiko 6138-6139 and Citizen 8110a are not that "special", but there is not parasitic loss due to the chrono being activated. I worn them for years and the chrono function was actually always engaged (so to have a moving second hand). I used the chrono function to keep time while running, and I don't keep my phone with me while i run.
Chronographs are like luxury watches: you don’t need them, but you can fall in love with them
Great subject matter. Chronographs are maybe my least favorite complications, but I know most watch nerds love them. I love calendars and and GMT/dual times more for me.
I have the perfect use for a chronograph; measuring my solve time of the print edition New York Times crossword puzzle. If my phone is handy it's just too tempting to cheat, plus it's just good for the soul to start the morning with a real newspaper, a nice watch and pen, the perfect oat milk latte and NO PHONE!
Nice try and great video my friends but sorry I'll keep my chronos.
Can't leave without watching those little engines in action just for the fun if it!! Lol
IT HAS TO BE SAID that even the simplest of complication, such as date/day, pulls some power from the mainspring power. IMHO, the person that wants the best chance at superlative timekeeping, keeps it simple.. zero complications works best.
I have citizen eco-drive chronograph ..I didn't take off my wrist for 5 years , holidays , sea swimming , swimming pools , dishes , showers etc etc. Apart from wear and tear to the bezel the watch is still running great in my watch collection box (glass front) it's now 6 years old.
As long as people love their watch, it doesn't really matter... I love my Omega Speedmaster '57 co-axial chronograph (S&G) and that's all that matters hehe. It also happens to be fun to randomly use the chronograph for no reason. The Tachymeter isn't particularly useful, but I can check how fast the train/bus is going without using google! (I live in Japan so public transport is normal here...) If I go swimming, I use my G-shock or none at all anyways! I'd rather not risk an expensive watch getting damaged for something I could prevent; this goes for any diver! I know it can, but I just won't!
dismissing a chronograph because the phone just does it better... Then why not dismissing the watch as a whole?
"buy it before I do, please" Tim is losing it :)
Charles Khoury that sounded like a genuine cry for help 😂😂
TM from WUW needs AA for JLC addiction, ASAP. ;-)
Can I just say how happy I'm to see no sunglasses
kieren cheung lol. He finally ditched the stupid sunglasses
Unless you are a sports coach, any diver rotating bezel does all the time counting you'll ever need.
One thing that would be incredibly useful would be a egg timer thing. So like a chronograph but you set a time in minutes and seconds and it rings when it’s done. Like an alarm but much shorter and more precise.
5 reasons why you should own a mechanical over a quartz?
Greg Miel and then the opposite! 5 reasons to own a quartz over a mechanical
Ka, I agree. I've got 3 quartz Seiko chronos; Solar Chrono Divers, and a "Flighty" (a "Speedy" rip-off for FIVE THOUSAND dollars less). And I agree with Fed, chronos ARE cool; I like they way they look.
I have a simple idea in watch collecting...
My prized pieces are always mechanical and I keep them separate. I rarely wear them. However, if possible I acquire the same model with a quartz movement for simplicity. I use those everyday.
So this is how Tim's pursuit of a minute repeater was born.
I would never take any watch I own in any water.
everything you say is right but I like chronos very much and nothing can change that
Lol shout outs to that poor guys speedy. The fogging on the crystal looked like a moon, ironically enough.
Enthusiasts don't buy watches that 'suffice'; they buy watches they feel passionate about. I love chronos.
I thought i wouldn't like a chronograph i actually bought one and im glad i did there truly amazing. Ill never sell this watch.
if you’re working on improving your cardio then timing your runs is useful. I wouldn’t use a platinum Daytona for that though.
Since you say you you can get almost anything for 10k, I'm interested to know what options for perpetual calendars can we get below 10k? I've always wanted this complication!
You two talking about how some watches are too expensive, such as Daytona, let me remind you that a brand , occasionally a model (e.g. Daytona) are like a location regarding properties - You do not rate a property as such, its the location that matters.
There are better watches than Daytona, but Daytona costs more - because it can.
I do own a chrono because I liked the looks but yeah, from the serviceability standpoint it adds to the cost of ownership. Over time I found myself gravitating towards simple three-hand models or small seconds because these styles are more universal. I don't even need a stopwatch. I do occasionally measure time it took me to hike somewhere but a simple rotating bezel would suffice and even that's an overkill.
Chronos look cool but they’re more hassle than they’re worth. The take away from the stored power in the mainspring is a very good point
I use chronograph while working and stopping it while doing other things - drinking coffee, using telephone, taking just a break. In the end, I can tell precisely, how much I time I have spent on that job. Doing it on phone is too complicated.
What is the wristwatch for ANYWAY ?
😱🤔 that IS the question! Maybe telling time? What do you think? - WatchBox Team
Yeah you dont really need a chronograph but you dont really need a watch either
True true. But we're glad that watches have a growing, passionate enthusiast community!
--Team WatchBox
I actually time a lot of things with my watch.
So true, I have 3 chronographs. ROO Chrono, Cartier Roadster Xl Chrono, and Breitling Bentley GT...I have not run the chrono on any of those in over a year :(
What if your watch has a rocking pinion to engage the chronograph. Advantages or disadvantages to the vertical/horizontal clutch?
Watches that do things on their own can be boring so i love complications you can use whenever you want
Also 7750 is lateral but the teeth design is much more efficient because of its small diameter and its much less worse than a regular lateral clutch. The problem with lateral clutches is to engage they have to have teeth designed for engagement rather than for running but the 7750 is much much better than an st19 or similar with triangle teeth.
watxhbox, should i m debating about buying an omega stock vs omega chronograph, which s the best long lasting omega watch?
almost agree on drawbacks but the most important: chrono is the most sexy and iconic complication. Having a chrono in its collection is a must have: at least an Zenith EL PRIMERO. the most iconic and performant!
Tim, at about 2:08 I think you got wood 😂 Great vid guys.
I know they're trouble; I wish I could shake my obsession with Hanhart and Stowa chronos.
I don't even know how to operate my chronograph. Lol
Duke Of Prunes lol
Duke Of Prunes life is like a box of chocolates. Rofl. That's a good one. Thanks for the morning laughter
I bought a chronograph cause I loved how it looked. Haven't used the chronograph feature yet.
I'm so confused what to get I have a budget of £6000 for my 21st in April and I just don't know what to get I've been looking at the zenith el primero chronograph which I've found for around 3500 but there is so much choice in that budget I could even get a jaeger lecoultre ultra thin moon for around 5500.
By the way I'll be keeping this watch for pretty much my entire life I wouldn't be leading it in a few years.
This video is a lifesaver. I've been saving for a used speedy reduced but gonna spend it on a black bay instead! Subbed and thanks.
Your such a philanthropist Tim, I bet Fed will do the surgery if you let him wear the new watch once a week, his hands look pretty steady to me.
Let's not forget any cheap af quartz watch, a phone or a smart watch is a lot more accurate than the mechanical chronographs.
Antonio Degas but who gives a shit? We wear nice watches for reasons other than timing stuff down to one fifth of a second....it is man jewellery, it’s a status symbol, it’s an appreciation of incredible engineering and history, watches are important!
Thank you, guys for confirming the things that I've always believed, yet watch sellers have always denied--that watches with chronographs are less accurate over the long term and are likely to need more frequent servicing..You guys left out two other disadvantages of chronographs: The dial on a chronograph is cluttered with the chrono function, and if you don't use that, it's a waste of space. And maybe the biggest reason is that the second hand on the main dial is dead when you're not using the chrono function--You have to look at some tiny inset dial or the seconds..The only reason I ever might buy a mechanical chronograph is as a collector's item--to admire and to demonstrate occasionally, rather than to actually use as a timer.If you need to time things with a stopwatch frequently, it's crazy to do it with a several-thousand-dollar mechanical watch. Even if I had a Speedmaster or other expensive Swiss chronograph, I'd spare it from the abuse and use a $20 digital LCD timer for timing laps or exercise sets.
You guys are killing me I have been saving for a speedy
Well G-Shock is a good 200m chronograph.
The most useful extra functions for a wrist watch are day and date. Therefore annual/perpetual calendar watches, despite their high prices, are in fact sensible products if you can afford them. The next useful function is waterproofness. Therefore dive watches are excellent, especially for outdoorsy folks, but also for anybody who doesn't want to worry about damaging their watches in heavy rain or while washing their hands. GMT watches, or any watches with two time zones, are superb for business people who travel a lot or collaborate with clients/coworkers on the other side of the globe. And of course if your watch is manual, a power reserve indicator is terribly useful. ............A chronograph is friggin' USELESS. Its main attraction is that it looks macho. Very few people ever need to time themselves with a chronograph, and even fewer know how to read a tachymeter. The only common complication more useless than a chronograph would be moon phase. But while a dress watch with moonphase display can remain thin, a chronograph watch is almost invariably the bulkiest of sports watches, typically about 14 mm tall and forever getting in the way of the shirt cuff.
A workhorse day/date watch for the office. An elegant dress watch (no complications) with an alligator strap for evenings. A rugged dive watch for outdoors and sports. Get these three first. A chronograph, if you must have one, should be your 4th watch.
wow, an actual quality comment!
A (nice/non Bell) day-date, GMT with 200m wr watch would be an all you need next to a dresser. But that unicorn unfortunately doesn't exist....
Does the patek and a Lange shone perpetual chronographs have the same problems?
Chronograph is a better looking , more uses & more collectible it's that simple ..
What you're saying pertains to mechanical chronographs. What about Quartz chronographs? IMO, All you need to woory about with regards to a quartz movement is the seals and the battery leaking.
Just an idea to make list videos like this more watchable: make it show on the video which number you are currently discussing and what the said point entails. Keep up the good work!
Is the 7730/7735 a complete movement or a module based movement?
Thanks Tim, thought it was but wanted to consult the oracle :) Have a good day sir!
Yes, there is little practical reason to buy a chronograph watch (The same could be generally said for mechanical watches, and If you want to really time things, then get a Casio with precision to 1/100th of a second). The attraction is that it looks cool and interesting both front and back with all the dials and gears on it.
I use my chrono for work breaks/lunch everyday
I have a Zenith Sports Chrono that I adore, however I owned 7 watches before I bought a chrono (this was the first). As much as I enjoy my Zenith a chrono would still have been among the last watches in my collection.