What goes into making a Chronograph a Chronograph?

I have one that's a very old Ed. Heuer, that I would love to know more about, and what makes it what it is.

Why is it different than a regular movement, what does it do, that a regular movement doesn't do, what features does it have, that a regular movement doesn't have?

My movement has been on here before, however I want to UNDERSTAND THIS MOVEMENT, and need your take on it.

Thanks everyone,

Ok let's give me a try;

Sheila know what a stop watch/timer is or does ?


Regards
Gerald

Hi Sheila,

A modern chronograph will have the ability to record small intervals of time independent of the normal time indications. Often divided into several sub dials to record up to 12hrs.
IE mains sweep for seconds and sometimes fractions of a second a 2nd register to indicate 0-30 minutes(or sometimes 60 minutes) and on some a 3rd register that record in 30 minutes jumps to indicate up to 12hrs. are typical but of course many many variations of the same theme

Your is a simple timer one, between the forth wheel and that wheel in the center is a oscillating pinion, when you press the chronograph button this engages with the 4th and transfers motion to the center wheel you see on top and drive the sweep second hand (stopwatch hand) a second press removes the power, applies a brake and hold the hand in place so you can read the timer, third press swing the brake free and a hammer swings in, to slide round a heart shaped lobe to zero and hold the hand back at zero. A more advanced one would have a another wheel and register to pick up each rotation of the minute sweep.
Hope that helps,

Good to see you back on the board.

Gerald, Yes, I have a few, even a couple Heuer's.

Chris, So the watch, is a watch, and a timer too?

This is the very long extra hand that came with it, along with the dial that says Chronograph.

from what I see its just a stop watch, but a chronograph will have both.

This is the dial, it's in poor shape, but I hope it's from around the same period.

The SN is 16144, and has the old Trademark of a lion over a globe of the world, so I think it's a pretty early one.

It does have the ??? stem for the seconds hand on the dial side of the movement, so I do know that is there, but you will have to forgive my not knowing what they are called.

Although you can't see it, there is a stem for the seconds hand on the dial side, along with the large center stem, and the sn is listed here. Bad photo, but I could not get it to take a good one.
Does the dial side tell you anything?

Hey Sheila, here are some photos of a NYS chronograph. The large center second hand starts,stops and returns to the 12 by pressing the crown. Just a pocket watch with a built in stopwatch. These were used to time race horses,back in the day.

Another

The movement. The star wheel turns one click with each press of the crown,causing the springs to engage the center wheel,disengage it,and return it to the top.

Cecil, Thank you, and wow, what a Beautiful Watch, Stop Watch!

What would make this a watch and stop watch?

How can I tell if it's both.

This is some great information guys!

Chris,

You said, "A more advanced one would have a another wheel and register to pick up each rotation of the minute sweep."

Now, in MY kind of english.

It's Great to be back!!!

Sheila, From the fact that your watch has regular numbers,well in this case Roman Numerals,from 1 to 12and a sweep second hand,would indicate that it is a regular time keeper,and stopwatch. Most stopwatches are numbered from 0 to 60,and do not have the 1 to 12 numbers. Your watch,having the small sub second hand,and also the large sweep second hand makes me think it has the same functions as my NYS chronograph. Both a watch,and a stopwatch. I think what Chris was refering to is,some of these watches also have another small sub dial above center,looking like a wind indicator dial,but the upper sub dial records minutes passed,instead of seconds.

Shiela, here is one with extra thing to flick the, what you call it, to move the wheel
See the center wheel has a finger inside(pointed) that wheel turns the large 60 second timer hand so every time it passes the finger nudges the other wheel one jump and the two wheel lead to the 30 minute register, there is a another set up under the dial side also for 30min/hours..

Wow,Chris very nice watch. Those complicated chronograph movements are kinda scary to us novice "watch repair folks". I have taken a few less complicated ones apart and cleaned them,but I wouldn't even attempt one like that. My compliments to those of you that can do that.

If you brake it down they are all very similar, some more cluttered than others, Sheila’s is a little odd at first look the center wheel is missing but the next picture shows it takes through to dial side, few gear missing there I hope you still have them!..
Have a super nice Blancpain due in for service soon that will be great to work on, the worst are those cheap conversion watches that use a basic movement then have a huge assembly bolted on to make them into chronos or other functions often all under one plate so a pain to rebuild.

Here is a PW size one form the 1930, still very much the same, the new one have little style.

If I remember this was interesting as the chrono ran, the center wheel had like a snail cam that lifted a lever for the 30 min register then as it fell off the end, tugged the lever and advanced the minute register

Chris said, "here is one with extra thing to flick the, what you call it, to move the wheel"

NOW I GET IT!!!!

Actually, I really do.

Wow they really have a lot of wheels and "winder thingies."

Mine looks very UNcomplicated huh?

Oh well, I'm happy with it, and only wish I knew if the dial really went with it. It's the one the seller said that was always with it. I think he would have told me if it wasn't, because he was candid about it, and told me he thought it was just a toss out. (I like toss outs)

If it's just a stop watch, would it have the seconds hand too? You can't see it in the photo, but there is one, and it does line up with the seconds on the dial.

None of my Heuer stop watches have it.

Cecil, I always thought it was both too, but I'm still not real sure. I vote yes.