Unveiling the Hidden Secrets of a Mechanical Watch: It’s More Than Just Telling Time

One may be surprised to find out that in the realm of horology, simple time telling is only the tip of the iceberg. Beyond the central hour, minute, and second hands, there exist a plethora of additional arms with function as complex as their appearance. These extra hands, an added complication for the layman, serve a multitude of purposes beyond sheer aesthetics.\ What’s ‘complication,’ one might ask? In watch terminology, it’s any feature that goes beyond displaying the mere time of day. These can include but aren’t limited to, displaying additional time zones, timing events, showing the calendar date, or even insurance of the remaining power in a mechanical watch movement. An extraordinary testament to this is Vacheron Constantin’s Berkley Grand Complication, the most complicated watch ever crafted, revealed in 2024. With a staggering 31 hands displaying over dual dials and a mind-boggling array of 63 complications, it indeed sets a high benchmark for horological complexity.\ These complications demand understanding, appreciation even, of their functionality, which goes far beyond their mere style or intricacies of design. The extra arms on watch types vary and are impressive portfolio of mechanical wonderment.\ One such treasure of horology is the chronograph – a stopwatch of sorts that, traditionally, can time events up to 12 hours. While most may be used to timing a modest 30 minutes for general use, there are numerous types of chronographs, each possessing a distinct count of sub-dials and additional hands functioning in tandem. The rattrapante or split-second chronograph, for instance, features twin central timing hands, each having a unique purpose.\ An iconic piece that mesmerizes the horology world for its classic three-register or tri-compax display is the Rolex Daytona, an embodiment of perfect chronograph design. The inception of the chronograph complication traces back multiple steps, trials, and evolutions in watchmaking history. The modern chronograph, as we know it, is the culmination of the endeavours of French horologists Louis Moinet in 1816 and Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec in 1821. The latter’s contribution was even more note-worthy, as he was the one to make a chronograph commercially available for timing horse races at the request of King Louis XVIII.