[For watch enthusiasts] Understanding the evolution of modern chronographs through historical movements

Mechanical chronographs are now available from a variety of watch brands. However, their history is not particularly long among mechanical watches, and they only gained the popularity they enjoy today after the 1980s. In this article, we look back at the evolution of the modern chronograph, along with the movements that marked its milestones.

How did the modern chronograph become such a popular genre?

　Chronographs with stopwatches are one of the most popular genres of mechanical watches, but it wasn't until the mid-1930s that mechanisms such as flyback and 12-hour counters were perfected, and it wasn't until 1969 that the automatic chronograph made its appearance.

　Additionally, mechanical chronographs only began to attract this much attention after ETA re-started production of the 7750 in 1983 after an eight-year hiatus, allowing various manufacturers to produce automatic chronographs. Chronograph movements have a particularly short history among mechanical watches. However, technological innovations since the 1980s have transformed this genre into one of the most attractive.

The evolution of the chronograph

　The mechanical chronograph, perfected in the late 19th century, was popularized by innovations in manufacturing technology. From 1910 onward, this led to the miniaturization of chronographs, making wristwatches a reality. In the 30s, advances in manufacturing technology further accelerated the widespread adoption and multi-functionality of wristwatch chronographs. This period saw the birth of many masterpiece movements. However, it wasn't until 69 that a real revolution occurred. Seiko's compact vertical clutch revolutionized the chronograph.

　A chronograph is a regular watch with a stopwatch attached. Originally, there were separate wheel trains for the stopwatch and the watch, but in the late 19th century, it evolved into the modern-day form, where a clutch is attached to the regular wheel train to turn the chronograph on and off.

　Of course, even if a design could be made, it would not become widespread if it could not be mass-produced. However, during this period, a number of small suppliers were established in Switzerland, contributing to the mass production of chronographs. Particularly important was a manufacturer of small gears in the Vallée de Joux. Why was it Switzerland, rather than the United States or Britain, that succeeded in mass-producing mechanical chronographs? The main reason was the presence or absence of gears.

　Longines, one of the largest manufacturers in the Vallée de Joux, released its first chronograph, the caliber 18.97, in 1878. However, perhaps due to the lack of presses for removing levers and the difficulty in obtaining precision gears, this movement had fewer gears and a simple vertical clutch.

　However, as precision presses and gears became more common, Longines began to produce a number of chronographs with intricate levers and fine gears, and horizontal clutches. In 91, Excelsior Park introduced the first chronograph movement, and various manufacturers in the Vallée de Joux followed suit.

　Precision gears and levers eventually made it possible to produce small-diameter chronographs, which were previously considered difficult to manufacture. In 1912, Longines introduced the Caliber 13.33, a 13-line wristwatch chronograph movement. This was likely the world's first chronograph movement specifically designed for wristwatches. Its design was quite advanced, and the chronograph mechanism already featured a brake lever. In my opinion, the defining factor between pocket watch and wristwatch chronographs is the presence or absence of a brake lever, more than the size. For wristwatches, which are prone to strong impacts, a brake lever to firmly stop the chronograph was essential.

　However, the 30-minute counter in this movement was extremely complex. The mechanism that used pawls to advance the counter made it possible to advance the counter instantaneously. It is only speculation, but it is possible that the counter mechanism in later Datographs was modeled after the 13.33. In any case, even at a time when craftsmen's wages were low, the manufacturing costs of the 13.33 were apparently high. In fact, an internal company document from 35 states that it was "too expensive."

　The Valjoux 22, released in 14, was the ancestor of wristwatch chronograph movements, with a design far more modern than Longines'. The 30-minute counter was modified to work with gears rather than pawls, and the levers were designed to be easily removed with a press. This movement later evolved into the Valjoux 23, with a reduced diameter of 30mm, and came to be used by a variety of manufacturers. The merits of its basic design were evident from the fact that it was produced until 74.

　To put it bluntly, the subsequent evolution of the chronograph was made possible not so much by advances in design but by advances in production technology. As was the case with the early chronographs, being able to design a watch was meaningless if it could not be mass-produced. By honing their pressing techniques, Swiss manufacturers simultaneously promoted the mass production of chronographs and their increasing functionality.

　A major change came in the 30s. In 33, Breitling was the first to obtain a patent for two pushers. Increasing the number of pushers meant more parts, which increased manufacturing costs. However, by this time, chronograph manufacturers had improved their productivity to the point where they could realize two pushers.

　Around this time, Martel, a manufacturer specializing in chronographs, developed the 12-hour counter (though there are other theories). What's interesting is its structure. Chronographs at the time were dominated by horizontal clutches and levers, so there was no space to fit a 12-hour counter. So Martel placed the 12-hour counter mechanism on the dial side, drawing power from the barrel. Of course, there was a clutch and reset mechanism between the barrel and the counter mechanism. This, too, can be said to be an additional mechanism made possible by an era of increased productivity.

　Improved productivity not only promoted the multiplication of functions, but also the mass production of mechanical chronographs. A good example is the Landeron 48 from 37. This movement, designed and manufactured by Dubois-Dépraz, featured a huge cam with an integrated reset hammer that was stamped out by a press. The number of parts was reduced as much as possible, and no machined parts were used. As a result, manufacturers were able to offer chronographs equipped with this movement at low prices. More than 350 million units were produced (though other sources say so). Improved productivity not only promoted the miniaturization and multiplication of mechanical chronographs, but also encouraged their widespread use.

　The ultimate example of the advances in multi-functions made in the 30s was the flyback mechanism. This mechanism, which allowed the chronograph to be restarted without stopping it, was popular among pilots. The first movement to feature a flyback mechanism was probably the Longines 13ZN from 36. This evolved into a later model with a central coaxial counter in 42. It is fair to say that the modern chronograph reached its full potential with the later 13ZN. However, this movement also later became problematic due to its high manufacturing costs.

　Once the mechanism was perfected in the 40s, the challenge for mechanical chronographs was how to increase productivity without eliminating any components. The Venus 175, released in 40, is a good example. It's a bold statement, but it made the Valjoux design even more "modern," and its attention to productivity was outstanding. The Lemania CHRO27 (later the Omega 321) of 42 was even more so. The number of eccentric screws used to adjust the levers was greatly reduced, and according to Omega's documentation, the column wheel was stamped rather than machined. The 12-hour counter, which was added later, was also extremely simple, lacking an on/off clutch. While this was a cost-conscious movement, it was by no means a budget-friendly model.

　Between the 40s and 60s, the Swiss watch industry enjoyed a golden age. However, rising wages forced manufacturers to further improve productivity. In 68, Lemania released the 861, a successor to the legendary 321. This watch featured a stamped cam and a small number of parts. What's interesting is the brake lever. Despite the rough cam movement, this movement was equipped with a brake lever, just like a high-end chronograph with a column wheel. However, the brake lever was not made of metal, but of plastic (Delrin), which is more shock-absorbent.

　Many people, including this magazine, have written about the three automatic chronographs that appeared in 1969, so I will only briefly touch on them here. Each had a unique design: Zenith's "El Primero" 3019PHC, the "Chronomatic" Caliber 11 developed by Heuer and Breitling, and Seiko's 6139. It was the Chronomatic, and even more so the 6139, that had a major impact on later generations.

　The Chronomatic was designed with a chronograph module layered on top of a micro-rotor automatic winding mechanism. The idea of ​​layering a module onto an existing movement to create a chronograph was something Movado had been good at in the past. In contrast, Dubois-Dépraz, which developed the movement, reduced production costs by using many pressed parts, and succeeded in making an automatic chronograph. The idea of ​​layering a module onto a movement came to fruition in the Dubois-Dépraz 2000 series in 83.

　Seiko's 6139 was an automatic chronograph featuring a compact vertical clutch and a cost-effective yet highly efficient Magic Lever movement. This movement represented the most extreme realization of the cost and space-savings previously pursued by the Swiss watch industry. Because the clutch was placed on top of the fourth wheel, which controlled the seconds hand, this chronograph lacked a second hand. Furthermore, the durability of the vertical clutch was not necessarily high. However, its design influenced many watch manufacturers. In 1974, Omega released the 1045, an automatic chronograph with a vertical clutch. In addition to a coaxial counter, this movement featured the unique vertical clutch patented by Hugues Bunt in 1973.

　However, the decisive moment for the mechanical chronograph was the Frederic Piguet 1185 from 88. This automatic chronograph clearly had a design modeled on the 6139, but its diameter was only 26.2mm and its thickness was only 5.5mm. From the 90s onwards, various manufacturers began releasing new-generation automatic chronographs that followed the design of the 1185.

Chronograph Timeline

1912
Longines introduces the Caliber 13.33Z wristwatch chronograph movement.

1914
Valjoux introduces the Cal. A22, also known as Cal. GHT (22), a wristwatch chronograph movement. It is the first wristwatch movement with a modern design.

1916
Valjoux announced the Cal.A23, also known as the Cal.VZ (23), a downsized version of the Cal.22. Since the diameter was reduced to 30mm, it was adopted by many other manufacturers.

1923
Breitling introduces a wristwatch chronograph with a single push button for independent start/stop.
Minerva introduces its first wristwatch chronograph movement, the Cal. 13-20.

1931
Rolex unveils a unidirectional automatic winding mechanism using a rotor that rotates in all directions.

1933
Breitling patented the two pushers. Universal claims to have developed a similar mechanism in 1932, but it was Breitling who patented it.
Venus introduces its first chronograph movement, the Cal. 130.
Martell released the Cal. 285 chronograph movement with a 12-hour counter (some say in 1934). This was probably the first chronograph with a 12-hour counter.

1936
Longines released the Caliber 13ZN, a chronograph movement with two pushers. It was equipped with a flyback function required by aviation pilots. The later model released in 1942 evolved into a coaxial totalizer.
Valjoux introduces the world's smallest chronograph movement, the Caliber 69. As chronograph mechanisms became increasingly smaller in the 1930s, they began to incorporate features such as 12-hour counters and flyback mechanisms.

1937
Dubois-Dépraz developed a cost-saving cam-type chronograph instead of a column wheel type. It was sold under the name Landeron Cal. 48. It is said that approximately 350 million of this movement were produced by 1970. However, unlike the column wheel type, it was not possible to install a brake lever.

1938
Valjoux announced the Cal. 72 VZH with a 12-hour counter. The combination of a 30mm diameter and a 12-hour counter made it highly versatile. Since then, various manufacturers have adopted this movement.
Movado introduces the chronograph Caliber M90, a pioneer of modular chronographs.

1939
Hanhart develops the chronograph movement

1940
Venus released the modern design of the Caliber 175 (the Caliber 178 with a 12-hour counter). Along with Valjoux's Caliber 23 and Caliber 72, this movement was adopted by many manufacturers.

1941
・Pierce released the Cal. 130, which used a vertical clutch for the chronograph's power transmission system. This was the first wristwatch chronograph equipped with a vertical clutch. However, the clutch, which was made of natural rubber, was not very durable.
・UROFA/UFAG announced the Cal.59 with a flyback mechanism. Its 34mm diameter allowed for ample space for the flyback mechanism.

1942
Breitling introduces the Chronomat, the world's first chronograph equipped with a rotating slide rule.
Lemania introduces the 27mm Caliber 27 CHRO (later Omega Caliber 321) with a 12-hour counter.

1944
Universal released the "Tricompax," a watch with a chronograph mechanism, triple calendar, and moon phase function. The movement was the Martell Cal. 285.

1948
Lemania prototyped an automatic chronograph for Omega. However, they abandoned the idea because the movement would have been too thick. Albert Piguet, who was involved in the design, commented that the watch would have been twice as thick.

1952
Breitling releases the Navitimer, equipped with a rotary aviation slide rule. The movement is the Venus Cal. 178.

1957
Omega released the Speedmaster. The movement was the Cal. 321 (27 CHRO C12) developed by Lemania. The small movement was supported by an inner case, providing excellent shock resistance. This model later became the official watch of NASA and accompanied the first manned moon landing (69).

1960
Zenith acquires Martel, a manufacturer of chronograph movements, and advances the development of automatic chronographs. 1964 Seiko releases the Crown Chronograph, powered by the Cal. 5717 movement manufactured by Suwa Seikosha.
・Heuer launches the Carrera

1967
・Citizen releases the Record Master, equipped with the Cal. 5700 movement. It uses a simple vertical clutch for the chronograph connection mechanism.

1968
Omega adopted the cam-operated Cal. 861 for the Speedmaster Professional. This was the world's first cam-operated chronograph movement with a brake lever. Since then, there has been no difference between the cam-operated and column-wheel-operated movements.

1969
・In January, Zenith announced the El Primero, also known as the Caliber 3019PHC. In March, Heuer Hamilton/Breitling announced the Caliber 11, an automatic chronograph movement with a micro-rotor. In May, Seiko released a model equipped with the Caliber 6139, an automatic chronograph movement. The Magic Lever and modern vertical clutch of the Caliber 6139 had a major impact on the design of automatic chronographs.

1973
Valjoux released the Cal. 7750, an automatic chronograph movement that later became the ETA 7750. It was used by many manufacturers as an inexpensive, general-purpose movement.

1974
Omega announced the Speed ​​Sonic tuning fork quartz chronograph. The movement used was the Omega Cal. 1255, also known as the ESA9210. The chronograph mechanism was a module with a simple vertical clutch using a friction wheel.

1978
Lemania introduced the automatic chronograph movement, the Caliber 5100, an improved version of the Omega Caliber 1045. Like its predecessor, it featured a full-fledged vertical clutch.

1983
Dubois-Dépraz introduces the Chronograph Module 2000 series. Originally designed for Lemania, the LWO283 movement was a key component in the chronograph boom that began in the 1980s.
Zenith begins reproducing the El Primero at Ebel's request.

1984
Breitling officially announced the Chronomat, powered by the ETA 7750.
Ebel launches a perpetual calendar chronograph equipped with the El Primero movement

1988
Frédéric Piguet introduces the 1185 automatic chronograph. With its compact automatic winding mechanism and modern vertical clutch, this movement revolutionized the automatic chronograph.

(The timeline is based on research by the editorial department of Chronos Japan.)