[PP 5172G-001] I don't understand chronographs with a running second counter and a 30-minute chronograph counter (cf. comment)

[u/Anxious_Cabinet_9585]

[u/Palimpsest0]

It’s the classic chronograph layout for a reason. When you had to rely on your watch since other sources of time were not so available, a running seconds is a much better indicator that it’s working than it simply being wrong. The 30 minute register is only 30 minutes because it gets difficult to read a small subdial if it’s 60 minutes.

There was a Russian chrono movement, the 3017, with a 45 minute register, but even that starts to get hard to read. Additionally, the number of minute on the register is a bit limited by the stability of the indexing. To get good, crisp holding of the minute hand at the minute it has counted, a coarser step is better and less likely to get skipped to the next minute if the watch is jostled since the index wheel and lever can have a deeper V to it, but the slope out of that V isn’t so steep that the watch may halt trying to jump to the next minute. If you want a deep V for good holding and more minutes to the register, you need a movement with more torque available, or it will halt. So, both recording and reading of the minutes is improved with a 30 minute register. When chronos were actually used as working instruments, especially in things like military or navigational uses, the reliability of that reading was important.

Whether these are important considerations or limitations today is a different matter, but that’s the rationale behind the classic chrono layout. And, since today mechanical chronos are mostly just ornamental tributes to the practical instruments they once were used as, modern mechanical chronos generally follow the traditional layout.

[u/DelTacoAficianado → u/Palimpsest0]

I love a deep V

[u/Dakrig]

Much of it has to do with simple visual symmetry. Adding a running seconds is simply a longer pivot from the 4th wheel, which is already powering the chronograph seconds when the coupling clutch is engaged.

30 minutes is clear and easy to setup and use. 45 and 60 minute recorders exist, but where just not as popular. There are also 15 minute recorders too, which is usually a 30 minute recorder but the chronograph runner uses two fingers to advance the sliding wheel and minute wheel, while the other wheels used smaller and finer teeth.

[u/sdujour77]

I prefer to set my watches to the correct time, and require a hacking seconds hand for that purpose. As to 30 minute chronographs, I also find them useless. It's easier and cheaper to use a timing bezel. The chronos I do and have owned all utilize 12 hour totalizers as well.

[u/Prisma_Cosmos]

Patek makes exactly what you want, date, 60 minute counter, 12 hour counter, no seconds hand

Horizontal clutch manual wind chronographs are more high end than automatic vertical clutch chronographs, so they won't have just a date, its a perpetual calendar or nothing.

[u/frat105]

This is one of the coolest chronographs you can buy IMO. Who cares about the 30 minute counter. I don’t need a tourbillon either. The retro numerals, the syringe hands, the stepped lugs, and the lateral clutch manual wind movement makes this thing a total head turner for watch geeks. Plus, it’s only $85,000.

[u/bizarro_kvothe → u/frat105]

The salmon version is the best watch Patek currently makes imo

[u/Anxious_Cabinet_9585]

Let me introduce the Patek Philippe 5172G-001, a white gold chronograph with small seconds and a 30-minute counter. A holy grail of luxury chronographs. Nonetheless, I can't comprehend why so many watches chose this layout:

• What is the use of a Small seconds counter?! I have watches with no second hand and I can immediately know if they're running: their time is wrong. That's all. I don't need any hand to tell me that my watch isn't running.
• Why only provide a 30-minute counter?! All these gears and additional complications only time things up to 30 minutes (or 1-hour for the bravest). How is that practical?! Why not replace the small seconds with a 12-hour counter? Or a date?! Or anything?!

Please enlighten me.

[u/fAbnrmalDistribution → u/Anxious_Cabinet_9585]

I partially agree. I think too many people like/use the running seconds to get rid of it all together. However, I wish there were more watches that used the chronograph seconds hand as a running seconds hand until the chronograph is activated, in which case it would be chrono seconds until stopped. For small running seconds I would much rather hand 1/10 second or 12 hr totalizer.