How to Use a Chronograph Watch: Read the Subdials and Tachymeter
A chronograph watch does two jobs at once. It tells the time like any watch but it can also work as a stopwatch. So if you want to time a run a phone call and a parking meter or how long your tea takes to brew you can do it from your wrist.
The tricky part is that chronographs can look complicated. There are buttons a long seconds hand that sometimes refuses to move and a few small dials on the face. Its important to know how to use a chronograph watch. Once you know what each part is for though it becomes much easier.
Identify the Chronograph Buttons, Hands and Subdials
Look at the side of the case first. You will usually see two small chronograph watch buttons called pushers sitting above and below the crown.
The top pusher normally. Stops the timer. The bottom one resets it. That is the setup on most watches although the exact position can vary.
Now look at the dial. That long thin seconds hand in the middle? On chronographs it isn’t the regular seconds hand at all it is the stopwatch hand. The watch’s seconds often tick away inside one of the smaller dials instead.
Those smaller dials are called subdials. They might show running seconds elapsed minutes elapsed hours, the date or even a 24 hour clock. Every brand does it a differently so do not worry if yours does not match a friend’s watch. The dial markings and manual will tell you what each one does.How to Start, Stop and Reset a Chronograph
Using one is simpler than it looks.
Press the pusher once. The central chronograph seconds hand should start moving. That means the timer has begun.
When you are done timing press that top pusher again. The hand stops where it is so you can read the result without rushing.
Now check the reading. The central hand shows elapsed seconds. If your watch has a minute counter look at the subdial to see how many full minutes have passed. Some models also have an hour counter for timings.
Finally press the pusher. The chronograph hands should snap back to zero ready for the use.
What if the issue is chronograph not resetting to zero? One thing worth remembering: on standard chronographs you should stop the timer before resetting it. A few flyback models can reset while still running. That is a special feature not something every watch can do.
How to Start, Stop and Reset a Chronograph
Using one is simpler than it looks.
Press the pusher once. The central chronograph seconds hand should start moving. That means the timer has begun.
When you are done timing press that top pusher again. The hand stops where it is so you can read the result without rushing.
Now check the reading. The central hand shows elapsed seconds. If your watch has a minute counter look at the subdial to see how many full minutes have passed. Some models also have an hour counter for timings.
Finally press the pusher. The chronograph hands should snap back to zero ready for the use.
What if the issue is chronograph not resetting to zero? One thing worth remembering: on standard chronographs you should stop the timer before resetting it. A few flyback models can reset while still running. That is a special feature not something every watch can do.
How to Read a Chronograph Watch Subdials
Subdials can be confusing at first because they do not all do the thing.
One may show the watch running seconds. Another may count the minutes since you started the chronograph. A third might count hours. The numbers printed around each dial give you a clue: a subdial marked 0 to 30 usually relates to 30 units while one marked 0 to 12 may be counting hours.
But here is where people often get caught out: not every subdial is part of the stopwatch. Some show the date. Some show a second time zone or a 24 hour indication. So do not assume that a moving hand means the timer is running.
If you are unsure do a test. Start the chronograph. Watch which subdial begins moving. That is usually your elapsed time counter. When in doubt the manual is still the guide because layouts change from model to model.
Why Is the Chronograph Seconds Hand Not Moving?
This is probably the confusion with chronograph watches.
You look at the watch see the big central seconds hand sitting still and think something is wrong.
It usually is not.
On models that hand belongs to the chronograph and not to the timekeeping function.
It stays at zero until you start the timer.
The watch’s normal seconds are often hidden in a subdial ticking away quietly.
So the watch is working fine; it is just that the big hand is waiting for you to press start.
Press the pusher and the central hand should begin moving.
If it does not make sure you are pressing the button and pressing it fully.
Some watches have layouts so the manual can save you a lot of guessing.
What do chronograph subdials mean?
Chronograph sub dials are mini display dials on the watch face that track elapsed time in specific increments such as seconds, minutes and hours.
What Is the Tachymeter on a Watch Used For?
A tachymeter is the numbered scale that you may see around the bezel or just inside the dial.
It lets you calculate a speed over a known distance.
Say you are watching a car travel one kilometre.
Start the chronograph when the car passes the starting point.
Stop it when the car reaches the one kilometre mark.
Wherever the central seconds hand points on the tachymeter scale gives you a speed in kilometres per hour.
For example if the hand lands on 80 the average speed was 80 kilometres per hour over that distance.
It is not laboratory accurate. It is an old‑school watch feature that still works.
Just remember that not every chronograph has a tachymeter.
If there is no scale, on the bezel or dial your watch simply does not have that function.
Common Chronograph Mistakes to Avoid
A few habits can save you a lot of confusion.
Do not assume every subdial tracks elapsed time. Some are for regular seconds or the date.
Do not press the pushers underwater unless the manufacturer clearly says it is safe. A watch can be water resistant and still not be designed for button use while submerged.
Do not expect every chronograph to behave the same way. Button positions, subdial meanings and reset behaviour can all differ. Reading the manual once is usually enough to avoid mistakes.
THE WATCHES IN THIS ARTICLE
