Manual winding, the chronograph prestige factor

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Manual winding, the chronograph prestige factor - Chronograph
3 minutes read
Self-winding chronographs are sporty, while their manual-winding counterparts are considered prestigious, classical, chic, precious… in short, natural-born winners on every level.

For most of their history, chronographs were exclusively hand-wound. It was not until the late 1960s that the first self-winding versions appeared. Today, the winding mode of this type of watch immediately classifies it in one of two categories. The smartest, chicest – and above all those with the most meticulously finished movements – are all manual-winding. Those equipped with oscillating weights are generally sportier, cheaper, more utilitarian and generally less aristocratic…

The phenomenon is particularly striking at Patek Philippe. The brand has a number of movements designed for measuring short times, yet its reference 5170, like all those based on Calibre CH 29-535 PS, is held in the highest regard. This type of model, made in the same metal as its self-winding counterpart, is more expensive because it is more finely finished. It reflects a longstanding tradition that Patek Philippe quite naturally adopts in tribute to the brand’s defining style period, the 1950s.

Patek Philippe Référence 5170 G

It is thus hardly surprising that the chronographs by A. Lange & Söhne are all hand-wound. The brand is so devoted to finishing and to the beauty of its constructions that it naturally succumbed to the charms of manual winding across the board. In addition, it is hard to imagine a more classical/traditional approach than that adopted by Lange.

The same goes for Breguet, where self-winding chronograph movements are confined to its Marine, Type XXI or similarly sports-oriented models. Beautiful chronographs and those equipped with horological complications are all without contest manual winding. The latest model, the Tradition 7077, is a perfect example of this – and indeed doubly so, since its movement is split in two. The part measuring the time and the chronograph part each have their own energy supply. The former is wound via the crown and the latter by using the finger to press the start button which flexes and arms a metal blade spring to ensure entirely independent timekeeping operations.

breguet-tradition-chronograph-independent-7077

In 2015, Vacheron Constantin launched its extremely prestigious in-house-developed and produced line of 3330 movements presented in the Harmony collection. The base model in the collection is naturally hand-wound and indeed of the monopusher variety. Starting a timing operation via a single pushbutton concentric with the winding crown further adds to the extremely classic and vintage aura pervading the world of chic chronographs.

Vacheron-Constantin-Harmony-chronographe

That is indeed probably why Montblanc has chosen this configuration for its 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter. Equipped with a Minerva calibre, from its in-house high-end movement Manufacture, it is endowed with an exceptional level of finishing accentuated by the complex curves of the movement components. This is a matter of historical heritage for many calibres, as well as a deliberate choice, since a movement with rigorously geometrical shapes leaves little room for finishing. Curved levers and round bridge shapes lend themselves better to chamfering and polishing, especially since this visually harmoniously and richly decorated panorama is not concealed by any oscillating weight.

There are two ways of ensuring a clear view. The first is the one adopted by Chopard for its 03.07-L movement. Its proprietary calibre was initially launched in a self-winding version. Subsequently, for the launch of the L.U.C 1963 Chronograph, the brand removed all the automatic-winding components and left the rest of the movement with its shapes perfectly suited to various finishing operations.

Chopard-LUC-1963-Chronograph

Roger Dubuis has taken another path: its Hommage model features an ultra-rare chronograph function wound by a micro-rotor, meaning it has an oscillating weight that covers nothing, hides nothing and spoils nothing. In addition, the finishes comply with the criteria laid down by the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark that the brand places on its models, just like Vacheron Constantin, Chopard – and formerly Patek Philippe. All of this is no coincidence, instead representing a deliberate choice to convey a sense of noble distinction.

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