Chrono Function "On" or "Off"?

[Fireman_Fred]

I have two or three chrono watches with Asian 7750 m'ments and I wear them with the Chrono function permanenly "On". Is this movement designed to be used in this way or should I stop it for normal day to day wear and is it causing damage or wear leaving it running? I personally prefer to see the large chrono second hand going round...

[The Mentalist]

I've been told by several watchmakers that it is a very bad thing to do, especially with the known problems of the Asian 7750's (the modified seconds @ 6 in particular). This makes sense as it saps the power reserve and also causes wear and tear on the movement. I personally wouldn't do it.

[deltatahoe]

@The Mentalist, not sure which watchmakers you have been talking to, but ziggy (our local expert watchmaker) has confirmed on many occasions (he chimed in again on this post a couple weeks ago) that it does not make any difference whatsoever....

deltatahoe

[TWP]

I run all of mine for a couple of hours every other month. I have a client whom runs his all the time and has never had a problem with the movements.

[longshot]

i know that, at least with my vintage seiko column wheel chrono's, the watchmaker who restored them said it made no difference. and that if there was a tiny difference it was actually better to let them run. from what i remember he said the chrono function is actually running all the time and the buttons just engage and disengage the hands using some sort of 'clutch'. so letting them run results in less wear on that mechanism.

made sense to me

[The Mentalist]

@The Mentalist, not sure which watchmakers you have been talking to, but The Zigmeister (our local expert watchmaker) has confirmed on many occasions (he chimed in again on this post a couple weeks ago) that it does not make any difference whatsoever....

deltatahoe

Really? Wow, that's why we need The Zigmeister back.

I won't feel so paranoid about keeping my chrono running then.

[hambone]

I have heard pro and con for running the chrono movement all the time. Both Andrew and Josh do not reccomend it and say it pust a strain on the mechanism functions of the watch and I have noticed some running their chronos full time without problem. If The Zigmeister says it is ok, then that is reassuring yet I still feel hesitant to run them based on what the seller has stated. It seems logical that a 7750 rep movement might be compromised by the extra work, and being conservative about my watches tend to follow that feeling, however I would really like to hear a definitive answer from an expert.

[Stephane]

Sorry to ask, but why would one want to run the chrono permantly ?

[The Mentalist]

Sorry to ask, but why would one want to run the chrono permantly ?

My thoughts exactly. I imagine it's as pointless as keeping your car's windscreen wipers on all the time.

[Seadweller4000]

As far as I know,

running the chronograph-function is not bad at all (regardless that most watches are losing time when its on). The reset is, what causes most problems: the second hand jumps back with around 180-240 km/h. So after some resets it can happen that the hand is going to far over the twelve, when it does not sit as tight on the pin... You can solve this when resetting from the other half of the dial: i.e.: 12-6 it will reset counterclockwise; 6-12 it will be clockwise...

[Fireman_Fred]

i know that, at least with my vintage seiko column wheel chrono's, the watchmaker who restored them said it made no difference. and that if there was a tiny difference it was actually better to let them run. from what i remember he said the chrono function is actually running all the time and the buttons just engage and disengage the hands using some sort of 'clutch'. so letting them run results in less wear on that mechanism.

made sense to me

That was my reasoning for having mine run all the time.

@Stephane: Sorry to ask, but why would one want to run the chrono permantly ?

As I said when I started this post, I prefer to have the large second hand running, it makes it look more like a non chrono. That's just my preference, but if some informed person who knows more than me, (and there are plenty out there !!), tells me that it is better to leave the chrono function "off", then I will do that for the sake of preventing any extra wear on the 7750 movement.

[FxrAndy]

A mate of mine has a gen speedy from the 70s and he runs the chrono all the time with no ill effects because he prefers the large sec hand to be running thats all.

[Suchecracks]

My watchsmith says: no difference at all.

The only risk is the reset as Seadweller4000 explainid - but the work-around to fix it is (also explained by Seadweller4000) has been working great on my old genuine Certina.

By the way: when I was paid hourly back the college days, I have used the chrono to time my 10hour-shift and stop it during coffee brakes....never encountered any problems. But slowed the watch about 1 second in two days.