A flyback chronograph is a

watch A watch is a portable timepiece intended to be carried or worn by a person. It is designed to keep a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is designed to be worn around the wrist, attached by ...

complication, in which the user can use the reset function without the need to first stop the

chronograph A chronograph is a specific type of watch that is used as a stopwatch combined with a display watch. A basic chronograph has an independent sweep second hand and a minute sub-dial; it can be started, stopped, and returned to zero by successive ...

. In regular chronographs, the user must stop, reset, and restart the chronograph in order to time an event after the chronograph has started.

Other names

The flyback function is also known by some other names: * Retour-en-vol (french: retour - to return; en - on; vol - flight) * Taylor system * Permanent zero setting

Overview

The flyback function is a complication inspired by everyday life, as are some other complications: world time,

universal time Universal Time (UT or UT1) is a time standard based on Earth's rotation. While originally it was mean solar time at 0° longitude, precise measurements of the Sun are difficult. Therefore, UT1 is computed from a measure of the Earth's angle with ...

power reserve A power reserve indicator (originally called ) is a complication of the watch, which is designed to show the amount of remaining stored energy. The power reserve indicator indicates the tension on the mainspring at any particular moment. Overvi ...

. Most flyback chronographs are constructed with the usual crown at 3 o'clock and 2 push-pieces at 2 and 4 o'clock. Usually the flyback function is controlled by the push-piece at 4 o'clock whereas the one at 2 o'clock is used to stop the chronograph. Many chronographs are equipped with the flyback function, especially watches meant for

pilots An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

. It is much easier from the point of view of time saving, to instantly restart the chronograph with one push of the

button A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole. In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, ...

, instead of three.

History

The appearance of the flyback function was catalyzed by the first watch with a separate chronograph button (the stop and reset functions were previously controlled by the winding-crown). This watch appeared in 1923 and was developed by Breitling. Later, the chronographs gained their current form. In 1934 the Breitling chronographs received the second chronograph button with the function of returning the seconds hand to zero. Thus it became possible to measure short intervals of time using the add function. However the patent of the flyback chronograph belongs to

Longines Compagnie des Montres Longines, Francillon S.A., or simply Longines (), is a Swiss luxury watchmaker based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Founded by Auguste Agassiz in 1832, the company has been a subsidiary of the Swiss Swatch Group and its predec ...

with its first flyback chronograph dating back to 1936.

References

{{reflist Watches Clocks Horology

Other names

Overview

History

See also

References