Chronographs with the chrono minutes at 12 o'clock
When I see seventies chronographs with just a single subdial perched at the top of the dial, it always looks really dynamic to me, especially if the hand on it matches the chrono seconds hands. Like the chrono is particularly keen to be read at a glance.
First of all, I would love to see lots of them
Secondly, does that tone survive when more subdials are added to the design? Off the top of my head I can't even be sure that when the subdials are at 12, 9 and 6 the chrono minutes are most often at the top.
Chronographs with the chrono minutes at 12 o'clock
Most chronographs have a Lépine fourth-wheel arrangement which dictates the running subseconds dial across from the stem. And the minutes totalizer is usually opposite that, because it is advanced by the chronograph seconds hand (either using a finger to trigger a jumping minute totalizer or by direct gearing). So it makes sense that the typical movement has a minutes totalizer at the top when in a bullhead configuration with a top stem.
The 7750 uses a tilting pinion clutch and places the minutes totalizer one quadrant counter-clockwise from the stem, which is usually at 12. This isn't easy to do with a lateral intermediate wheel clutch, because both would want to occupy the same space. I wonder if there are 7750 movements with only minutes, but I doubt it--it may be unbalanced at 90 degrees from the running seconds with no hours totalizer at 6.
The early 30-minute Seikos have a vertical clutch and they put the minutes totalizer at 6.
There are some movements with central minutes, and some of those are modifications of the typical layout. For example, the Ebel 139 uses a three-pointed star hand to show minutes on a 120-degree sector scale. That scale is at the top to avoid interfering with other features. It's a pretty dynamic dial but I suspect greatly exceeds DA's tolerance for being busy.
With chronograph modules, there is more flexibility in terms of design but I can't think of any with minutes at top. The 2894 and the DD modules on which it is based put minutes across from the stem.
Sorry, can't help you out there, old thing
As a sucker for 2 register chronos, I've only owned 2 with *anything* at 12. And both the Seiko 6138-3002 and Citizen 67-9119 have hours totalisers there, minutes at 6 (neither has running seconds)
Handology, oth, is a neglected area of chrono appreciation
It's the final countdown! PM me before they're all gone!
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Originally Posted by Nokie
