Tachymeter: Aviation on the wrist
The tachymeter was an important auxiliary function in the last century, especially in aviation and maritime use. Today, the tachymeter is mostly decorative and a popular reminder of those bygone days in Swiss watchmaking history.
Details of Tachymeter Watch DBF005
Functions of the Tachymeter
A tachymeter is a scale that is placed on the dial or bezels of watches. It is used to estimate the speed of an object. The tachymeter indicates how fast the object is moving over a known distance. It is often combined with stopwatch functions (chronograph).
The speed is read as follows: The scale of the tachymeter indicates how much time has elapsed. The reciprocal of the hour is indicated in each case. That is, at 30 seconds on the dial, the tachymeter shows 1/120, because at this point 1/120 of a whole hour has passed since the start of the measurement. So if you drive a car a known distance of one kilometer in 30 seconds, you calculate the speed as follows: 120 x 1/h x 1km = 120km/h.
In the last century, the tachymeter was particularly used in aviation, among other things. Even today, pilot's watches often have a tachymeter. Nowadays, fortunately, there are more reliable measuring devices on the ground, in the air and at sea. However, the tachymeter ring remains a favorite reminder for watch fans who like to think back to bygone days of Swiss watch history.
The Case of the DBF005
The limited edition tachymeter from DuBois et fils is built into a high-quality and complex case. It consists of five individual parts, all of which are screwed together. This allows to achieve an exceptional quality in finishing. The tachymeter therefore shines with alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces.
The Matching Movement to the Tachymeter
Inside this luxury watch ticks an ETA 2892 base movement with exciting additional functions. The Tachymeter is a chronograph and equipped with a big date from Dubois-Dépraz. This small manufacture was founded in 1902. It specializes in complications for existing movements and supplied many famous Swiss luxury watch brands. The attachment with the big date is not only used for the tachymeter. Other series, such as the chronograph DBF001, are also equipped with this function.