THE TACHYMETER

Excelsior Park was renowned for its production of chronographs. Among its most appreciated features was the tachymeter, but what is its function and how is it really used?

The tachymeter is a scale designed to measure the average speed of a moving object or person over a given distance, often 1000 meters. The inscription “Base 1000” is often found on chronograph watches.

In the days before electronic devices, it was widely used in motor sports, aviation and other fields requiring accurate speed measurement. It works by calculating speed from a known period. It is usually located on a bezel or on the outside of the dial. This makes it an invaluable feature for sports enthusiasts, competitors and other activities requiring rapid evaluation of speed...

To use the tachometer, the user must start the chronograph at the beginning of the distance to be measured and stop it at the end. By observing the position of the second hand in relation to the tachymeter scale, the average speed can be read directly. In the example below, our average speed would be 106 km/hour.
To use the tachometer, the user must start the chronograph at the beginning of the distance to be measured and stop it at the end. By observing the position of the second hand in relation to the tachymeter scale, the average speed can be read directly. In the example below, our average speed would be 106 km/hour.