# Wristwatch: What does "chronometer" signify? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2021, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632 "2021-10-17T07:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/142 "2021-11-01T02:35:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Is there a more meaningful measurement? It is assumed that the units are the same. So 0.00002 seconds per second. Or 0.00002 months per month. There are 2,592,000 seconds in 30 days. So accuracy is about 50 seconds a month. Call it a minute. Pretty poor for a quartz watch. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/143 "2021-11-01T02:46:23Z")
Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2021, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/144 "2021-11-01T04:17:54Z")
My mechanical watches have never needed servicing, except the time when I broke a crystal watchface. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/145 "2021-11-01T04:41:37Z")
Still working does not mean still working well. Like most mechanical things they need maintenance to work at their best. They may keep working without maintenance but they will not work as well over time (a car being a common example). ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/146 "2021-11-05T19:12:32Z")
_Why you do not need a chronometer watch:_ > **[Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified](https://abbeyclock.com/photos/chronometer.html)** > > Why you do not need a certified chronometer watch. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2021, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/147 "2021-11-18T05:58:15Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > and your phone keeps much better time Though a watch _is_ much easier to read when you’re outdoors on a sunny day. ---
**Author:** ![icbm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@icbm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icbm)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2021, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632/148 "2021-11-20T04:03:03Z")
US NIST tallking clock (303)499-7111 Canada NRC (613)745-1576 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wristwatch-what-does-chronometer-signify/952632.md?page=7)