BQ Glossary
What Is a Hacking Seconds Feature?

Introduction

A watch is considered a necessity by many, but have you ever wondered what a hacking seconds feature is? This feature, while lacking in many consumer-grade watches, is considered an important part of a watch designed for serious timekeeping.

Hacking watches was traditionally used by military pilots and navigators to precisely synchronize their watches, but this feature is also useful for the everyday user looking for accuracy.

Why Have Hacking Seconds on a Watch?

Hacking seconds is a very simple, yet useful, feature, and its purpose is to enable the user to stop the second hand movement of a watch.

A watch with a hacking time feature will have a stem, or crown, that when pulled out will stop the movement of the seconds hand. This is useful when you need to synchronise your watch with an atomic clock or a GPS time receiver.

It is also useful if accuracy is of utmost importance when setting the time. Simply pull the crown, and move the hands of the watch to the exact second, then push the crown, and the watch will start counting time from the moment the stem is released. This feature is also important for precisely timing intervals, such as starting a race.

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Who Would use a Hacking Feature?

This function is particularly important when high levels of precision are necessary, such as those working in the military. It is also commonly used in aviation as well as on ships for astronomical sights in navigation.

Conclusion

Hacking seconds is a simple yet essential feature for any serious timekeeping watch. It enables the user to synchronize the watch precisely with an atomic clock or GPS time receiver, and also to accurately set the watch’s time. Whether you’re a professional or an amateur, this feature always comes in handy.

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