If you are a watch enthusiast, you may have heard of the term “hacking stop” or simply “hacking”. But what is hacking stop and why is it important for watch quality?
Hacking stop is a feature that stops the second hand of a watch when you pull out the crown to set the time. This allows you to set your watch to the exact second and sync it with another watch or an accurate time source.
Hacking stop was invented in the 20th century for military purposes, where precise timing was essential. Today, hacking stop is still useful for some professions and activities that require accuracy and synchronization, such as pilots, divers, racers, and astronomers.
But what if you are not one of those people? Do you still need hacking stop on your watch? And does hacking stop mean your watch is better or more complex than others?
The answer is: it depends.
Hacking stop is not a necessary feature for most watch wearers, who do not need to plan anything in their lives down to the second. Hacking stop is also not a sign of quality or complexity in a watch movement, as it only requires a simple lever or brake mechanism to stop the balance wheel.
However, hacking stop can be a nice feature to have if you value precision and synchronization. Hacking stop can also be a matter of personal preference and style. Some watch lovers like to set their watch to the second or match it with another timepiece. Some watch lovers don’t care about that.
So, whether you want a watch with hacking stop or not depends on your personal preference and needs. Hacking stop is not a deal breaker for watch quality, but it can be a deal maker for some watch lovers.
In this article, we have explained what hacking stop is and how it affects watch quality. If you want to learn more about hacking stop and other watch features, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media. Thanks for reading!