HAND CHATTER

Hand chatter refers to the trembling of a Hand, most often that of the small seconds or the Chronograph, which vibrates or oscillates slightly around its position instead of remaining stable. This aesthetic flaw, harmless to timekeeping but visually distracting, generally results from excessive play in the gearing: the accumulated Set between the wheels leaves the Hand free to shake with each Impulse. It is corrected by reducing the play, by inserting a friction spring that maintains slight tension on the Train (wheel train) concerned, or by choosing tooth profiles better suited to ensure smoother and more continuous meshing. Hand chatter is particularly monitored on direct seconds hands and Chronograph hands, whose stability contributes to the perceived quality of the watch. Its correction depends on the care given to the finishing and Regulation / Adjustment of the Train (wheel train) of Display.