Few questions from a first time buyer...IWC Pilot's Chronograph...

Hello everyone, 

I have recently started looking into IWC timepieces and am currently planning to purchase one of the Pilot's Chronograph models. I was at an AD yesterday looking through the various models they have, and I noticed a strange (to me) behaviour on the chronograph.

As I started the chrono function, I noticed that the chrono hour hand on the chrono hour register/totalizer is to the left of the 12 marker. When I stopped the chronograph and started it again, the chrono hour hand will then jump forward slightly. It seems like the chrono hour hand is abit 'twitchy'? When I reset the chrono function, the chrono hour looks like it is properly reset at the center position.

The behaviour seems to be intermittent, i.e. sometimes its fine, but at times the chrono hour hand is slightly to the left of the 12 marker. I also noticed this on another 2 pilot's chronographs they had in store.

Is this behaviour normal for the 7750 based movement? 

I'm hoping some of you guys can chime in here...if this is normal for the movement I will have no hesitation to go ahead with the purchase..

Many thanks!!!

Hey Jun,

maybe a picture could help.. but i dont see that on my 7750s ( that being the spitfire and the aquatimer) they seem to always return to the mid point of the 12 hr mark..

best of luck!

Thanks BH for your response. 

Unfortunately I do not have any photos from my visit to the AD. I was too focused on the watches haha :)

I am sure the Chrono hour hand resets to the middle position, but upon activation of the chronograph the chrono hour hand jumps backwards slightly, and when I stop the chronograph, the chrono hour hand jumps forward slightly again. 

This twitchy behavior is intermittent but I can repeat it multiple times. I have now also seen a video on YouTube of a spitfire
chronograph which actually showed the chronograph hour hand jump backwards when the chronograph was stopped. 

I guess my question to you experts is whether this behavior is normal and to be expected. 

I really like the Pilot’s chronograph and want to make sure the watch at my AD is not defective before going with the purchase :)

Link to the video : youtu.be/e9CoHTwQlrs

the guy in the video stops the chrono at around 4:11, and hour recorder hand seems to move backwards slightly...

is this characteristic of this movement?

I don't recall that on my 3706, or a Breitling with the same movement.
BTW, I find the 60 min chrono subdials on the inhouse IWC movements much easier to read.

Well i have not check out the video, and i will later.. but i just restarted the chrono on my 3717-02 and that did not jump backwards... but its probably older then the one you are looking at.. i am not sure if this even helps at all..

All the best! and if you do pick up the watch... please share some lovely pictures!

I am not sure what to look out for.. seems fine too me.. please let me know what i missed!!

Thanks all for your responses! :)

In the video at around the 4:11 mark we can see the chronograph pusher being pressed to stop the chronograph. At this point if you look carefully at the chronograph hour recorder hand, you can see that it jumps slightly backwards. 

I have seen a similar behavior on the watch at the AD, except the hour recorder jumped forward instead of backward. I could get the behavior to repeat itself on the watch. By the way the watch I was trying on at the AD is the Pilot’s Chrono 150 years edition...

I watched the video multiple times and I’m not seeing what you are describing. 
I own many IWC Chronograph watches and I haven’t  experienced any problems with them. 

Im sure any purchase you make will be fine

If The 150 years Pilot's Chrono is the one you are looking at..... GET IT!!!! even if there is something wrong with the hours recorded jumping about that can be fixed later on..