Chronometer Accuracy Calculator

Calculate watch accuracy, daily drift, and cumulative error. Check if your watch meets COSC chronometer standards.

COSC Accuracy Check

Enter your watch's measured drift to check against COSC and other certification standards.

sec/day
days

Daily Drift Calculator

Calculate daily drift from a measured time difference over any period.

seconds
days

Accuracy Over Time

Project cumulative drift over weeks, months, and years.

sec/day
seconds
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Formula

Daily Drift = Total Drift / Days | Monthly Drift = Daily Drift x 30.44 | Accuracy % = (86400 - |Daily Drift|) / 86400 x 100 | Reset Interval = Tolerance / |Daily Drift|

Frequently Asked Questions

What is COSC chronometer accuracy?
COSC certifies mechanical watches that achieve accuracy between -4 and +6 seconds per day. Testing spans 15 days across multiple positions and temperatures. Only about 3% of Swiss movements receive this certification.
How accurate should a luxury watch be?
Standards vary: COSC allows -4/+6 sec/day, Rolex targets -2/+2 sec/day, Omega Master Chronometer allows 0/+5 sec/day. Grand Seiko Spring Drive achieves +/-1 sec/day. High-accuracy quartz watches can achieve +/-10 seconds per year.
How do I measure my watch's accuracy?
Set your watch to an atomic time reference (time.is). After 24 hours, compare again and note the difference. Repeat over several days for a reliable average. Timegrapher apps can also measure beat rate and amplitude.

Understanding Watch Accuracy

Accuracy is one of the most important performance metrics for any mechanical watch. While quartz watches achieve exceptional precision through electronic oscillation, mechanical watches rely on the balance wheel and hairspring, making their accuracy a testament to engineering excellence.

Accuracy Standards Compared

COSC Chronometer: The industry standard, requiring -4/+6 seconds per day. Approximately 1.75 million movements are certified annually.

Rolex Superlative Chronometer: A stricter in-house standard of -2/+2 seconds per day, tested after casing (not just the movement).

METAS Master Chronometer (Omega): Tests for accuracy (0/+5 sec/day), magnetic resistance (15,000 gauss), water resistance, and power reserve. The most comprehensive certification available.

Grand Seiko Special Standards: GS mechanical watches target -3/+5 seconds per day, while Spring Drive achieves an remarkable +/-1 second per day.

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