The Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (The Official Swiss Control Office for Chronometres) has announced record figures for 2007. The number of certificates registered in 2007 was up 13.3 per cent from 2006 with a total number of 1,538,676 registrations.

The top three companies applying for registration at COSC were Rolex with 728,255 certificates, Omega with 341,161 and Breitling with 222,650.

This important growth, and the accumulation that followed, has resulted in almost full capacity for the COSC in some areas, which will mean adjustments and investment. The number of movements equipped with additional modules has also meant that changes in the control process have been necessary. These changes have been incorporated by the technical services of the COSC with success.

About the COSC
Founded in 1973 in its current structure, the COSC is a non-profit association. It was created by five watchmaking cantons (Bern, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Solothurn and Vaud) as well as the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. It encompasses the laboratories that had been established independently of each other from the late 19th century onwards.

What exactly is a chronometer?
The term chronometer is often wrongly confused with a chronograph or chronoscope, which measure the duration of a specific event.
A chronometer is a high-precision watch capable of displaying the seconds and housing a movement that has been individually tested for several consecutive days, in 5 positions and at 3 temperatures, by an official neutral body (COSC). Each chronometer is unique, identified by a number engraved on its movement and a certification number given by the COSC. Any watch with the denomination “chronometer” is provided with a certified movement.

Source: COSC

www.cosc.ch

Contact: [email protected]
(Please credit europastar.com)