The concept of a chronograph is much older than one would think. The name, which translated from its original Greek roots means “time writer,” refers to the ancient practice of tracking time elapsed—in other words, using a stopwatch. While, before, it was done with pen marks on the dial, the process has become much more sophisticated and precise, which has endeared it to pilots and racecar drivers who need to keep exact time.

The chronograph function on luxury watches, while highly sought after, is often ignored, simply because it seems too difficult to use. We’ve put together this quick, top-level guide to understanding the basic chronograph function but always recommend you consult your specific watch model’s user manual as well—especially if you have a high-end chronograph watch which has its own mechanical nuances. Or, feel free to call our concierge experts at 1-800-690-3736 to walk you through the process!

Step 1: Figure out which parts of your watch are used for the chronograph function.
Luxury chronographs are often equipped with three sub-dials: one tracks hours elapsed (typically marked with a 12 at the 12:00 or 9:00 position, depending on the model) and one tracks minutes elapsed (marked with a 60 at the 12:00 or 6:00 position, again depending on the model). The last sub-dial is a seconds sub-dial, but this one actually tells the current time in seconds and is not part of the chronograph function. To measure seconds elapsed, you need to look at the second hand on the dial.

 

 

The two sub-dials and the second hand are controlled by the pusher(s) on the right side of your watch’s case. The top pusher, located at the 2:00 position, stops and starts the chronograph. The bottom pusher, which is located at the 4:00 position, resets the chronograph.

 

 

Step 2: Reset the chronograph.
If your chronograph is not a flyback, you have to manually wind the chronograph hand to 12 using the crown of the watch. If it is, then the process of resetting the watch becomes much easier.
On a flyback chronograph, there will be two pushers instead of one. With a simple push on the bottom pusher, the chronograph hand on the watch spins back to 12 on its own.

The chronograph must be reset after every use, because if not, it will simply resume measuring time from the point at which it stopped, which could throw your results.

Step 3: Measure time!
To start your chronograph, simply press the top pusher on your watch. The chronograph hand will measure the seconds, and once a minute has elapsed, the hand on the minute sub-dial will inch forward, and the hands will continue to move until you press the top pusher again to stop the chronograph.

As you can see, chronographs can truly be as simple as pushing a couple of buttons. Now you can start making the most out of your luxury chronographs! If you’re interested in purchasing a chronograph of your own, now that you know how to use it, peruse our selection of chronograph timepieces on TrueFacet Marketplace here.

There are few things more maddening than untangling a knot in your necklace chain. We’ve all been there: exasperated, brows furrowed, eyes nearly crossing and clumsily tearing at a knot.

Before you give up in frustration, take a breath. Now follow these easy steps to detangle a necklace chain.

Work on a flat surface.
It is a normal, knee-jerk reaction to stand while detangling a necklace, bringing the offending knot closer to your eyes to see better. However, this can do you a huge disservice; holding the chain up means it can easily slip through your fingers, pulled back into the knot thanks to gravity.

Save yourself some stress and lay your tangled necklace onto a flat surface so you can spread out the chain as you untangle the knots.

Insert a straight pin into the center of the knot and gradually pull it apart.
Start teasing apart the knot by inserting a straight pin (or an opened safety pin) into the knot’s center. Then, working bit-by-bit gradually open the knot up, pulling the chain outward so you can see how the chain is tangled and work backwards to undo the knot.

Do not try to undo the knot with one long pull of the straight pin. You run the risk of breaking a thin chain, scratching the metal against itself or even pulling the knot even tighter if you yank too hard on the necklace. Instead, muster all your patience and methodically tease open the knot, focusing on small lengths at a time.

Use baby oil to loosen stubborn knots—and immediately wash your necklace afterwards.
For particularly difficult or tight knots, dab the knot with a cotton swab dipped in baby oil to loosen the knot. Then use your straight pin to pull the chain apart.

However, as soon as your necklace is fully untangled, you need to wash it immediately. Baby oil can corrode the metal of your necklace chain so you want to remove the oil as soon as possible with a gentle wash. If you do not have jewelry cleaner handy, check out our DIY gold jewelry wash here.

If a chain is vintage or particularly delicate, bring it to a professional.
Take your tangled necklace to a jeweler if the chain is vintage or incredibly thin and delicate. It is very easy to break a well-worn chain at home, so leave it to the pros to untangle your necklace.

To keep your chains and necklaces from tangling in the future, read our tips on how to safely store and organize your jewelry here.