Breitling Transocean 38mm
Landeron Type XX 38mm
Breitling Transocean 38mm
Landeron Type XX 38mm
Last edited by Artium; 10th September 2021 at 17:43.
Eddie's early version Prs5, only 170 released according to the man himself.
Last edited by bobc; 21st November 2020 at 14:16.
Isn’t it the number of complications, so chronograph with date is bi-compax?Originally Posted by learningtofly
There's no such thing as bi-compax in the classic compax terminology. Yes, I've seen definitions that simply refer to complications but so for as I'm concerned correct use of the terms should be in respect of subdials.
Some may argue with me, but take this as an example - a tri-compax. Four subdials but there are eight complications in total (in fact, one of the subdials has two complications). It's a tri-compax because it has four subdials.
Interesting, though presumably a bi-compax could be dreamed up that fitted your definition.
My Uni/Bi Compax thing doing it’s thing outside Lidl, oh the glamour....
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My Heuer 1550 SG is the only one I have. The UG and Prs5 ^^^ look great.
Hamilton Intra-matic
These....
Not the best photo, but here is my trusty rose gold Longines
A
Two registers, bi-compax, or something...
Hamilton and CWC are my two
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Panerai PAM654. I tend to prefer no complications (excepting my Equation of Time) but this one just looks so right.
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That is a great looking watchPanerai PAM654. I tend to prefer no complications (excepting my Equation of Time) but this one just looks so right.
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This - whatever it is - is in my current collection
Had this one briefly
Compax explanation here:
https://www.watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=Compax
Got a few 2 subdial chronos
Courtesy of LouS - Omegaforums
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
This last year I've been concentrating on dive watches, but that ^^^^^^ is lush
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"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Mine all look the same
Last edited by Sinnlover; 24th November 2020 at 22:08.
Last edited by pacifichrono; 24th November 2020 at 20:58.
Uni-compax in a technical sense
Occasionally you will stumble across the term „bicompax“, when it comes to dial design and the arrangement of totalizers. But what is actually the meaning of this term and where does it originally come from?
In 1936, the Swiss watch manufacturer Universal Genève SA launched the chronograph “Compax”, which displayed the measured minutes and hours on two sub dials. The “Tri-Compax” chronograph has been presented in 1944/45 and featured also a calendar with date, lunar phase, day and month besides the usual chronograph functions.
“Bicompax” is a more modern definition for chronographs with a pair of sub dials. This specification has strictly speaking technically no meaning, rather it has gradually established itself in the world of watches. Therefore this term has proven confusing for some watch enthusiasts and has led to a widespread use. Nonetheless, thanks to this terminology, there is no other word, which describes this special dial design with two totalizers better.
One of the most distinctive Hanhart trademarks is exactly this “bicompax” display format, coming from the legendary Hanhart manufacture Calibre 40, 41 and 42. The totalizers of small second and 30-minute counter are arranged horizontally at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock. It can be found on every Hanhart chronograph.
https://www.hanhart.com/en/news/bicompax-chronographs/
Sounds good to me!
Lovely ^-^Sounds good to me!
The issue I have with that quoted stuff from Hanhart (and in fact all references to Bi-Compax chronos), is that it shows a lack of complate education.
In 1935 Universal geneve registered and first used the term compax to describe a 3-6-9 subdial chronograph measuring 12 hrs.
Everyone says this, even that Hanhart Text above.
However, in then moving on to discuss Bi-Compax, they completely forget that UG also invented a term for the 3-9 sub-dial chronograph that measures (most commonly) 30 minutes, but sometimes 45 or (rarely) something else. Uni-Compax. When did they do that? 1936. The two terms were effectively invented to describe the whole genre.
Compax means 2 chronograph sub-dials (mins and hours). Uni-compax only has one (mins). The other sub-dial for running seconds is not included in the terminology.
UG also invented and registered the descriptors Aero-Compax, Tri-Compax, Space Compax and probably a few more.
Mostly formats that few people use now.
But lots of people still make Compax and Uni-Compax chronos. They will often call Compax ones by their correct name, but somehow Uni-Compax has been replaced, and it makes no sense.
How, if a Compax has 3 sub-dials, can you ever infer that Bi-Compax has 2 ??????
So there never was a Bi-Compax, because the term was unnecessary, Uni-Compax described exactly what we mean by that.
It is like saying that the Rolex-style waterproof crown is a Triple-lock. Or that a chrono has Screw-in pushers. We know what it might mean, but the terms are wrong.
2-register? Fine
Bi-Compax? Plain wrong, burn the heretic.
Dave
ps - here is one of mine
Maybe 2
Last edited by sweets; 8th September 2021 at 22:37.
That is a fantastic group Pepere13.
i have this WW2 era leonidas.
+1 Right down my street.
I do like a bi-compax chronograph.
Last edited by j111dja; 9th September 2021 at 12:44.
that hamilton is stunningI do like a bi-compax chronograph.
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Thank you. A piece of value amongst a world of retail madness.
As is the Eberhard.
Thank you.
Last edited by j111dja; 10th September 2021 at 20:00.
Here are my bi-compax / two register pieces.
I love a two register watch.
So, am I right in thinking a chronograph with 3 sub dials, one of which is a running seconds, would be described as " bi compax"?. Or, is it a term which means a number of things and is not, yet, a definition? I may well have missed a crucial point but am b*****d if I can determine it.
No, originally a Compax chronograph had 3 sub-dials, one of which is running seconds. So a Compax has 2 chronograph-related sub-dials
Uni-Compax has 2 sub-dials, only one of which relates to the chronograph (hence Uni), the other being running seconds
And Tri-Compax, when it was (rarely) used had 4 sub-dials, one running seconds, 2 for the chronograph, and the fourth for date-moonphase
So the Compax was considered by UG to be the 'normal' state of affairs wrt chronographs, with Uni being a simplification of it, and Tri being further complicated.
Bi-Compax never existed, until modern hipsters, wanting to show they have some knowledge of chronograph heritage, starting trying to use the 80-year-old Compax terminology, and got it completely wrong.
Remember, in 1936 when this was all invented, almost all watches had 1 sub-dial for running seconds, very few had centre seconds, so a running second sud-dial was considered normal, and not a complication at all.
So,
"Uni-Compax" = 1 sub dial chronograph related (two sub dials in total)
"Compax" = 2 sub dials chronograph related (three sub dials in total)
"Tri-Compax" = AGAIN 2 sub dials chronograph related? (four sub dials in total)
Does the date & moonphase make the "Tri-Compax" a more complicated chronograph?
Last edited by Artium; 15th September 2021 at 23:46.
Dave, thanks for that. It seems as clear as it ever will and I will not and never have used "compax" in any descriptions of any of my watches. As an aside, the Fortis Ducati (5100) edn chrono I bought from you on a very rainy day many years ago now resides in Texas with a Ducati enthusiast. We are both delighted with the outcome.
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There’s that lovely Siduna again, well done!
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Here’s my Hamilton 6bb IMG_4035.jpg
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All I see are three wee dots in a minuscule wee picture.
Yep, still struggling with Tap Talk....one of these days I'll figure it out and be able to upload some pics. It is getting a tad frustrating.
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