Angelus U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante – tourbillon, split-seconds and flyback chronograph

Angus Davies comes out of the closet and reveals that his favourite complication is the chronograph. In this instance, he examines the recently launched Angelus U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante, explaining why this particular timepiece indulges many of his horological passions with its avant-garde design, tourbillon and double column-wheel movement. But, most of all, this ingenious watch is equipped with a rattrapante (double-split) and flyback, evoking much excitement on the part of the self-confessed chronograph fanatic.

As regular readers of ESCAPEMENT will be able to attest, I often discuss chronographs on the pages of this website. Chronographs, on balance, are probably my favourite complication. This may surprise many readers, expecting me to wax lyrical about perpetual calendars, minute repeaters and tourbillons. Admittedly, I adore all of these latter über-complex complications, with their commensurately high pricing, but it is probably the chronograph which stands out as my most favourite complication.
Chronographs, essentially wrist-worn stopwatches, are highly useful for daily wear. The capacity to measure elapsed intervals of time proves incredibly helpful, suiting a myriad of tasks from timing the period necessary to boil an egg, to honing a lap time on a running track.
Moreover, I appreciate the interactive relationship I can enjoy with a chronograph. The fact is that chronographs are ideally suited for meddlers, those annoying individuals who wish to touch objects which don't belong to them. However, here is a horological device which allows said meddlers to fiddle with push-pieces without fear of rebuke.
There is, however, a problem with chronographs; they are too cheap! The industrialisation of chronograph movement manufacturing has seen the mass-produced iteration of this complication become widespread. Every major watch brand offers a chronograph at ridiculously affordable money. This may appear a strange comment for a cash-strapped watch collector to say but, in reality, the complexity of a chronograph usurps annual calendars and even some tourbillons. The numerous parts, including wheels and levers, the minuscule tolerances of components in motion and, lastly, the harsh forces meted out by jumping elements all make chronograph design and construction a daunting task for any watchmaker.
In very simplistic terms, the chronograph can be broken down into two forms, modular and integrated.
The modular chronograph consists of a base movement with a stop-watch module affixed. These chronographs are often priced at more accessible levels and prove simple for many watchmakers to service, a fact reflected with the on-going maintenance costs. There are many modular chronographs which I like and I freely comment about their comparative affordability.
However, the connoisseur's choice is the integrated chronograph. This type of movement, designed from the ground up, is, from the outset, intended to be a chronograph. The benefits often include a superior pushpiece feel, frequently described by journalists, myself included, as exhibiting a 'buttery smoothness', free of any jarring action or clunkiness. When the central chronograph hand commences its journey it leaves its starting point with a notable wobble-free grace. The accuracy of the timekeeping function is not unduly affected by the chronograph operating, unlike some modular chronographs where the stopwatch function, once actuated, rapidly depletes the available energy within the mainspring, impairing accuracy. Also, the presence of a column wheel prevents damage to the gear train when the chronograph is reset mid-operation.
Another notable trait of many integrated chronographs is the superior movement vista they proffer. Quite simply, integrated chronographs often look prettier to a purist's eyes.