More than one million chronometers were certified in 2000 by the Official Swiss Chronometer Inspectorate (COSC), says a report of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. The exact number was 1,032,258, a 9.1% gain over 1999 and a new record.

The top five brands with the most certifications, says the Federation, were Rolex (635,209), Breitling (148,380), Omega (146,144), Bulgari (21,345), and Panerai (19,231).

“Chronometer” is a designation of precise accuracy, assigned only to high-quality watch movements tested and certified by the COSC. Each movement is individually tested over several days in different positions and temperatures, and passes if it shows a loss of less than five seconds per day.

JCK