Seconds Hand
A watch component, material or construction term describing Seconds Hand.
Also known as: second hand, sweep seconds hand, central seconds
Definition
The seconds hand displays seconds on an analogue watch. A central seconds hand is mounted on the main hand stack and sweeps or steps around the full dial; alternatively, seconds may be shown on a small subsidiary dial. Mechanical seconds hands usually advance in several small steps per second according to the movement's beat rate, creating an apparent sweep, while many quartz watches step once per second. A central chronograph seconds hand is different: it normally remains stationary until the timing function is started.
Why it matters
The seconds hand provides an immediate indication that the movement is running and helps assess rate behaviour. Its motion can suggest movement type, but visual appearance alone is not definitive proof.