10 Notable Watches with a Second Hand

If you’ve ever glanced at your wrist and watched that thin hand tick or glide across the dial, you know how much life a second hand brings to a watch. The second hand is what lets you check your pulse, time your coffee, or simply confirm that your watch is running.

Depending on the watch, that motion might be a sharp tick, a smooth sweep, or something a little more unusual.

In this guide, we’ll break down why the second hand matters, the different styles you’ll see, and highlight some standout watches that make it more than just an afterthought.

How a Second Hand Works

The second hand is powered by a precise system of gears and regulators that translate energy into the steady sweep—or tick—we see on a watch dial.

1. The Basics

• The second hand is directly linked to the gear train of the watch movement, which divides time into precise increments.

2. In a Mechanical Watch

• Power is generated from the mainspring, a coiled spring that stores mechanical energy. 

• This energy is released through the gear train, which reduces the speed of the mainspring’s unwinding into usable increments.

• The escapement and balance wheel act like a pendulum, “ticking” at a fixed frequency.

• For every set number of oscillations, the gear train moves the second hand forward.

• Example: A watch beating at 6 ticks per second will make the second hand “sweep” smoothly.

3. In a Quartz Watch

• Power comes from a battery. The battery sends electricity to a quartz crystal, which vibrates at 32,768 times per second.

• An integrated circuit counts these vibrations and converts them into 1-second pulses.

• A stepper motor advances the gear train once per second, making the second hand “tick” sharply at each second.

4. Variations of Second Hand Movements

• Sweeping Seconds: Appears smooth 

• Ticking Seconds: Jumps from one second to the next

• Deadbeat Seconds: A mechanical complication that makes the second hand tick like quartz.

• Foudroyante: An advanced complication showing fractions of a second.

5. Why It Matters

• The motion of the second hand is a visual signature of the type of movement (sweep vs tick). It is also a quick way to check if a watch is running properly.

Types of Second Hands

Not all second hands are alike. Watchmakers have developed different styles to suit both function and design.

* Central Seconds Hand

• The most common style, where a long hand extends from the center of the dial and makes a full rotation every minute.

• Common in everyday, sports, and diving watches since it offers maximum visibility.

* Small Seconds Sub-Dial

• Instead of sweeping around the full dial, the seconds are displayed on a smaller, separate sub-dial. This is often located at the 6 or 9 o’clock positions.

• This is a classic feature in many vintage dress watches and modern minimalist designs, which provides a cleaner main dial.

* Chronograph Seconds Hand

• Found in stopwatch-equipped watches, this large central hand usually stays still until activated by pushers.

• Once started, it tracks elapsed seconds, often working alongside smaller sub-dials for minutes and hours.

* Specialized Variations

• Deadbeat Seconds: A mechanical complication that makes the hand jump once per second, resembling a quartz tick.

• Foudroyante: A rare, high-end feature where the hand shows fractions of a second, usually rotating rapidly on a small sub-dial

Functions of a Second Hand

The second hand serves several important purposes in both everyday wear and specialized use.

* Precise Timekeeping

• The second hand allows wearers to measure exact moments rather than relying on just hours and minutes.

• Pilots, scientists, special forces soldiers, and other professionals often require precise second tracking for accuracy.

* Timing and Measurement

• In chronographs, dive watches, and sports watches, the second hand is essential for measuring short intervals such as lap times, dives, or pulse counts.

• A moving seconds hand also reassures divers and pilots that the watch is functioning properly.

* Health and Diagnostics

• Doctors and nurses often rely on the second hand to count heartbeats or breaths within a set time. 

• The doctor and nursing watch with second hand provides a practical tool for quick calculations without needing extra equipment.

* Movement Indicator

• A running second hand shows at a glance whether the watch is working or has stopped.

• This is particularly important in mechanical watches, where winding is required.  

Popular Watch Categories with a Second Hand

Here are some of our recommended wrist watches with a second hand. For more stunning watches, check out Jestik Collection.

1) Rolex Submariner Date (Ref. 126610LN)

The modern benchmark dive watch. Instantly legible, robust, and a perfect “live-indicator” seconds hand for safety-critical timing. 

• Technical specs: 41 mm Oystersteel; Rolex Cal. 3235 automatic; 70-hr power reserve; ceramic bezel; 300 m WR.

• Key features: Lollipop-tipped central seconds hand with long Chromalight lume for at-a-glance motion confirmation underwater. (Submariner Date’s continuous running seconds is a required feature on ISO dive designs.)

• Brand-new price: around $10,650

• Pre-owned price: around $12,800 typical market value; active listings often reach $12 to 15k.

2) Omega Speedmaster Professional “Moonwatch” (Ref. 310.30.42.50.01.001)

The space-flight icon. A chronograph where seconds matter. One hand runs continuously, while the big one measures elapsed time.

• Technical specs: 42 mm steel; hand-wound Cal. 3861 Master Chronometer; hesalite crystal (on this ref); 50 m WR.

• Key features: Small running seconds at 9 o’clock for movement status, plus a central chronograph seconds hand that you start/stop/reset for precise timing.

• Brand-new price: around $7,300 

• Pre-owned price: commonly around $5 to 6.2k

3) Grand Seiko “Snowflake” Spring Drive (Ref. SBGA211)

A cult-favorite dress-sport watch with a mesmerizing, perfectly smooth seconds hand that glides over its snow-textured dial.

• Technical specs: 41 mm high-intensity titanium; Spring Drive Cal. 9R65; 72-hr power reserve; 100 m WR.

• Key features: Spring Drive glide motion. No ticks, just continuous, quartz-regulated smoothness; power-reserve indicator.

• Brand-new price: around $6,900 

• Pre-owned price: typically around $4.8 to 5.8k 

4) Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding (Ref. 15510ST.OO.1320ST.xx)

The blueprint luxury sports watch. It has the iconic “Grande Tapisserie” dial with a crisp, central sweeping seconds for daily wear.

• Technical specs: 41 mm stainless steel; automatic AP movement; 50 m WR; sapphire caseback; integrated bracelet. 

• Key features: Central seconds hand complements the legible baton dial; high-beat smoothness highlights AP finishing.

• Brand-new price: about $30,000 

• Pre-owned price: broadly $45 to 60k 

5) Patek Philippe Calatrava “Clous de Paris” (Ref. 6119G or 6119R)

Patek’s purest dress watch with a timeless hobnail bezel with traditional small-seconds.

• Technical specs: 39 mm precious metal (WG 6119G / RG 6119R); hand-wound Cal. 30-255 PS; 65-hr power reserve; small-seconds at 6.

• Key features: Small seconds sub-dial emphasizes precision setting and elegant dial balance.

• Brand-new price: around $35,600 

• Pre-owned price: typically $26 to 33k 

6) Cartier Santos de Cartier (Large Model, Ref. WSSA0030)

A modern update to Cartier’s historic pilot’s watch. Square, elegant, and sporty with a highly legible seconds hand.

• Technical specs: 39.8 mm stainless steel case, automatic calibre 1847 MC, 42-hr power reserve, sapphire crystal, 100 m WR, quick-switch strap system.

• Key features: Prominent central seconds hand adds utility to a design traditionally known for its dressy style; complements Cartier’s signature Roman numeral dial.

• Brand-new price: approx. $7,750

• Pre-owned price: typically $5,500 to 6,500 

7) Nomos Tangente 38 (Ref. 164)

A Bauhaus-inspired German classic. Minimalist, thin, and celebrated for its elegant small-seconds sub-dial.

• Technical specs: 37.5 mm stainless steel case, manual-wind Alpha calibre, ~43-hr power reserve, sapphire crystal, 30 m WR, slim 6.9 mm profile.

• Key features: Small seconds at 6 o’clock. A clean and distinctive hallmark of Nomos design; understated but precise.

• Brand-new price: around $2,030

• Pre-owned price: generally $1,200 to 1,600 

8) Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (Ref. 126503 – Two-Tone Yellow Gold & Steel Chronograph)

A modern and luxurious take on the famed racing chronograph, blending gold and steel in classic Daytona fashion.

• Technical specs: 40 mm case; automatic Calibre 4131; chronograph; 100 m WR; sapphire crystal.

• Key features: The central chronograph seconds hand measures elapsed time, while a small running seconds sub-dial ensures movement is alive.

• Brand-new price: around $24,995 (as seen in recent 2025 listing). 

• Pre-owned price: Steel or all-gold variants vary widely, but rose/white gold retails around $41,600; market value is around $42k to 43k. 

9) Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds (18K Pink Gold)

An Art-Deco classic reinterpreted. Now improved by a rare pink-gold case and a small seconds display.

• Technical specs: Rectangular reversible case (approx. 45.6 × 27.4 mm) in 18 K pink gold, manual-wind in-house Calibre 822, small seconds at 6 o’clock, Milanese bracelet, sapphire crystal, custom caseback.

• Key features: Refined small seconds sub-dial adds elegance and horological balance.

• Brand-new price: approx. $41,300 

• Pre-owned price: in the $22k to 25k range

10) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (Ref. 210.30.42.20.01.001)

A modern professional dive watch and James Bond’s timepiece of choice, blending sporty design with technical precision.

• Technical specs: 42 mm stainless steel case, ceramic bezel, automatic Co-Axial Master Chronometer Cal. 8800, 55-hr power reserve, 300 m WR, helium escape valve.

• Key features: Distinctive lollipop-tipped central seconds hand with Super-LumiNova, ensuring legibility underwater and serving as the ISO-required “running indicator” for divers.

• Brand-new price: approx. $5,900 

• Pre-owned price: typically $3,800 to 4,500 

Conclusion

At first glance, the second hand might seem like a small detail, but it’s often what brings a watch to life. Whether it’s sweeping smoothly, ticking sharply, or spinning around a chronograph dial, that little hand adds function, style, and personality.