Tudor METAS Certification

METAS certification

Swiss watchmakers Tudor demand the highest of standards when creating timepieces, multiple tests are carried out to ensure that absolute precision and performance of the brands watch movements is achieved.

Several of the Tudor Black Bay range carry the elite title of Master Chronometer, which means that they are METAS certified, a certification of the highest precision and accuracy.

In order to be eligible for METAS certification a calibre must also be COSC certified.

For any watch to bear the word ‘Chronometer’ it must have passed comprehensive tests and be COSC certified, which is an abbreviation of Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, which translates to Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute. This certification guarantees that the movement has been tested in a range of positions and temperatures over the course of 15 days to ensure the precision and accuracy of the watch movement. To qualify as a Chronometer, the calibre must be within a tolerance of between -4/+6 seconds a day.

Once a movement is certified by COSC, the assembled watch must then be put through METAS (The Federal Institute of Metrology) rigorous tests to reach Master Chronometer status. METAS role is “to serve as a centre of competence for all issues related to measurement and for measuring equipment and measuring procedures” this work includes many devices, gases and of course watches.

This certification process tests for and guarantees the precision, magnetic resistance, power reserve and waterproof grading of the watch. Each watch is tested to METAS very high standards.

A Tudor Master Chronometer must meet the following criteria and pass these tests in order to be given the METAS certification:

• Swiss made
• COSC certified
• Tolerance of 0/+5 seconds per day
• Test to ensure that the movement is unaffected by magnetic fields from common products such as mobile phones & laptops
• Precision maintained when exposed to magnetic field of 15,000 gauss
• Water resistant to 200m
• 65-70 hour power reserve
• Precision maintained when day to day wear is simulated, the watch is tested at two temperatures and 6 different positions whilst under extreme magnetic force over a period of 24 hours
• Tested in 6 different positions at 33% and 100% power to ensure performance is maintained when the watch is not running at full power

The tests set out above are all undertaken at the Tudor facility in Le Locle, Switzerland under very strictly regulated conditions with a METAS official overseeing the process to ensure that the extremely high standards are maintained.

The Tudor Black Bay, Black Bay Ceramic & Black Bay 58 GMT ranges all contain a selection of certified Master Chronometers.