The Hamilton is a good watch but it's very big and too thick in my opinion so just be wary of that

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Some of the reviews state that this lacks a column wheel but I have no idea what that is or why it's beneficial. Please explain that to me like I'm 5.

This article should give you some light on the column wheel :

Technical: Column Wheel

The Watch Magazine delves into the workings behind a column wheel. Read this article online now.

www.watchfinder.co.uk

So is it important?

Yes & no.

 

Don’t worry about what is going on inside your watch, it’s the looks and fit that should be your initial consideration.

If you like the looks and it fits your wrist and your budget, the mechanism of the Chrono is a minor thing IMO.

 

Column wheels are a kind of chronograph movement design which many watch lovers have a sentimental preference for. It is not without disadvantages either. The biggest advantage (beside the retro-cool factor) is that it has a certain tactile feeling when actuating the chronograph.

If you don't know (yet) what a column wheel is, you won't miss it. Not having it does not make this movement technically inferior (arguably, it makes it easier to service - which is an advantage).

 

Just keep in mind, if Jomashop does not say : "In stock" it usually means " out of stock". Meaning: it will be eventually shipped. Or not.

 

Don’t worry about the column wheel. Almost every chronograph at this end of the market is powered by a version of the Valjoux 7750 which is cam operated. It’s robust, reliable and accurate although it is quite thick as automatic chronos tend to be. If you like this watch you can be confident it will run well for many years.

The advantages of a column wheel are smoother operation of the pushers and no tendency of the chrono seconds hand to jump slightly when the chrono is engaged.

The only affordable column wheel movement available is the Sea-Gull ST19 which appears in many microbrand watches at the sub $500 level. My experiences with its reliability have not been good although plenty of others seem to have had better luck.

 

There is interesting alternative to 7750 chronograph family in the same price range, it's Seiko NE86/NE88 movements. It is both column wheel and vertical clutch. Vertical clutch usually found in more expensive in-house chronograph movements like those of Omega, Breitling, Tag and likes(Lemania 5100 movement is notable exception). Example of NE86 is Zeppelin Atlantic

 

If you want a column wheel driven chronograph but you don't want to spend more than $500, there are chronograph watches that use the Seagull ST1901 movement which is based on the Venus 175 movement.

 

Yeah.. avoid those Seagull movements. You'll be lucky if they work for more than month or two (or even work when opening the box). They're horribly unreliable and not realistically serviceable.

I've had two: one didn't work when it arrived, the other died after a few months of (very careful) use.

 

I've got a watch with a Seagull movement for 2 years at this point, and it runs like a champ. +7s/day. Not that bad? I believe it depends on the watch brand; some simply don't regulate their ST19, and others do.

 

Some of the reviews state that this lacks a column wheel but I have no idea what that is or why it's beneficial.

Click on the link to read about it.


PS: I cant believe Hamilton would dare to make a Pilot watch when they have the worst lume in the watch industry. Why do they cheap out like that?

This HANHART is a superior alternative, costing a tad more. But worth it on several levels, IMHO.

 

I cant believe Hamilton would dare to make a Pilot watch when they have the worst lume in the watch industry.

Because outside the Affordable Watch subforum many people don’t particularly care about lume. It’s a bit of a gimmick feature; mostly a thing for micro brands who desperately try to stand out from each other.

 

My Seagull 1963 had the most accurate movement of all my watches (which include Rolex).

Shame the watch itself was rubbish - it spontaneously self-destructed while sitting unworn in the watch box. I junked the watch but saved the movement.

 

what do you mean by "self-destructed while sitting unworn" ?
usually the movement had faults due to freeze oils ? so i'm trying to understand how you saved the movement ... and not the watch ?

 

Don’t worry about what is going on inside your watch, it’s the looks and fit that should be your initial consideration.

If you like the looks and it fits your wrist and your budget, the mechanism of the Chrono is a minor thing IMO.

^This
Look at the Sinn 103 as well.

 

Lots to choose from in that price range and lots of good suggestions here for consideration as well.

 

In terms of your budget and mechanical chronograph movements the two options as far as new watches go are the Sea-Gull ST19 and the ETA 77xx based movements. The ST-19 has the column wheel which is a more advanced design which makes the chrono pusher actuate more smoothly. Despite the minority anecdotal opinion here, it’s a time tested solid movement. It also has the advantage of a smaller form factor that fits into thinner cases due to not having an auto rotor. The ETA 77xx is usually implemented in an auto movement with thicker cases as a result. It’s also a much more expensive movement and will typically be found in watches at the upper limit of your budget. There’s one or two other affordable mechanical chronos out there, but you’ll have a hard time finding many inside your budget.

Not to be overlooked are quartz based chronos. These will open up your selections considerably and are a good way to go for your first chrono.