Watch glossary
Watch Glossary
Alarm?
a device that sounds a signal at a pre-set time. A subdial is used to set the alarm, a hammer is used to produce a sound at a pre-set time.
Altimeter?
a device that determines altitude by responding to changes in barometric pressure.
a.m.?
ante meridian (before noon). From the latin ante - before, medius - middle, diem - day.
Analog Display?
The time display is shown by hands and a dial, he opposite to digital display.
Anchor?
moving side to side the anchor allows the final wheel (escape wheel) to rotate one cog at a time. This process produces the ticking sound of a mechanical watch.
Anti-magnetic watches?
watches that are not affected by magnetic fields.
Anti-reflection?
film on the crystal to eliminate light reflection. Improves readability.
Aperture?
a small opening in the dial that displays certain information such as date, day, month or moonphase.
Arabic numerals?
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0
Arctic Circle?
this line is located 23.5° south of the North Pole.
Armored crystal?
an armored crystal is not some kind of specially treated plastic. It is an otherwise plain, plastic crystal, meant to be installed by compressing it to fit into a groove in the face of the watch case, as opposed to cementing it in place. They are installed by squeezing their outer diameter enough to fit inside the groove. Tools that do this apply pressure from all around the edge at one time, raising the center of the crystal while they reduce the outer diameter of the crystal. What distinguishes an armored crystal from common snap crystals is a ring of metal at the base, meant to hold the crystal even more tenaciously in place.
Assembling?
the process of fitting together the components of a movement. Formerly done entirely by hand but now mainly automated.
Asthomometer?
dial on a chronograph for measuring the rate of respiration.
ATM?
the water pressure rating of a watch. ATM means atmosphere and is equal to 10 meters of depth. (1 meter = 3 feet), 1 ATM = 10 meters, 5 ATM = 50 meters
Automatic watch?
a watch that has the mainspring wound by the movement of the wearer's wrist rather than winding a stem. Also referred to as a "self-winding" watch. A weight (the rotor) is turned by the motion of the wrist thus winding the mainspring. The energy generated by the movement of the rotor is transferred into the mechanical energy of a spring and then to the watch movement. If an automatic watch winds down most of them can by wound by hand or shaken to get it started again. The system was invented for pocket watches in Switzerland in the 18th Century by Abraham-Louis Perrelet. This system was successfully adapted to the wristwatch in 1923 by John Harwood, an English watchmaker.
Auto Repeat Countdown Timer?
a countdown timer that resets itself as soon as a preset time has elapsed. It repeats the countdown continuously until a button is pressed to stop the function.
B
Balance?
The heart of a mechanical watch movement. The mainspring provides the energy. The hairspring, coupled to the balance, makes it swing to and fro, dividing time into equal parts. Each to and fro movement of the balance is called an oscillation. One oscillation is composed of 2 vibrations.
Balance Spring?
also called "hair spring". A very fine spring in a mechanical watch that returns the balance wheel back to a neutral position.
Bar (Spring Bar)?
a thin metal rod fixed between the horns for attaching the wristlet.
Barrel?
The cylindrical box containing the mainspring of a watch. The toothed rim of the barrel drives the train.
Battery?
the energy needed to drive a quartz watch.
Battery Reserve Indicator?
EOL - end of life. Indicates pending battery failure. One method of warning is to see the seconds hand jumping 2 seconds at a time. see Power Reserve Indicator
Bevel?
cut down sharp edges
Bezel?
the ring around the crystal on the top portion of a watch. Usually made of metals such as gold, gold-plate, platinum or stainless steel. Holds the glass or crystal in place.
Bi-directional Rotating Bezel?
a bezel that can be moved either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Used to make mathematical calculations or keeping track of elapsed time.
Blued Screws?
screws that are "blued" by either heat or chemicals for decorative purposes.
Bombe?
French for "convex" and refers to rounded or domed shape.
Bracelet?
a metal link watch band
Braille Watch?
Crystal can be lifted. The numerals protrude allowing the time to be told be feel for the visually impaired. Also known as a Tact watch (tactile)
Bridge?
fixed to the main plate to form the frame of a watch movement. The other parts are mounted inside the frame.
Bubble Back?
term given to the case back of the first style automatic watches by Rolex due to it's bubble-shaped screwed case back.
Bumper Wind?
automatic watches with winding weights (rotors) that were restricted to turning 270 degrees. The weights then "bumped" off the bumper springs at either end.
Butterfly Clasp?
2 ends of the buckle on a bracelet fold over into the centre. On a deployant clasp (see deployant) one end folds over the full length.piece on the outside edge of a watch case, such as a chronograph, to activate various functions.
?
C
Calendar watches?
have subdials or pointers indicating the month, date and sometimes day of the week.
Simple Calendar - shows the Date of the month only
Day-Date Calendar - shows the Date and the Day of the week
Complete Calendar - shows the Date, Day of the week and the Month
Calibre?
the size or style of a watch movement. Cal. = short form.
Cannon Pinion?
the tube fitting on the center wheel pivot that carries the minutes hand.
Carat?
1 carat = 1/24 of fine gold. 18 carat gold contains 18/24 fine gold or 75% gold content.
Case?
the container that protects the watch movement. It also gives the watch an attractive appearance. Cases come in many shapes, round, square, oval, rectangular. A case is called "shaped" when it is not round. Cases can be made of different metals including stainless steel, gold, titanium, silver and platinum.
Caseback?
the underside of a watch that lies against the skin. Some casebacks are made of crystal allowing you to view the watch movement.
Chamfering?
bevelling the edges of bridges, screws.
Chevreau?
in a watch band means that it is made from kid leather.
Chronograph?
watches with a built-in stopwatch function. There are 2 independent time systems. One indicates the time of day and the other measures intervals of time. Subdials are used to keep track of seconds and of elapsed minutes and hours. Counters can be started and stopped as desired.
Chronometer?
an instrument for measuring time very accurately. For a Swiss watch to be called a chronometer it must meet very high standards set by the C.O.S.C. (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres). The requirements are 15 days and nights at 5 different positions and temperature changes.
The Organization of Swiss Watch Manufacturers definition as of 1951: "A Chronometer is a precision watch which is regulated in various positions and at different temperatures and has received a certificate to that effect".
Co-axial?
the hour and minute hands move around the same axis.
Coin Watch?
a coin is used as the case.
Complication?
functions in addition to telling the time of day. Examples of a complication are a chronograph, a power reserve indicator, an alarm and a phase of the moon indicator.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) ?
see Greenwich Mean Time
C.O.S.C. ?
Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres. The official Swiss Chronometer testing institute that verifies a watch's accuracy.
Côtes de Genève?
a regular wave pattern obtained by engine-turning and polishing.
Countdown?
time remaining in a predefined period.
Cousu Main?
hand sewn. Found on well-made watch straps
Crown?
also called a stem. A knob on the outside of the watch case used to wind the mainspring in mechanical watches. Also used to set the time, when pulled out, and for setting a watch calendar (if fitted). A screw down crown is used to make the watch more water resistant and to help keep out dust.
Crystal?
a transparent cover that protects the watch face. Crystals are made of glass, plastic or synthetic sapphire. Non-reflective coating on some crystals prevents glare.
Plastic Crystals -
(acrylic) soft and flexible so they resist small impacts. Surface scratches can be buffed out.
Mineral Crystals
heat-hardened glass about 10 times harder than plastic. Extremely scratch resistant but must be replaced if they do scratch.
Sapphire Crystals
2 - 3 times harder than mineral glass and virtually scratchproof. They are quite brittle so are more likely to crack or shatter than mineral. Replacement cost is substantially higher than for mineral crystals.
Cyclops?
a small lens on the crystal to magnify the date.
D
Damascening?
decorating metal with inlaid threads of gold or silver. The inlay forms an intricate pattern on a contrasting background. or, producing a watered effect in forging on metal objects.
Date Display?
display of date on the dial of a watch.
Day/Date watch?
a watch that indicates the day of the week as well as the date.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME?
adopted around the time of World War l. The purpose is to be able to utilize more of the daylight hours in the spring and summer for daytime activities. It was also seen as a fuel saving measure. Daylight Savings Time is usually 1 hour ahead of Standard Time from April to October.
Demi-hunter Case?
has a lid over the dial with an opening in the centre so the time can be read without having to open the lid.
Deployant Buckle?
a buckle that fastens to the watch strap and opens and fastens using hinged extenders. Invented by Louis Cartier in 1910. A deployant buckle is easier to put on and remove than a strap. Deployant comes from the verb "deployer" which means to unfold. Sometimes mistakenly referred to as a "deployment" clasp.
Depth Alarm?
alarm on a diver's watch that sounds when the wearer exceeds a pre-set depth. Alarm stops when the diver ascends above the pre-set depth.
Dial?
the face of the watch showing the hours, minutes and sometimes seconds.
Digital Display?
time is shown by using digits (numbers) instead of hands and a dial.
Direct Drive?
the seconds hand advances in intervals rather than a smooth, sweeping motion.
Display Back?
a caseback that is transparent so that the movement may be viewed.
Divers Watch?
a watch that is specially constructed for underwater diving.
Rattrapante) also Split Seconds?
2 seconds hands on a chronograph. When a button is pushed, the 2 hands start together and move in unison. When the button is pushed a second time one of the hands stops to allow the time to be noted and the other seconds hand continues to time the event, thus “splitting” the hands. A third push of the button makes the seconds hand that was stopped “catch up” to the hand that is still moving and once again the 2 hands move in unison.
Example: You want to time how long it takes a racing car to complete 4 laps but you also want to record the time at the end of each lap. At the end of each lap push a button and stop one of the seconds hands to record the time. The other seconds hand continues timing. Another push of the button starts the hands moving in unison once again.
Dual-time-zone?
a watch that measures local time as well as time in another time zone. The additional time may come from a twin dial, extra hand or a subdial. Sometimes the additional time is expressed in military fashion, on a 24-hour, rather than 12-hour, basis.
E
Ebauche?
a base watch movement. A set of loose parts made up of the main plate, the bridges, the train, the winding and setting mechanism and the regulator. It does not include the timing system, the escapement or the mainspring.
Ecomax?
a low-battery warning system. The second hand is caused to jump at 2, 3 or 4 second intervals before the battery dies. This gives you time to replace the battery while the watch is still keeping time.
Emaille Lumineuse
A srongly luminous organic substance bound with enamel used on watch dials and hands, developed by Angular Momentum of Switzerland in 2008.
Engine Turning?
decorative engraving
Equation of Time?
the difference between clock time and time defined by the position of the sun.
Equator?
this line of latitude located half way between the North and South pole.
It is 24,901.55 miles (40,075.16 kilometers) long. The equator divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Escapement?
the most important part of the watch. Converts the energy of the mainspring into equal units of time. The escapement allows the power stored in the mainspring to be released in a controlled manner. The regularity is controlled by the balance and it's spring. The escapement controls the rotation of the wheels and thus the motion of the hands. It is fitted at the end of the gear-train and is designed to interrupt the movement of the wheels at regular intervals.
Escape Wheel?
in a lever escapement this is the last gear in the gear train.
ETA?
leading manufacturer in Switzerland for movements used in many Swiss watch brands.
Etablisseur?
French term for a factory that assembles watches without producing the components.
F
Fine Time Adjustment?
lever to adjust the daily time accurately.
Finished?
a watch is said to be finished when the movement has been fitted with a dial, hands, and case.
Five-Minute Repeater?
strikes the hours and five minute intervals past the hour. (see Repeater)
Flange?
the ring that separates the crystal from the dial.
Fly-back hand?
in a chronograph there is an additional seconds hand that moves with the seconds hand and can be stopped independently and then made to catch up ("fly-back") with the other constantly moving seconds hand.
Flyback Chronograph?
(retour en vol) A chronograph that can be stopped, reset and restarted with a single push of one button. In a regular chronograph it would take 3 pushes of 2 different buttons to stop, start and restart. Push the top button to start. Push the bottom button to reset, Push the top button a second time to restart. A flyback chronograph allows restart timing immediately without the delay of several pushes. One push of the bottom button accomplishes all of the 3 above functions.
Fob?
Pocket watches were usually carried inside a vest pocket. To make it easer to withdraw the watch a chain was attached to the watch. The fob was an object attached to the chain making it easier to grasp something to withdraw the watch. The fob was decorative, as well as functional, as the fob would hang outside of the pocket.
Foudroyante?
a small dial on a chronograph that is marked 0 - 8. The small hand on the dial completes a sweep every second. This allows you to read the elapsed time to 1/8 of a second.
French Revolutionary Time?
the day was divided into 10 decimal hours. Each hour was divided into 100 minutes and each minute into 100 seconds. Clocks were constructed with decimal faces. Time was reckoned from Paris, which is about nine minutes, twenty-one seconds ahead of GMT. “1” was used as the origin so midnight was ten o'clock. Decimal time originated in 1793 and was abandoned after only two years.
Frequency?
the number of vibrations per hour.
Full Rotor?
Automatic watches with winding weights (rotors) that travelled 360 degrees in both directions. Generally more desirable than bumper winds.
G
Gasket?
most water-resistant watches are equipped with gaskets to seal the case-back, crystal and crown from water infiltration. Gaskets should be checked every couple of years to maintain water resistance.
Gear train?
the system of gears that transmits power from the mainspring to the escapement.
Geneve stripes?
see Côtes de Genève.
Glucydur?
an anti-magnetic alloy that expands very little when exposed to heat. This quality makes glucydur useful in making balances.
G.M.T. ?
see Greenwich Mean time.
Goldplating?
an electro deposited layer of gold. The thickness is measured in microns.
Grand Sonnerie?
a watch that strikes the hours and quarter hours when a button is pushed.
Gray market?
unauthorized sellers of new watches.
Greenwich Mean Time?
the standard for timekeeping that was introduced in England in 1880 and used as the basis for calculating standard time throughout the world. It reflects the mean solar time along the Earth's prime meridian. The prime meridian is 0° longitude). The prime meridian runs through the Greenwich Observatory outside of London, England.
Guilloche?
surface decoration. An even pattern is cut, usually on the dial.
H
Hacking?
a feature that stops the seconds hand when the stem is pulled out as far as it will go. This allows you to set the exact time to a time signal or other accurate time device. When the time signal reaches the exact same second that you have set on your watch push in the stem to start your watch. This is not a common feature on older watches.
Hairspring?
also called the balance spring. A small spring that is attached to the balance wheel.
Hand?
the indicator that moves over the dial to point at the hour, minute or second. Watches generally have three hands to show the hours, minutes and seconds. Hands can have very different shapes: pear, Breguet, sword, skeleton, baton, arrow, etc.
Helium Escape Valve?
prior to surfacing from great depths in a pressurized enclosure, such as a diving bell, toxic gases that have been formed in the enclosure are removed and helium is mixed into the air. The helium molecules are lighter than air and can therefore penetrate the watch. When the pressurized enclosure surfaces and is depressurized the helium rushes out of the watch so quickly that the glass on the watch pops out as well. The watch was built to withstand external pressure, not internal pressure. The glass popping out can be avoided by opening the Helium Escape Valve on the watch during resurfacing, which allows the helium to escape but prevents water from entering the watch.
Hesalite?
a brand name for a type of acrylic. Omega chose hesalite for the crystal on their Moon Watch because of its resistance to shocks and extreme temperatures.
Horns (Lugs)?
Projections on the watch case. There is a spring bar between the 2 horns that is used to fix the strap or bracelet
Horology?
the science of the measurement of time.
Hour Markers?
Arabic numerals, Roman numerals or symbols placed around the dial to mark the hours.
Hunter Case?
Pocket watch fitted with a front cover to protect the glass. It can be opened and closed with a spring release by pushing the crown in with your thumb.
Ides of March?
From the ancient Roman calendar. It is the 15th day in March, May, July and October. It is the 13th day in the other months. It was on March 15, 44 B.C. that the Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated, hence, "Beware the Ides of March".
Incabloc?
A shock-proofing system for mechanical watches in use since 1933. It is the best known shock absorber for watches.
Integrated Bracelet?
A watch bracelet that is incorporated into the watch case.
International date line?
whenever we cross it the date advances one day (going west) or goes back one day (going east).
Isochronism?
equal periods of time. A watch's ability to maintain it's rate as the mainspring unwinds.
Jewels?
bearings that are used in a watch movement to reduce friction. They are usually synthetic sapphires or rubies. They help to maintain the watch's lubrication with far less friction than metal.
Julian Calendar?
Julius Caesar introduced a calendar with 12 months and 365 days. Previously the calendar had 10 months of 30 days each. The Julian calendar introduced the "leap year" stating that a day would be added to the calendar every 4 years. That is required because there are roughly 365.25 days in a year (not 365) and to catch up to the extra 1/4 day per year a whole day was added every 4 years.
Karat ?
indicates the purity of a metal on a scale of 24. 24K (24/24) indicates pure metal. Pure gold is too soft to use in jewelry so it is mixed with another metal. 18K gold means that the alloy is 18 parts gold and 6 parts some other metal.
18K - gold is also expressed as .750 (750/1000) or 75% pure.
14K - gold (.555) is 14 parts gold and 10 parts some other metal.
10K - gold (.425) is 10 parts gold and 14 parts some other metal.
Keeper?
the one or two loops on a watch strap that hold the part of the strap that protrudes beyond the buckle.
Kif ?
a method of shock protection. see incabloc
Kinetic?
a quartz movement that does not use a battery. Energy is stored for a period of time through movement of the wrist that charges a capacitor.
L
Lap Timer?
a chronograph function that times segments of a race. At the end of a lap the push of a button stops the time and then returns to zero to time the next lap.
Leap Year?
there are roughly 365.25 days in a year. That is an increase of 1⁄4 of a day each year that is not shown on the calendar. After 4 years of additional 1⁄4 days the calendar is ahead by 1 full day. A day is added to the calendar every 4 years to compensate for this additional day that has accumulated. The year that occurs every 4 years with the additional day (February 29) is called a LEAP YEAR.
L.E.D. ?
Light Emiting Diode. Used in digital displays on electronic quartz watches.
The time is displayed by pushing the crown of the watch. These were the first watches to use the current advances in modern electronic micro-circuitry.
Ligne?
(pronounced leen) a French unit of measurement that is used to measure the thickness of a watch movement. A French inch (poule) is slightly larger than an English inch.
English inch = 25.40 millimeters, French inch = 27.07 millimeters, A ligne is 1⁄2 of a French inch.
1 ligne = 2.5583 millimeters or 0.0887 inches
Limited Edition?
a watch style that has a limited number manufactured. The production of a watch may be limited to 25 or 100 or 1,000 or whatever number the manufacturer decides to use. Each watch is usually engraved showing in what sequence it was made. e.g. 42/100 would be the 42nd watch made out of a total production of 100.
Liquid Crystal display?
the time is displayed electronically by using a thin layer of liquid held between 2 plates, the top plate being transparent.
L.N.I.B. ?
like new in box
Lugs (Horns) ?
Projections on the watch case. There is a spring bar between the 2 lugs that is used to fix the strap or bracelet.
Luminescence?
to emit rays of light. A luminescent material is deposited on numbers and hands in order to read the time in the dark.
M
Main Plate?
the base plate on which all the other parts of a watch movement are mounted.
Mainspring?
the driving flat-coiled spring of a watch or clock, contained in the barrel. Supplies power to the watch.
Manual-wind?
a watch movement that must be wound manually every day or two to keep it running.
Manufacture?
(Manufactory) a factory where watches are manufactured almost completely.
Marine chronometer?
a highly accurate timepiece enclosed in a box that is used for determining the longitude on board ship. The marine chronometer is mounted on gimbals so that they remain in a horizontal position to maintain their precision.
Mechanical watch?
origin dates back to the 14th century. It is made up of about 130 parts assembled in the three main parts which are: 1. the source of energy, 2. the regulating parts, 3. the display.
The number of component parts is much higher in so-called complicated watches (date, phases of moon, fly-back hand, etc.). The "ébauche" (about 60 parts) fitted with the regulating and certain other parts, forms the movement, in other words the internal mechanism of the watch, which makes it possible to maintain a constant tension in the spring once it has been wound manually or automatically (by movements of the wrist) and to regulate the display by means of the hands (hours, minutes, seconds).
Mercury battery?
1.35 volt.
Micron?
1/1000 mm. (0.001 millimetre). Used to measure the thickness of gold plating
Military time?
time is measured in 24-hour segments
Mineral glass?
ordinary glass that is used for windows. Mineral glass, even though it has been hardened by a tempering process, is more likely to break than Plexiglas. But it is also more scratch-resistant than Plexiglas.
Minute Repeater?
a complication that can be made to strike the time in hours, quarters and minutes by means of a button or slide on the side of the case. Hour = Ding, Quarter Hour = Ding Dong, Minutes = Dong
- Ding Ding Ding - Ding Dong - Dong Dong Dong Dong = indicates that the time is 3:19
Montre à tact - the tactful watch?
in Parisian society of the late 18th century it was considered unseemly to take out a pocket watch to tell the time. In 1796 Breguet invented a pocket watch whose user could "feel" the time.
Moon phase?
shows what phase the moon is in by means of a disk that rotates beneath a small aperture. On the disk are painted two full moon faces. As the day of the month pass, one moon face indicates the phase of the real moon. The 29 1/2 day cycle of the moon is displayed by the disc being moved by a gear-train.
The four phases of the moon are: New moon, first quarter moon, full moon, last quarter moon.
Moon Watch?
the Omega Speedmaster Professional with reference number 3570.50.00 is the original Moon Watch, calibre 1861 manual-winding movement.
Movement?
the engine of a watch. The machinery of any time piece that moves the hands and any complications. Movements are either mechanical or quartz. Consists of the winding mechanism, the mainspring, the train, the escapement and the regulating elements.
Oscillating System?
the hairspring and the balance form the oscillating system. Two vibrations of the balance make the tick-tock sound of a mechanical watch known as one oscillation.
Oyster Case?
a name given by Rolex for their water resistant watches.
P
Pallet?
part of the escapement and shaped something like a ship's anchor.
Patina?
discoloration due to age
Perlage?
a surface decoration consisting of a pattern of overlapping dots.
Pedometer?
a device that counts the number of strides taken by the wearer.
Perpetual Calendar?
a calendar complication that adjusts automatically for different month lengths and leap years. Perpetual calendars are programmed to be accurate until the year 2100.
Pinion?
Toothed wheel usually made of steel with a small number of teeth.
Plate?
a piece supporting the various parts of the movement and the bridges. The bottom side of a plate is the dial side, the top side is the bridge side.
Platinum?
one of the rarest of precious metals as well as one of the strongest and heaviest. Platinum has a rich, white lustre and is hypoallergenic and tarnish resistant.
Plexiglas?
a clear, lightweight type of plastic. Plexiglas, as you would expect, is the least expensive. It is also the least likely to shatter and the most likely to become scratched.
p.m. ?
post meridian (after noon). From the latin post - after, medius - middle, diem - day.
Pointer Calendar?
a hand points to the date as opposed to the date appearing in a window.
Power reserve indicator?
a subdial used to show how much power remains before the watch stops running.
Pulsometer?
scale on the dial or bezel of a watch that works in conjunction with the seconds hand to measure pulse rate. A reference number tells how many pulse beats to count.
e.g. If the reference number is 15, the operator counts 15 pulse beats. At the last beat the seconds hand shows the pulse beat per minute.
Pushers?
see Buttons
Quartz Crystal?
the tiny piece of quartz that serves as an oscillator in a quartz watch.
Quartz watch?
powered by a battery. Analogue or digital display. The timing base oscillates at 32,768 times per second which makes them very accurate.
Quarter Repeater?
strikes the hour and quarter hour. (see Repeater)
Quick-Set?
(Quick-Date) mechanism to set the date directly to avoid having to turn the hands over 24 hours.
R
Rattrapante?
Split Seconds - 2 seconds hands on a chronograph. When a button is pushed, the 2 hands start together and move in unison. When the button is pushed a second time one of the hands stops to allow the time to be noted and the other seconds hand continues to time the event, thus “splitting” the hands. A third push of the button makes the seconds hand that was stopped “catch up” to the hand that is still moving and once again the 2 hands move in unison. Example: You want to time how long it takes a racing car to complete 4 laps but you also want to record the time at the end of each lap. At the end of each lap push a button and stop one of the seconds hands to record the time. The other seconds hand continues timing. Another push of the button starts the hands moving in unison once again.
Refining?
eliminating impurities in metals.
Regulating elements?
set of parts comprising the regulating system (spring balance) and the escapement (escape wheel, lever and roller).
Regulator?
part of the watch movement that makes the time more accurate by speeding up or slowing down the beats.
Repeater?
the time is indicated by sound. Chimes ring out the time when a button is pressed. Different sounding chimes are used for the hours, quarter hours and minutes.
Reserve de Marche?
see Power Reserve
Retrograde hands?
hands that move backwards to measure a new period of time. On this watch when the hand reaches the 60 minute position it jumps back to zero and the arc starts over again.
Reverso?
a rectangular wrist watch that can be turned over within the main frame. One side shows one dial and the other side shows another dial. Could be used for displaying dual-time.
Rolled Gold?
a thin sheet of gold bonded to a base metal.
Roman Calendar?
the calendar in use in ancient Rome until 46 B.C., when it was replaced with the Julian calendar.
Rotor ?
the part of an automatic watch that winds the mainspring. A flat piece of metal swivels on a pivot with the motion of the wearer's arm. It's rotations continually wind the mainspring of the watch. It turns freely in both directions and uses the force of gravity to wind the mainspring. Some rotors only turn in one direction or less than 360°. Each time it moves, it advances the ratchet-wheel, which keeps the spring wound.
Ruby?
very hard stone, usually synthetic, that prevents the wear of the gear-train parts.
S
Sapphire?
see Synthetic sapphire
Screw Back?
the back of the case has a thread so that it can be screwed into the case.
Screw-down crown?
a crown that screws down into the case to make the watch more water resistant and to help keep out dust.
Second time-zone indicator?
an additional dial that can be set to the time in another time zone. It allows the wearer to keep track of 2 different time zones simultaneously.
Seconds Stop?
the watch is stopped by pulling out the crown. This allows the time to be set precisely to a time signal.
Self-winding?
see Automatic watch
Shock absorber?
resilient bearing in a watch that is intended to take up the shocks received by the balance staff and protect it's delicate pivots from damage.
Shock Resistance?
a watch's ability to withstand an impact equal to being dropped onto a wooden floor from a height of 3 feet.
S.I.H.H. ?
Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. A trade show held each year in Geneva. New model watches are unveiled for the trade. The show is not open to the public.
Silver oxide battery?
1.55 volt.
Six eater (6-eater) ?
a watch with the seconds sub-dial at the 6 o'clock position. The sub-dial covers, or "eats" the 6 o'clock marker.
Skeleton watch?
the case, dial and various parts of the movement have been cut away allowing the main parts of the watch to be seen. A crystal is mounted on both the front and back of the watch.
Small Seconds?
the seconds are displayed by a hand in a small subsidiary dial and not from the centre.
Solar Day?
the length of time it takes the earth to rotate in 1 day using the sun as a fixed reference point.
Solar Year?
the earth completes its orbit about the sun in 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds - the length of a solar year.
Sonnerie?
sounds the time automatically: petite sonnerie- every hour, grande sonnerie - every quarter hour
Spring Bar?
a spring-loaded metal bar mounted between the case lugs (horns) used to attach a strap or bracelet.
Stainless Steel?
an extremely durable metal alloy composed mainly of chromium. It is virtually immune to rust. Often used on casebacks of watches made of other metals.
STANDARD TIME?
the time that is kept locally in each of the time zones when daylight saving time is not in use.
Stem?
the shaft that connects to the movement's winding mechanism. The crown is fitted to the opposite end.
Stepping Motor?
the part of a quartz movement that moves the gear train which in turn moves the watch's hands.
Sterling silver?
refers to silver that is 92.5% pure.
Stopwatch?
a timekeeping device used for measuring intervals of time.
Strap?
a watch band typically made of leather or rubber.
Subdial?
a small dial placed inside the main dial on a watch face. Watches can have as many as four subdials (also called auxiliary dials). They give information not provided by the main watch dial such as chronographs, alarm, dual-time-zone and a calendar .
Summer Solistice?
the summer solstice is the longest day of the year. The length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is the maximum for the year.
Sweep Seconds hand?
a second hand that is mounted in the centre of the dial instead of a subdial and "sweeps" the entire face of the watch.
Swiss Made?
or "Swiss", or any other expression containing the word "Swiss". A watch is considered to be Swiss if: its movement is Swiss, its movement is cased up in Switzerland, the manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland
Swiss movement?
a movement is considered to be Swiss if: it has been assembled in Switzerland, it has been inspected by the manufacturer in Switzerland and the components of Swiss manufacture account for at least 50 percent of the total value, without taking into account the cost of assembly.
Synthetic sapphire?
is the most expensive glass crystal material and the most scratch resistant. A very hard, transparent material made of crystallizing aluminum oxide at very high temperatures. Chemically, synthetic sapphire is the same as the natural sapphire used in jewelry, but without the coloring. Because it is so hard, it is also brittle, and shatters more easily than mineral glass or Plexiglas. Sapphire (whether natural or synthetic) is one of the hardest substances on earth. It measures 9 on a scale of 10. Diamond is a 10. Some crystals are made of both mineral glass and sapphire. Seiko, for example, makes some watches with crystals made of mineral glass covered with a layer of synthetic sapphire called "Sapphlex".
T
Tachometer?
instrument for measuring speed over a measured distance. Also called a Tachymeter. Time an event that takes less than 1 minute. The scale on the Tachometer will tell you how many of those events will occur in 1 hour. e.g. A racing car covers 1 mile in 30 seconds. The sweep seconds hand, when stopped at the end of the mile, would point to 120 on the tachometer. The average speed of the car is 120 m.p.h.
Tachymeter?
see Tachometer.
Tact Watch?
known as the "watch for the blind". The watch has an exposed pointer so that the wearer could determine the time by touch. It is also known as the tactful watch as you could tactfully tell the time in polite society without taking the watch out of your pocket.
Tank Watch?
a rectangular watch designed by Louis Cartier. The bars along the side were inspired by the tracks of tanks.
Tantalum?
a grey, heavy, and very hard metal. Tantalum is used to make a variety of alloys a high melting point and high strength. Tantalum is completely immune to body liquids and is a non-irritating material. The element is named after Tantalus, in Greek mythology the father of Niobe. One use of Tantalum is in making medical skull plates.
30-minute register?
the subdial on a chronograph that can time periods of up to 30 minutes
Time Zone?
the world is divided into 24 time zones spaced at intervals of 15 degrees in longitude. The zones start at 0 with Greenwich. Within each time zone, the hour and minute of the day is defined to be the same. Time zones are usually specified by the number of hours they differ from Greenwich Mean Time. For example, Eastern Standard Time (EST) is GMT - 5 hours.
Titanium?
a metal, gray in color, that is used for some watch cases and bracelets. It is much stronger and lighter than stainless steel and is also hypo-allergenic.
Tongue?
(tang) Movable metal piece in a buckle which penetrates the holes in a leather strap.
Tonneau watch?
a watch shaped like a barrel with 2 convex sides.
Tourbillon?
(TOOR' bee on) invented by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1795 and patented in 1801 to eliminate errors of rate due to the earth's gravity. It consists of a mobile carriage carrying all the parts of the escapement with the balance in the centre. Designed to eliminate errors of rate in the vertical positions. The case makes one revolution per minute compensating for errors in the vertical positions. The tourbillon is considered to be one of the most ingenious horological devices.
Train?
the series of wheels in a watch or clock made up of the Center Wheel, Third Wheel, Fourth Wheel and the Escape Wheel.
Tribology?
the study of the interaction of sliding surfaces. It includes three subjects: friction, wear, and lubrication. Friction is generally characterized as a branch of physics or mechanical engineering, wear is part of the material science of metallurgy, while lubrication is a branch of chemistry. Tribology is thus a complex interdisciplinary subject.
Triple Calendar?
a dial that displays the day, date and month.
Tritium?
a slightly radio-active substance that collects light and is used to allow the hands or hour markers to glow in the dark. The radiation is so low that there is no health risk. Watches bearing tritium must be marked as such, with the letter T on the dial near 6 o’clock.
Trimmer?
found in expensive quartz movements. It is a variable capacitor that changes the frequency of the oscillator in order to advance or retard the rate of the watch.
Tropic of Cancer?
this line is located 23.5° north of the Equator. On June 21st, the sun is directly overhead the tropic of Cancer at noon. This is the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
tropic of Capricorn?
this line is located 23.5° south of the Equator. On December 21st, the sun is directly overhead the tropic of Capricorn at noon. This is the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
12-hour Register?
he subdial on a chronograph that can time periods of up to 12 hours.
Two-tone watch?
a watch that is made up of two metals. Usually stainless steel and gold.
Uni-directional rotating bezel?
a bezel that indicates elapsed time, often found on divers watches. It moves only in a counter-clockwise direction. If a diver is timing his remaining air supply and knocks the bezel by mistake it can only move in one direction so that the error will only be on the side of safety.
Verre Èglomisé
Miniature paintings on the reverse of glass. This minute artisan technique as been introduced to watchmaking by Angular Momentum of Switzerland in 2006.
Vibration?
movement of a pendulum limited by 2 extreme positions. The balance of a mechanical watch generally makes 5 or 6 vibrations per second (18,000 or 21,600 per hour). A high frequency watch may make 7, 8 or 10 vibrations per second (25,200, 28,800 or 36,000 per hour). The higher the number of vibrations, the smoother the watch will run.
W - X
Watch?
a watch comprises four essential parts: the movement, the case, the dial and the hands.
Watch Winder?
a powered device that keeps a watch wound and running when not on a wearer's wrist.
Waterproof?
in most markets watches can not be described as waterproof. Watches must be marked as "water-resistant" followed by a depth rating.
Water resistant?
ability to withstand water pressure. Made to prevent water from entering a watch. The watch case joints are made to prevent moisture from entering. Water resistance is measured in meters and refers to the depth that the watch will keep out water: 50 meters surface swimming, 100 meters snorkelling, 200 meters scuba diving (to 40 meters), 1,000 meters deep sea diving.
Wheel?
(pinion) Circular part revolving round an axis to transmit power or motion. The principal wheels are: - The centre wheel - The column wheel - The fourth wheel - The hour wheel - The minute wheel - The third wheel - The transmission wheel
White gold?
created from yellow gold by incorporating either nickel or palladium to the alloy. 75% Gold, 16% Palladium, 9% Silver
Winding?
tightening the mainspring of a watch. This is done by hand (turning the crown) or automatically (by the motion of the rotor).
Winding Stem?
see Stem
Yacht Timer?
a countdown timer that sounds warning signals during the countdown to a boat race.
Yellow Gold?
the traditional popular gold. 75% Gold, 10% Copper, 15% Silver.
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