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Accuracy

Accuracy details how well a watch keeps time. Swiss watchmakers, in particular, pride themselves on this, though a mechanical watch tends to be less accurate than a quartz watch. To receive chronometer certification for accurate timekeeping, a mechanical watch has to be accurate -4/+6 seconds a day.

Acrylic Crystal

This is a synthetic crystal used in watches. It was a prominent feature in timepieces from 1930 to 1970. Though it can get scratched easily, it hardly reflects any light, so the dials look natural and are simple to read.

Adjustment/Regulation

Adjustment and regulation ensure the movement’s time is correct by regulating each beat. The time might not consistently run when there is a position or temperature change, but the feature of regulation may speed up or slow down the beats when it is necessary to do so.

Alarm

Alarms vibrate or make a notification sound at a time the wearer has preset.

Altimeter

An altimeter is a device that figures out the height above sea level, which is also known as altitude. It does so by noting changes in barometric pressure.

Aluminium

This is a lightweight metal that is known for its corrosion resistance. This is because of its natural ability to create an oxide layer when it comes in contact with the air, giving it extra protection.

Amplitude

Amplitude details the maximum number measured in degrees that a balance wheel will reach when it turns. In many timepieces, the amplitude numbers will fall between 250 and 300 degrees. Should the amplitude be too low, the balance wheel may turn too swiftly, which can take away from the watch’s accuracy.

Analogue

An analog watch uses a dial and hands to tell the time.

Annual Calendar

This is a complication that details the date, month and day. Many of these will also show the phase of the moon. Watches like this will automatically and correctly adjust for both long and short months, though it will not accommodate the leap year in February.

Antimagnetic

If a timepiece is antimagnetic, it means it will run even if it is in a magnetic field with at least 4,800 amperes per meter with a deviation of no higher than 30 seconds each day. A resistance to magnetic fields is reached either through using items made of metal or some other protective sheath manufactured out of a highly conductive alloy.

Arabic Numerals

These are script numbers from 1 to 12 or from 5 to 60 that are placed on a dial in order to indicate seconds, minutes and hours, instead of using baton hour markers or Roman numerals.

Atomic Clock

Atomic clocks are thought to be the most accurate type in the world. They achieve their accuracy by way of the frequency of radioactive transfers between free atoms and electrons.

Automatic

This is a mechanical watch that is wound through the motion of the wrist throughout the day instead of twisting the crown. The motion works by moving a rotor, or a counterweight, which gives power to the mainspring and, in turn, moves the watch’s gears.

Aperture

This is a small opening in a watch dial that shows certain information, including the moon phase or the date.

B

Band

A band is the bracelet or the strap of the watch.

Balance

Balance is necessary for a mechanical watch and is the wheel that rotates back and forth on its axle. Also known as a hairspring, the balance spring is a super-fine spring that moves the balance wheel back into its original position. The balance wheel will then turn and divide up the time into equal sections. Without a good balance, the watch won’t be accurate.

Balance Spring

Also called a hairspring, a balance spring is a fine piece of a mechanical watch that creates the recoil in the balance wheel. Adjustment of the length of the spring is what regulates the time.

Balance Wheel

This is a wheel at the center of a mechanical watch that vibrates and moves the time into equal parts. Over the period of an hour, most mechanical movements will vibrate about 28,000 times.

Bar

Bar is the unit that is used to measure pressure, most commonly in terms of water resistance in a timepiece. You will commonly see it listed as “ATM” instead of bar, standing for “atmosphere.” Much like a bridge, the word “bar” can also be used to detail a bearing holder in a mechanical movement. In contrast, it is only attached to the plate on one of its sides. A thinner bar is commonly known as a barrett.

Barrel

Barrels are thin, cylindrical boxes that hold the mainspring of a timepiece.

Barett

A thin bar, like the anchor bar in a mechanical watch.

Batgirl

This is a nickname for the Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710BLNR.

Bezel

A metal ring, though it can occasionally be ceramic, that surrounds the crystal of a watch. Most of the time, bezels will rotate on a watch, especially on a dive watch. They have a scale for time or other types of measurements. Some watches do not have an active scales and are instead there for decoration.

Bi-Directional Rotating Bezel

This is a bezel that can be moved either counter-clockwise or clockwise. It is commonly used to make math calculations or to keep track of time elapsed.

Bi-Compax

This is a chronograph timepiece that has two subdials that are typically symmetrical and show the running seconds of the watch as well as the 30-minute scale of the chronograph.

Big Date

Larger dates will need more power to run, so some brands will make them large.

Bienfacture

This is a Swiss word that describes something that is of high quality.

Blued Steel

Blued steel is an esthetic tool that is applied to screws, watch hands or other parts of a watch. Watchmakers used blue steel historically to show their prowess.

Bracelet

A bracelet is a kind of watch band that usually looks like links and can be made from either metal or ceramic.

Breguet Spring

This is a spiral hairspring that the balance relies on to swing, and it tends to bunch up on opposite sides while contracting or expanding. The shift in gravity will get in the way of the balance, so the Breguet solved this issue by raising the last coil of the spring and offering it a much smaller curve. This helped the spring to work concentrically, which improved the rate of the watch while also reducing the overall wear on the balance mechanisms.

Bridge

The Bridge is a bar or plate that is mounted onto the main plate. It forms a frame that holds the inner workings of a mechanical timepiece.

Brushed

This is a finish often applied by hand that offers a watch case a matte look. When it is contrasted against a polished finish, it brings about a 3D effect.

Bubble Shaped

A domed crystal or bubble shape that has become popular once again with vintage watch designs back on the rise.

Buckle

This is a metal pin system that keeps the strap connected to the wrist.

C

Calendar

This is a feature on a timepiece that shows the day of the month and sometimes the day of the week. Some calendar watches will display the date on a subdial, while others tend to use a scale on the edge of the dial.

Caliber

Also known as movement, caliber is commonly used when a watch manufacturer is talking about a specific model name for their movement.

Cambered

This term refers to an arched or domed crystal.

Case

The case houses and protects the movement of the timepiece. It also helps to enhance its appearance and comes in a variety of shapes.

Case Back

This is the reverse side of a watch case and can be taken off to gain access to the inner workings of the watch.

Central Second Hand

A central hand is usually thinner than an hour or minute hand and keeps tabs on the running seconds. Chronographs often will have a central seconds hand to indicate the time that is recorded through the chronograph itself.

Ceramic

A lightweight, fade- and scratch-resistant material that is commonly used in dive watch bezels.

Chronograph

This is a timing function that is separate from the main time-telling aspects of a watch. Its purpose is to record any individual events and is commonly worked by using two pushers on either side of the crown. In essence, it is a stopwatch.

Chronometer

This is a wristwatch that has a very high rate of accuracy. To be certified as a chronometer, the model has to pass a two-week test.

Chronometer Escapement

This is a function that was created during the late 18th century in England and France. Because of its multiple origins, it has many variations, including one with a short rocker or a spring. In short, this is what makes a watch tick.

Circular Grain Finish

This is a decoration technique that is a concentric form of surface finishing. The result is often sometimes called a “peacock’s eye pattern.” It can be seen on some metal tabletops.

Clasp

The clasp is the folding mechanism that helps secure the timepiece onto the wrist.

Coke Bezel

This is used to refer to a black-red bezel on a Rolex.

Complete calendar
A watch boasting a complete calendar will show three date displays: the month, the weekday and the date. It is also often called a full calendar.

Cotes de Geneve

This is a typical wave pattern that is achieved by polishing and engine turning.

COSC

This stands for Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres, otherwise known as the Swiss Chronometer Testing Bureau. This institution is made to test watches to confirm their precision, and if the standards are met, it receives a certification of accuracy.

Cosmograph

This term was born from Rolexes. It can be found on the dial of the Daytona, showing the moon phases. It is also used in a more general sense by Rolex for any chronograph.

Co-Axial Escapement

Made in 1970, this version of escapement brings together the benefits of a lever with chronometer escapements. The benefits of the lever, such as shock protection and safe self-winding, work with the advantages of the chronometer escapement, including low maintenance and low friction for the best of both worlds. The co-axial escapement will also require an extra escapement wheel, which made early models more likely to malfunction. Since then, improvements have been made.

Countdown Timer

This is a timer that lets the wearer keep track of how much time has passed in the present. A few quartz variations will give a warning a few seconds before the time that has been set has elapsed.

Complication

This is a feature in a watch movement that serves another purpose besides pure timekeeping. A few common complications include calendars, alarms, repeaters, chronographs and tourbillions.

Crown

This is a small knob found on the side of a watch case that is used to adjust the date and time. If the watch isn’t mechanical, it is also used to wind the watch.

Crown Protection

In order to protect watch crowns from damage, manufacturers started to protect them in the 1950s using what is known as crown protection. This has, in recent years, been integrated into the case itself.

Crystal

This is the clear protective dome that covers the watch face and is made from either glass, acrylic or synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire tends to be the most expensive to make, but it is much more scratch-resistant than its glass or acrylic counterparts.

Cushion Shaped

This is a square shape case that first gained popularity in the 1920s. It is now commonly used by many brands that want to give their timepieces a softer look.

Cyclops Lens

This is a magnifying glass that was patented by the founder of Rolex in 1953. It is found over the date display. Much like the watch crystal, it is also fashioned out of durable sapphire crystal.

D

Date Corrector

This is a small button found on a watch case that will adjust the date when pressed. It is typically found on high-end watches boasting elegant calendar mechanisms.

Date Window

The date display is a minor complication found on most watches. It is usually located at the 3 o’clock marker.

Day-Date

A watch that shows both the date and the day of the week.

Day/Night and AM/PM Indicator

This feature shows whether the time that is shown is AM or PM. It is usually found on watches that have a Dual time/GMT display or one with a World Time Display in order to help you figure out if it is night or day in other time zones.

Deployment Buckle

A deployment buckle uses a hinged extender to fasten and pop open the buckle. These buckles are easier to put on than a typical belt buckle-style closure.

Dial

Also called the watch face, the face shows the time and markings, numerals and the hands.

Digital Display

This is a watch that shows the time in digits instead of using a dial and hands. LCD, or liquid crystal display, is often used.

Digital Watch

This timepiece shows time using numerical markers instead of hands and a dial.

Destro

This translates to “right” in Italian and is a watch that is intended to be worn on the right wrist.

Dive Watch

A dive watch is a type of water-resistant watch, though not all water-resistant watches are necessarily dive watches. A true dive watch has to meet a certain standard for diving, such as being water-resistant up to a certain depth, as well as having a unidirectional rotating bezel. Finally, there needs to be some form of illumination.

DLC

DLC, or diamond-like carbon, is a coating of carbon that is typically black and applied to the case of a watch. It is considered superior to PVD.

Dual Time Zone

This is a feature of a watch that shows both the local time as well as another time zone somewhere around the world.

E

Easylink

Patented by Rolex, this is a wrist strap expansion system. This type of bracelet is capable of being extended another five millimeters through the additional link that is stored inside of the buckle.

Ebache

This is an unassembled watch movement that is later assembled inside a completed watch. Most often, the hands, dials, movements and cases are made by different watchmakers and then assembled elsewhere.

Enamel

This word comes from an old Franconian word “smalt,” which means to melt two things together. Through the process of making enamel, various inorganic substances such as oxides and silicates are melted together. Enameled dials are a common feature of many timepieces.

Elapsed Time Rotating Bezel

This bezel is commonly used to keep tabs on periods of time. Bezels, which come with minute markers, can be turned to line up the zero on the bezel with the minute or second hand on the watch.

Engine Turning

This is a purely decorative engraving that is usually found on the watch face.

Engraving

Engraving is the process of adding a pictorial or inscription on a hard surface. It is often used to bring a personal touch to a watch case, dial or movement.

EOL

This stands for the end-of-life battery indication common in a quartz-powered watch. Usually, the seconds will start to tick only once every four seconds, which will indicate the power is low and the battery needs to be replaced.

Engine Turned/Turning

This is an old craft that uses antique machines to engrave various patterns on metal watch pieces, such as dials, cases, bezels and movements.

Escapement

This is an internal part of a mechanical watch that brings power from a watch that has been wound up into the second hand’s movements. It does so by moving the balance wheel at a consistent and steady rate. Many modern watches will use a lever escapement, which is made up of a lever with two pallets and an escape wheel. The escape wheel is attached to the gear train, which gets its energy from the mainspring. The pallets and lever will lock and unlock the escape wheel. This is what is responsible for the ticking sound in a watch.

ETA

This is a company responsible for providing much of the raw movements of a watch. Many well-known watchmakers rely on ETA raw movements.

Exhibition Case Back

This is also known as an open case back and is a transparent cover on the back of a timepiece that allows the wearer to see the inner workings of the watch movement.

F

Fat Lady

Fat Lady is a nickname given to the Rolex GMT-Master II (Ref. 16760). It has a Sophia Loren dark red Coke bezel. Its name refers to the height and the size of the case and at 6.5 millimeters, it is a bit higher than most of the other cases on GMT-Master versions. The bigger case was necessary because of the use of the calibre 2085 and sapphire crystal elements back in the day.

Finishing or Finissage

Watch companies will often use craftsmen to finish the watch parts, including the hands, bridges, cases and more. These finishes are often extremely detailed, and so finishing is one of the qualities that can separate a luxury timepiece from others.

Flyback Chronograph

This is a chronograph with second hands that can be stopped, brought back to zero and then started again with the press of a single button. A normal chronograph will need to complete these motions in three separate steps. With the flyback feature, you can time events that happen quickly, like laps taken in a race.

Folding Clasp

Different from the pin buckle that needs the entire strap of the watch to be opened, a folding clasp opens and closes only the hinges. This kind of clasp is commonly used on bracelets that are crafted out of metal.

Frequency

This is in reference to the number of oscillations of the balance wheel. The higher the number is, the more accurate the movement is capable of measuring time.

Function

This is a word used to refer to the different tasks that a watch can perform. This includes features such as a countdown timer and a chronograph. These are more commonly referred to as complications.

G

Gasket

This is used in water-resistant watches in order to seal the back of the case, the crown and the crystal, keeping the case from being infiltrated by water. Gaskets have to be checked occasionally to ensure a watch retains its water-resistant nature.

Gear Train

This is a system of gears that brings power from the mainspring over to the escapement.

Geneva Seal

This is a Geneva-based independent bureau that gives the Geneva Seal to timepieces that have passed its meticulous inspection. Before anything else, the watch has to be mechanical and its movement needs to be adjusted, fully assembled and in a case in Geneva. If a watch has met these criteria, it will then undergo testing. Before, the Geneva Seal was mainly used on the material and the movement’s finishing, but in 2011, the requirement list expanded to also include power reserve, accuracy, functionality and water resistance.

Geneva Waves

Also called Geneva Stripes, these are decorative designs that take on a wave-like appearance. You’ll find them on the rotors, bridges and plates of many watches.

Geneva Stripes

This is a technique where the plate is decorated with vertical stripes.

German Silver

This is a special alloy that is made up of zinc, copper and 10 per cent nickel. The nickel will reduce the oxidation of the silver, thereby eliminating the need to have it electroplated.

Glashütte Stripes

Also called Glashütte ribs, these stripes use the same finishing techniques as the Geneva variations, but they are instead produced in Glashütte.

Glidelock System

This is an extension system patented by Rolex for the watch bracelet. Different from the Easylink system, this bracelet can be adjusted and then extended by as much as 30 millimeters.

GMT

GMT, or Greenwich Mean Time, is the time found at the Royal Observatory in England. This is located at the prime meridian. GMT is used to indicate the time all around the world, and GMT watches will let the wearer use the Greenwich mean time alongside their local time zone. Even so, the wearer can choose to track any two time zones that they choose.

GMT Watch

On a GMT watch, the wearer can read the time of another time zone alongside their local time. These watches often have a 24-hour display that helps distinguish the times between night and day

Gold Plating

A layer of gold that has been electro-deposited onto metal.

Grande complication

This is a watch where many large complications are fashioned into a single watch.

Grande Sonnerie

A kind of repeated that will sound the quarter hours and full hours when a button or lever is pressed.

Gray Market

A term for unauthorised sellers of new timepieces.

Guilloché

Developed by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1786, a Guilloché is a popular dial decoration in modern times. First, the dial is smoothed and then the areas for totalizers and time display are drawn. Finally, the dial blank gets machined into a unique pattern to give it character.

H

Hand

A bar that can indicate the minutes, hours and sometimes seconds on a watch dial. The hour hand tends to be a third of the length of the minute hand, and they all come in a variety of designs often unique to different watchmakers.

Hallmark

Stamped on the watch case to give information regarding the metal being used, a hallmark also shows the year of manufacture, the watch’s origin and the name of the maker of the case. Some may also show a reference number or serial number.

Hand-Wound

A mechanical movement that is wound up by hand instead of by way of a free-spinning motor. It is accomplished by turning the crown.

Haute Horlogerie

This refers to the skill needed to produce premium luxury complications and watches. It can also be used to describe a watchmaker that has included the entire watchmaking process under a single roof.

Helium Valve

An important part of dive watches. Without the valve, when a timepiece is submerged in water, it runs the risk of being damaged by high water pressure.

Hesalite Crystal

Also known as acrylic glass or hesalite glass, it is the least expensive crystal that can be used in a watch. It doesn’t shatter easily, but it can take on crutches easily.

Horology

The science or art of crafting timepieces and keeping time.

Hour Markers

Roman numerals, Arabic numerals or symbols that are set around the dial to indicate the hours.

Hulk

A nickname for the Rolex Submariner (Ref. 116610LV) inspired by its green cerachrom bezel and its green dial.

Hunter Pocket Watch

A pocket watch featuring a cover that stands out for its winding stem positioned at 3 o’clock.

Hybrid Smartwatch
A classic analog watch that is often quartz powered. It comes with digital smart functions such as push notifications and activity tracking.

I

Incabloc

A shock-absorbing system that protects the balance of a watch from getting broken if dropped.

Index

An index or indices will indicate the seconds, minutes and hours on a dial. Typically, they divide the watch face into evenly spaced areas. They are usually distinguished in the form of dots and dashes but can show up in other forms as well.

Index/Hour Marker

These are painted, applied by hand, made from luminescent materials or made with diamonds and serve the purpose of indicating time instead of using Roman or Arabic numerals.

Indicator

Indicators are the aspects of a watch that are used to tell the time, such as the minute or hour hands. Auxiliary indicators cover anything that goes beyond the main display of time, including additional time zones or complications.

In-House

Used to refer to a movement or watch that is developed, assembled and assembled by the company whose name is on the dial.

Jewels

Synthetic sapphires or rubies that help to reduce friction by serving as bearings for the gears in a mechanical timepiece.

Jump Hour Indicator

This indicator replaces the hour hand and shows the hour using a numeric window.

Jump Second

A term that rears to a second hand that moves abruptly instead of in a sweeping motion from second to second.

K

Kermit

A nickname given to the Rolex Submariner (Ref. 16610LV) with its green aluminium bezel and its black dial.

Knurling

A technique for finishing that creates a patterned surface with straight, crossed and angled lines.

L

Lap Timer

A part of a chronograph timepiece that lets the wearer time portions of a race. The timer is stopped at the end of a lap and then starts again at zero.

LCD

A liquid crystal display watch that shows the time through the use of liquid in a thin layer sandwiched between two clear plates. It is common in almost all digital quartz timepieces.

Lupine

A pocket watch that has no protective cover, making the dial always visible.

Lever escapement

A part of the watch’s movement oscillates freely once leaving the pallet fork.

Limited Edition

Timepieces that are only made and sold in. limited number. They can be brand new models or a well-known model that has been improved upon and then released, usually for anniversaries or other such occasions.

Link

The links make up the individual aspects of a stainless steels watch bracelet.

Lubrication

Lubrication in time-keeping is a special lubricant used to keep the various small parts of a mechanical watch’s movements from wearing out or getting stuck.

Lugs

Also called horns, these connect the bracelet of the watch to the case itself.

Luminous Material

Hands, indices and numerals in some watches are given a luminous coating to make it easy to read the time even in the dark. Superluminova is the most common modern choice.

Luminescence

Refers to rays of light emitted. Luminescent material that is added to the hands and indices to make it easier to read.

M

Magnetism

Metal parts within a timepiece can become magnetised if exposed to magnetic fields that can reduce the accuracy. This typically occurs when a balance spring is somehow magnetized and sticks to itself and can make the watch run at a faster pace. It can be fixed quickly, but a lot of high-end watchmakers use a soft iron cage to stop the magnetic fields from messing with it at all.

Mainspring

The mainspring is found in the barrel and is what runs the watch.

Main Plate

This is the base plate that all of the other aspects of the watch movement are placed.

Manual Wind/Hand Wound Movement

A movement that has to be wound by hand in contrast to an automatic watch that does it itself. This watch will usually need to be wound every day by turning the crown.

Manufacturer

A watchmaker who makes all of the different parts of the watch, including an in-house calibre.

Military Time

Time that is expressed in 24-hour segments instead of 12.

Marine Chronometer

An accurate electronic or mechanical timekeeper that comes enclosed in a box and serves the purpose of figuring out the longitude while on a ship. Marine chronometers feature mechanical movements attached to gimbals to keep them in the horizontal orientation needed for their accuracy.

Measurement Conversion

A feature that lets the wearer convert a style of measurement into another.

Maxi Dial

A Rolex-patented dial where the luminous dots are bigger than usual.

Mechanical Watch

Mechanical watches have intricate movements that get their power from a mainspring and their regulation through a balance.

Micron

A measurement for determining the thickness of gold plating.

Milanese Bracelet

A metal bracelet fashioned out of many small interwoven loops. Its high flexibility makes it comfortable to wear.

Mineral Crystal

A kind of watch crystal fashioned out of tempered crystal glass. It was primarily used in the 1970s before it was replaced by stronger sapphire crystal.

Minute graduation

Refers to the ring that surrounds the dial and displays the minutes. It is usually marked for individual minutes or marked for every five minutes.

Minute Repeater

A type of repeater that counts the minutes, quarter hours and hours in different pitches.

Mono Pusher Chronograph

A stopwatch that is uses a single button. Though almost all chronographs are operated with two buttons, a mono pusher only needs one to start, stop and reset the time.

Month Indicator

The month display is a complication found on the dial and is not needed for the time display. They are usually on perpetual or complete calendars.

Moon-Phase Display

A window on the dial that details the moon phase each night.

Mother of Pearl

A mother of pearl dial is one covered with an ultra-thin layer of mother of pearl, a raw material that is remarkably fragile and time-consuming to produce, often making them more expensive.

Movement

The movement is the name for the complete inner workings of a watch, which keeps time, regulates the calendar and moves the watch hands.

N

Nickel

A material commonly used as an alloy to produce stainless steel.

Nivaflex

An alloy made up of nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, iron, tungsten, beryllium and titanium, commonly used in the production of mainsprings. It is more resilient and harder than carbon steel.

Nylon

A synthetic fiber that is usually used to make textile watch straps. It is almost fully hypoallergenic, robust and used for diving or sports watches.

O

Observation Watch

Dating back to the 18th century, these timepieces are defined by their large cases, excellent legibility and large onion crown. They were used in the 20th century for the military to time different maneuvers and find the distance of an enemy troop.

Onion Crown

A distinctive, large and ribbed crown shape, taking the appearance of an onion. They are commonly found on observation timepieces, as they were easier to turn while wearing gloves.

Oscillation

Oscillation in timekeeping refers to the continuous turning motion of the balance spring on the resting point. The balance wheel and the escapement wheel create the oscillator with help from the anchor.

Oyster Perpetual

The Oyster is a Rolex case invested in 1926 and holds its place as the first water-resistant case for timepieces consisting of a winding crown, case back and bezel. Perpetual refers to a Rolex model that has an automatic movement.

P

Panda

A dial design where the main dial is white while the totalizers are black. A reverse panda dial uses white totalizers and a black dial.

Paneristi

Enthusiasts of the Panerai watches are called Panerist, a term that cropped up on online forums for the watches. It is also sometimes used to talk about watch enthusiasts in a general sense.

Patina

The artificial or natural discoloration of a surface over a long period of time. It is a popular characteristic for vintage timepieces and can quickly turn a watch into a collector’s item.

Paul Newman

A famous actor from the United States who inspired the Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239’s nickname. This watch had a panda dial and manual winding.

Pepsi Bezel

A blue-red bezel that was originally popularised by the Rolex GMT Master models. It is now commonly used by other manufacturers.

Perlage

A decorative feature that uses small, overlapping circles and can often be seen on the watch’s bridges and plates.

Perpetual Calendar

A calendar that adjusts automatically for the varying lengths of the months while also accounting for leap years. They are built to remain accurate until 2100.

Pilot Watch

Pilot watches allow for complex mathematical equations and calculations to be easily performed swiftly during a flight. They can either be a classic pilot chronograph or an observation watch. These are mainly used for navigators as while chronographs were almost exclusively made for pilots. These watches are known for their intuitive controls.

Pink Buckle

A kind of bracelet clasp that issued in both textile and leather straps. It is made from an adjustable shackle complete with a thorn, that is then placed into one of the holes in the bracelet.

Pivot

Pivots ensure the balance wheel is kept secure as it works. The pivots are quite fragile and are therefore protected by a shock system.

Platinum

Platinum is a white-grey metal that is considered one of the most expensive and rare metals in the world. It was first used in 1920 during the art decor period. It is acid-resistant, durable and does not oxidize, while its elasticity makes it heat resistant as well.

Polish

A polish will remove any damaged metal layers and restore them to their original shine.

Power Reserve

The length of time that a mechanical movement can operate before it needs to be wound up again. A typical mechanical watch is capable of running for anywhere between 36 to 48 hours before it needs winding again. Some can run for more than a week.

Power Reserve Indicator

A mechanical watch feature that will show the length of time that a watch is able to run before it needs to be wound again.

Pulsometer

A scale on a watch that the current pulse can easily be measured quickly.

Pussy Galore

A nickname for the Rolex GMT Master Ref. 6542 inspired by the Bond Girl in the movie Goldfinger.

PVD Coating

PVD, or physical vapor deposition, is a process for coating where the material gets vaporized in order to get a complete metallic coating that makes it more durable. It is what gives stainless steel watches their black hue.

Q

Quarter Repeated

A form of repeaters that will chime quarter hours and hours at a different pitch.

Quartz crisis

A nickname describing the economic period in the 1970s and 1980s wherein the watchmakers in Germany and Switzerland experienced a financial crisis. Once inexpensive Japanese quartz watches took over, many traditional watchmakers ended up filing for bankruptcy as they were not able to change the production of cheaper models holding the same level of accuracy as mechanical watches.

Quartz Watch

A movement that lets the watch keep the time without needing to be wound. Some quartz watches will need a battery that must be replaced every year and a half, but newer models can be recharged without needing to replace the battery. You can recharge a quartz watch through body heat, a solar cell or through motion.

Quickset Mechanism

Unlike typical ate mechanisms, the quickset date mechanism makes it simpler to set the date just by pulling the crown out and turning it clockwise.

R

Rattrapante (or Splits Seconds Chronograph)

Different from a standard chronograph, this type comes with two second hands, so the wearer can stop one of the hands as the other continues to tick away. The rattrapante hand will start at the same time as the main chronograph hand, but the rattrapante can be stopped independently more than once. The rattrapante hand will then catch up with the main hand. It is useful for timing more than one event at a time.

Reference

A watch model’s reference number can be used to identify its manufacturer. It is commonly abbreviated as “Ref.” and may also define some of the characteristics of the individual model.

Refurbishment

This is when a watch is polished and repaired to bring it back to a similar state as it was when it was new.

Regatta Timer

A complication that shows a five or 10 minute countdown in order to show the precise beginning of a sailing race.

Rehaut

Also known as a flange, this refers to the inner watch ring that is raised above the flat dial. A rehaut is commonly decorated with scales, engravings or other decorative features.

Retrograde Display

A display where the hand will move over a graduated arc instead of going the full circle to indicate the date or time. once the hand hits the end of the arc, it goes right back to its starting position.

Revision

The process where the movement of a timepiece is either totally overhauled or just repaired by the watchmaker. If the watch only gets an external overhaul, it is known as a process called reconditioning.

Richemont

Richemont is the owner of various watch companies including some of the most well-known names in the industry. These include Vacheron Constantin, A
Lange & Sohne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWCm Montblanc, Van Cleef & Arpels, Panerai, Piaget, and others.

Rider Tabs

These are four markers that are found around the bezel and are used as references to mark a set time that the wearer wants to remember.

Rhodium Plated

If a dial has been rhodium-plated, it is made with a thin layer of rhodium. This material is known for its bright, cool and slight blue shimmery appearance.

Rotating Bezel

A rotating bezel is a bezel that can be turned around the watch face. It can be used for a number of different mathematical and timekeeping functions.

Rolesor

Rolex’s registered brand name of stainless steel and gold. It uses the term to refer to bracelets that are made both of gold and stainless steel.

Rose Gold

The rose gold hue is made by adding copper to gold. The redder the gold ends up being, the higher levels of copper there are to be found in the gold.

Rotor

A rotor is a weight in an automatic watch that moves back and forth when the wearer moves their arm. This swinging weight is responsible for winding up the mainspring in the watch. This means that the rotor will only wind the mainspring when the watch is being worn.

S

Sapphire Crystal

These are synthetic sapphires that are shatter resistant, transparent and resistant to scratches. These are often used to protect the watch face.

Screw-Down Crown

A crown is used to help set a watch’s time and calendar as well as wind it. A screw-down crown is a kind of crown that can be screwed tightly to the watch case. This kind of crown is often used in water-resistant timepieces.

Seconde Foudroyante

Also called the “jumping second,” this is a complication where the hand revolves once a second. It makes it easier to read fifth or quarter seconds this way.

See-Through Case Back

A watch case fashioned out of crystal that offers a look at the inner workings of the watch.

Self-winding

This is another term to describe an automatic watch.

Sellita

One of the largest third-party movement manufacturers. Its exports are trusted with their reliable movements.

Servicing

Manufactures will recommend you get your mechanical watch services every three or five years, and your vintage timepiece serviced every two years. Servicing a timepiece involves stripping the watch down, cleaning its parts and applying more lubricant to ensure it remains accurate.

Silicon

Silicone is a material that is resistant to magnetism, shock, dust and even changes in temperature. It is commonly used for watch straps and requires very little maintenance. Over the past 10 to 15 years, it has become more popular.

Shock Protection

When a watch is dropped or knocked, there is a small spring that protects the balance from getting damaged.

Simple Calendar

Timepieces that have a weekday and date display are called a simple calendar and are known as minor complications.

Single Hand Watch

A timepiece that only has a single hour hand. Because there is no second hand to see if the watch has stopped, they usually have an indicator to let you know it’s still running.

Skeleton Case

A kind of timepiece that is transparent either in the front or back and lets the wearer see the movements inside of the timepiece.

Small Second

On a few watch models, the secondhand is offset instead of located centrally. This type of indicator is usually on a chronograph.

Smurf

Smurf is a nickname for a white gold Rolex Submariner Ref. 116619LB with blue dials and a blue bezel.

Slide Rule

A rotating bezel that lets the wearer complete mathematical calculations including conversions, division and multiplication.

Spring

Spiral-shaped, thin steel strips, springs are installed throughout the movement and are usually used as tension springs. Tension springs are wound either automatically or manually and work as the movement’s power reserve.

Stainless Steel

Rustproof steel that has a high degree of purity, 316L stainless steel is especially common in luxury timepieces, though Rolex is the only kind that uses the 904L stainless steel, a version that is especially acid-resistant.

Stepping Motor

A portion of a quartz analouge movement that drives the gear train resulting in the movement of the watch hands.

Strap

A type of watch band that is fashioned out of nylon, rubber or leather.

Sterling Silver

A highly reflective metal that is about 92.5 percent pure. It is commonly used in watch dials and watches.

Sun Pattern

Also known as a solar finish, sun patterning is a decorative technique that is commonly used on large components like gear wheels. A spiral pattern moving toward the centre is created during grinding.

Subsidiary Dial

A smaller dial on the face of a watch that indicates alarms, the date, calendars, dual time zones and more.

Sweep Seconds-Hand

A second hand that sits in the centre of the dial as opposed to a subsidiary dial.

Swiss Made

There are two requirements that a watch has to meet:
1. The watch has to have a Swiss movement, that means at least 50 percent of the movement was manufactured in Switzerland.
2. Both the movement and the watch are inspected and assembled in Switzerland.

T

Tachymeter

A number base scale on the bezel or dial of a chronograph used to measure speed over a certain distance.

Tang Buckle

A traditional belt-type, or loop and pin, buckle.

Tank Watch

A rectangular-shaped watch created in 1917 by Louis Cartier. The shape took its inspiration from the military tanks used in World War I.

Time Zones

Time zones reference the 24 divisions of time across the globe.

Telemeter

A scale that makes it easy to measure the amount of distance traveled.

Tempering

Tempering, or blueing, is the thermal hardening of metal. In this process, metal is heated to a certain temperature that results in an oxidised layer thick enough to refract a blue light.

Three-Handed Watch

Timepieces that only have the three centrally positioned traditional hands representing the minute, hour and seconds. It also usually includes, at most, a single date display in the date window.

Threw-Quarter Plate

Developed in 1864, this is the plate that overlays 3/4’s of the timepiece’s movement. The crown wheel, gear train and mainspring barrel are positioned on top of this plate.

Titanium

A robust, hypoallergenic metal that is commonly used for components that usually wear down thanks to its unique qualities.

Tag

A moveable piece of metal in a buckle that slips through the holes of a leather strap

Tonneau Watch

A timepiece with two convex sides that is shaped like a barrel.

Totalizer

Small dials found on the main dial of a watch that will display, for instance, minutes, seconds or hours. They are usually present on chronographs.

Tourbillion

A part of mechanical watches that takes away any timekeeping errors brought on by gravity. It is made up of a cage that holds onto the balance and the escapement. This part rotates constantly once per minute, and this relentless rotation stops the effects of gravity that is caused when the watch is vertical.

Triple Date

A triple date calendar shows the month, date and day of the week.

Tritium

A hydrogen isotope that is used for making the hour markers and watch hands glow.

Two-Tone

Two-tone watches are ones with two different colours offered by two different materials both for the bracelet and case. A popular example of this is gold and stainless steel.

U

Ultra-thin

The thinness of a timepiece is usually considered a complication, as the thinner the watch is, the more difficult it is to make. A watch with a case that measures under eight millimeters is thought of as being ultra-thin.

Uni-Directional Rotating Bezel

Typically found on dive watches, a Uni-Directional Rotating Bezel is a rotating bezel that only moves counterclockwise. If the diver is timing their remaining air supply and accidentally knocks against the bezel, it will only move in the safest direction, helping the diver avoid overestimating their air supply.

V

Valjoux

Known for its chronograph movements, Valjoux is a Swiss watchmaker that once belonged to ETA. Today, both companies are under the Swatch Group.

VPH, or Vibration Per Hour

The oscillating element’s movement that is limited by two extreme positions. For instance, the mechanical watch’s balance often vibrates five or six times per second, otherwise indicated as 36,000, 28,800 or 18,000 VPH.

W

Watch Crystal

The watch crystal closes the case on the face of the timepiece, covering the dial and protecting the inner workings. Mineral glass, sapphire crystal or hesalite glass are the most commonly used options.

Watch Winder

An electronic rack ideal for storing automatic watches. By placing a watch on a winder, its constant motion will wind the watch by simulating the natural movements of a watch wearer to make sure it runs accurately even after being stored for a long time.

Water-Resistant

A timepiece that can tolerate water splashes or light moisture. If a timepiece is able to be submerged in water, it has to indicate the deepest it can go without losing its water-resistant properties.

Wheel Train

Otherwise known as the Going Train, this is a series of pinions and wheels that supply power to the escapement from the mainspring. It also drives the minute and second hands.

Weekday Indicator

A minor complication that shows the current weekday, usually through a separate totaliser or a window on the dial.

White Gold

Refers to numerous alloys that have been mixed with silver. Usually, a white or grey colour is the result.

Winding

Winding is tightening the watch’s mainspring. It can be done by hand by turning the crown or automatically through the rotor.

Winding Crown

A winding crown is a part of a watch that has a manual winding mechanism. It is used to manually tension the mainspring. Winding crowns are turned clockwise until one can feel a strong resistance, at which point the manual lock prevents any further winding to avoid damage to the movement.

World Time Watch

A watch that displays the time of all or several time zones at the same time through a digital or mechanical display.

Winding Stem

A stem that connects the exterior and the interior of the timepiece. One end of the stem holds the crown, and the wearer will push or turn the crown to set and wind the movement.

World Time Watch

Another name for a watch that displays the current time in as many as 24 time zones.

Z

Zero-Resetting

This refers to the action of resetting the various hands on a chronograph to their original starting point.