Marvin Scott & Co Watch Glossary marvinscottco.com

Watch Glossary
This glossary covers the most common watch terms. If this glossary does not cover the word you want, we will be happy to help explain any term you can't find here.
Alarm: A clock or watch that beeps at a predetermined time. Altimeter: This watch function reports altitude by responding to barometric pressure changes. Analog: Any kind of watch that shows the time using hour and minute hands. Analog - digital display: Any watch that shows time both by hour and minute hands(analog) and numbers(digital) . Aperture: A small opening in a watch. Some watch dials have an aperture, through which date or time may be seen. Applique: Applique are numbers or symbols or both which are cut from metal and attached to a watch dial. Atmosphere: A unit of measure, used by watch makers to measure a watch's resistance to water. Abbreviated as "Atm". Atomic time: This standard of time is based on the vibrations of atoms of an isotope,measured at Boulder,Colorado; this vibration is transmitted by radio waves and is received by some watches, which gives such watches extremely precise time measurements. Automatic winding ( self-winding): Some mechanical watches have a rotor which transmits energy to a mainspring each time the watch wearer moves their wrist. The mainspring , which stores the transmitted energy,is then able to independently to run the watch for hours or even days. Baguette: A kind of Ladies watch with a thin, elongated face; many baguette watches are rectangular-shaped. Balance: A small circular moving part of a watch that oscillates on its axis of rotation;a hairspring coupled to the balance provides the oscillations, and this divides time into equal parts, such as seconds,minutes,or hours. Bar: A bar, also called lug, attaches watchbands to the case(body of the wtach). Barrel: A barrel is a box that surrounds a watch mainspring. Battery reserve indicator : Some battery-operated watches show when the battery is getting low. This is often indicated by the second hand moving in two second intervals instead of each second. Bezel: A ring that surrounds the watch dial (or face). Bi-directional rotating bezel: A bezel that rotates clockwise or counterclockwise. This particular bezel is used for mathematical calculations such as average speed or distance and for keeping track of elapsed time Calendar: A watch feature that shows the date, and often the day of the week. Calibre: Formerly, calibre meant the size of a watch movement. Today the term is used to describe a type of movement such as men's calibre or automatic calibre Cambered: A cambered dial or bezel is usually curved or has an arch to it. Carat: Carat is a measure of gold purity. 24 carat is 100% gold;18 carat is 75% gold and 14 carat is 58% gold. Case: The case is theat part of a watch that contains and protects the movement. Ceramic: Some watches have a coating of high tech ceramic. This is a very hard coating that gives a highly polished look and is extremely resistant to scratching. chronograph: A chronograph is a watch with a stopwatch function and is useful for sports. Some chronographs have sub mini dials for other units of time such as hours or minutes. Chronometer: A chronometer is a very fine precision watch that meets temperature and position standards set by an official Swiss watch institute. Countdown timer: Countdown timers allow the wearer to keep track of how much of a pre-set period of time has elapsed. Some countdown timers sound a warning signal a few seconds before the time runs out. Crown: The crown is a knurled knob, attached to a fine stem, and is used to wind the watch mainsspring and adjust time. Crystal: The clear, transparent cover on a watch face is the crystal. The crystal can be made of glass, synthetic sapphire or plastic.Sapphire crystals are very resistant to scratches and shattering. Day/date: Some watches show both date and day of the week. Depth alarm: An alarm on a divers' watch which beeps when the wearer exceeds a pre-set depth. Depth sensor: A sensor on a divers' watch that determines the depth by measuring water pressure. Diachronic: A diachronic display is a liquid crystal display, which allows colored numbers to appear and disappear on a surface display. Dial: The dial is the watch face which contains the numbers and surface design. Digital watch: A digital watch is one that shows time through a liquid crystal display. Diving watch: A watch that is water- resistant to 200M. These watches also have a one way rotating bezel and a screw-on crown and back. Most diver's watches have a metal strap instead of a rubber or leather strap. Ebauche: Ebauche refers to an incomplete watch movement, consists of loose unassembled parts; ebauche does not include the timing system,escapement or mainspring. Escapement: A set of parts,including the escape wheel,lever and roller which convert rotary motion to the balance wheel, which generates periodic, or to and fro motion. Face: The face is the visible side of the watch which contains the dial with numerals. Flyback hand: A flyback hand, used on sport chronographs, springs back to zero; this helps to record elapsed time. Frequency: Frequency measures the number of vibrations per second and is measured in Hertz. Hertz is often abbreviated Hz. Gear train: The system of gears which transmits power from the mainspring to the escapement. GMT: Greenwich Mean Time is mean solar time at the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Greenwich, London, England, the United Kingdom, which by convention is at 0 degrees geographic longitude. If used in reference to a timepiece it means there are additional time zones. Gold filled: Gold filled watches are different than gold plated. Layers of gold are actually pressed onto a layer of base metal. Usually, gold fill last longer than gold plate. Heavy gold fill can sometimes be lightly buffed to remove fine scratches, whereas gold plate cannot. Gold plated: Gold plated watches have a fine layer of gold electronically-bonded to a base metal,which is not gold. Hand: A watch hand is a rotating pointer, showing seconds,minutes or hour. Horology: Horology is the scientific study of watches and time measurement. A watch professional is sometimes referred to as a horologist. Jewel: Jewels are synthetic rubies or sapphires,acting like bearings,which reduce friction of moving gears within a watch. Reducing friction makes a watch last longer and run more accurately. Kinetic: Kinetic is a technology found in the Seiko watch line. This innovative Movement of the wrist charges a capacitor which powers a quartz movement. A fully-charged capacitor will run a watch for days. Lap timer: A chronograph that segments parts of a race. At the end of a lap, the timer stops and returns to zero. The watch is ready to record another race starting at zero. LCD: A watch that displays time on a surface using colored numbers that appear,change, or dissapear. LCD watches contain quartz movements. Lugs: These are the extensions of a watch bezel where metallic, rubber or leather bands attach.
Mainspring: This is the main driving spring in a mechanical watch, and is contained in the barrel. Mechanical movement: A watch movement powered by a mainspring and balance wheel. Mechanical movements must be wound by hand or by a self-winding mechanism. Mechanical movements do not use batteries. Military time: Some watches have a military time function. Military time divides time into 24 hour units. Mineral glass: A special kind of tempered watch glass that is especially scratch-resistant. Movement: A movement is the inner complex of watch parts that controls the watch hand and other functions. Movements are either mechanical or quartz. Oscillation: An oscillation is a complete movement of the balance wheel from one side of its axis to the other side. Perpetual: A type of watch function calendar that automtically adjusts for months of different lengths and for leap years. Quartz movement: A quartz movement is powered by silicon dioxide crystals. When these crystals are activated by light or battery, they vibrate at a very high rate. Quartz crystals are very accurate. They can be mass produced ,which makes them less expensive than most mechanical movements which require a higher degree craftsmanship. Rotating bezel: A rotating bezel can be turned. Some turned bezels can perform timekeeping or mathematical functions. Rotor: A rotor, found in mechanical watches, is a half disd made of heavy metal. Movements of the wearer's wrist allow the rotor to transmit energy to the watch mainspring. Sapphire crystal: A watch crystal, made of synthetic sapphire,is extremely shatter-resistant and scratch-resistant. Sand/shot blasting: Sand and beads of fine glass are used to put various finishes on watch cases and bands. Sand blasting uses high pressure sand to produce a grainy appearance. Glass shot produces a satin finish. Usually, sand produces a rougher texture on metal than does shot. Screw-lock: A type of watch crown that is screwed into the case to make the watch very watertight. Seal: A synthetic gasket that seals the back of the watch case. Whenever a watch back is removed, the integrity of the gasket should be checked. Shock absorber: A resilient bearing inside a watch that absorbs shocks from the balance wheel. Absorbing shock protects the delicate pivot of the balance wheel. Shock resistance: The U.S. government has defined the shock impact a watch can stand. Normal shock, as defined by U.S. government regulation, is a watch's ability to withstand an impact equal to that of being dropped onto a wood floor from a height of 3 feet. Skeleton case: A watch that has been "skeletonized" is a watch that has a transparent case; this allows the moving parts to be easily seen. Solar- powered: Some watches have small light-sensitive molecules that absorb the energy from sunlight or room light. This absorbed energy is used to charge the watch battery,providing an inexpensive reserve of power to run the watch. Stepping motor: The stepping motor, part of a quartz movement, moves the gear train, which, in turn, moves the watch's hands. Stopwatch: A stopwatch,usually with a seconds hand, measures intervals of time. Sub-dial: A small dial used for keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours or indicating the date. Tachometer: Tachometers are found on some sport chronographs. Tachometers measure the speed at which the watch has traveled over distance. Tank watch: A rectangular watch design of Louis Cartier. Telemeter: A telemeter records the distance of an object from the observer. Some watches have this function. Titanium: Some watch cases are made of titanium, a metal which is 30 to 50 percent lighter than steel. Titanium is also highly-resistant to salt water corrosion. Titanium is also hypo-allergenic. However, titanium can be scratched, so manufacturers coat titanium with special scratch resistant finishes. Tonneau watch: A watch which is shaped like a barrel and has two convex sides. Tourbillon: A device found in some mechanical watches that reduces timekeeping errors due to shifts in gravity. Waterproof: It is not legal to say a watch is waterproof. No watch is 100% waterproof! Watches do differ in their degree of water resistance. Water- resistant: Water- resistant refers to a watch's ability to withstand penetration by water. A watch that is marked "water resistant" on the case can withstand splashes of water or rain only. A watch resistant to 50 meters is suitable for showering or swimming in shallow water. A watch resistant to 100 meters is suitable for swimming. Watches resistant to 150-200 meters are suitable for scuba diving.