Definitions of Watch Features

Alarm:   A watch feature that sounds an alarm at pre-set time or regular intervals.

Analog:   A timepiece with dial, hands and numbers or markers indicating the 12 hour time span.  The standard watch design.

Analog Quartz:   The most commonly used term referring to any analog timepiece that operates on a battery or solar power and is regulated by a quartz crystal.

Atmosphere:   Unit of pressure used in watch making to indicate water-resistance.

Auto Repeat Timer:   A feature that allows for continuous operation of a countdown timer.  If timer function is set at one hour and started, it will countdown to zero, beep with warning signal and immediately return to the preset time and start cou8ntdown again.  This would continue until stop button is pushed.

Auto Quartz:   The most commonly-used term in referring to any analog timepiece that operates on a battery or on solar power and is regulated by a quartz crystal.

Baguette:   Ladies style watch with a thin, elongated face; usually rectangular in shape but may be oval.

Base Metal:   Any non-precious metal.

Battery Life: The minimum period of time that a battery will continue to provide power to run the watch.  Life begins at the point of manufacture when the factory initially installs the battery.

Bezel: The ring around the dial of a watch that can hold crystal in place.  In some watches (e.g., diver's watches) this can be rotated to show elapsed time as well as other functions.

1.  Compass bezel

• Direct the hour hand towards the sun.
• Turn the bezel, so that the "S" (south) mark is positioned midway between the hour hand and 12 o'clock position.
• The bezel indicates the approximate direction.

2.  Rotating bezel switch

• For these series, bezel performs as a switch to select various modes of the switch.
• Each time when bezel is turned, mode changes and the watch shows a different display.
• The selected mode is always indicated at 12 o'clock position.

3.  Rotating elapsed time bezel

• Rotate the bezel so that " " mar (or "60") is where minute hand is pointing.
• You can tell how many minutes have elapsed by reading the minute mark on the bezel.

Bracelet: A metallic watch band

• Link - Generally made of stainless steel and can be made in various qualities such as wraparound or solid link construction.  It comes in a variety of styles and patterns.  Generally uses a fold over buckle as a closure.
• Mesh - A flexible fabric made of interwoven wire spirals in a specific design pattern, i.e., Milanese, Polacca, Herringbone, etc..
• Wire Mesh - Generally a stainless steel wire bracelet with a struck design pattern to simulate genuine mesh.

Cabochon Crown: A rounded semi-precious stone or synthetic usually black, fitted into the watch crown as an ornament.

Calendar:  A watch feature that shows the date and sometimes the day of the week and the month.  It can be displayed through a cut-window in the dial, as a sub-dial with small hands indicating the day/date feature or by digital readout.

Calibre: The size and factory number of a particular watch movement.

Case: This is the protective covering surrounding a watch movement.  Primarily it is made from base metal, stainless steel, gold, etc. and includes a bezel, back and crystal.  The quality of the material dictates the appearance and value of the watch.

Chronograph: Another name for stopwatch.   This feature allows one to record the time of an event starting from zero, and to stop and start or go back to zero at the push of a button.  Some also include additional features such as a countdown timer and lap time.

• Elapsed time:  The actual time taken to travel over a specified course.
• Split Time:  The elapsed time required to cover a distance from the start to a given point before the finish (or before going the whole distance).
• Lap Time:  The elapsed time required to cover a given section (lap) of the whole distance.
• Accumulated Elapsed Time:  Total time of an event when timing is started, stopped and restarted.

Chronometer: A precision watch that is set in various temperatures and positions, thus meeting the accuracy standards set by an official watch institute in Switzerland. Most watch companies either provide this certificate with a purchase or it can be mailed to you.
 

Clasp: The attachment used to connect the two ends of the watch bracelet or strap around the wrist.

• Deployment Buckle:  A three-folding enclosure, which secures the two ends of the bracelet and allows enough room for placing the watch on the wrist when fully deployed.  When closed, the buckle covers the two-piece folding mechanism.
• Fold-over Buckle:  See Deployment Buckle.
• Hook-Lock:  Two separate units each fitting on either end of the bracelet which allows the watch to be laid out.  One end of the closure hooks onto the other to secure the two ends of the bracelet.
• Jeweler's Clasp:  A closure that is generally used on better bracelets.  Also allows it to lie flat.
• Sliding Clasp:  Also a hook type method but allows for easy sizing of the bracelet by sliding up.
• Twist Lock:  A closure similar to Jeweler's Clasp used on ladies jewelry bracelets.

Countdown Timer:  Measures remaining time from preset period of time.  (Example:  Can be used to countdown time of a basketball game.)

Crown:  The button on the side of the watch, usually at the 3 o'clock position, used to set the functions of the watch, i.e., hands, calendar, etc.

Crystal:  The mineral or synthetic (glass-like) covering over the watch dial.

Dial:  The plate set behind the hands and over the movement of a watch designed with numerals or markers indicating the time divisions.

Digital:  Any watch that shows the time in numbers instead of by hands on a dial.  The numbers appear in LCD (liquid crystal diode) which shows a continuous reading or in LED (light-emitting diode) which shows time at the push of a button.

Directional Compass:  Can be displayed by a rotating bezel or digital readout on the face of the watch.  It is used to determine a geographical direction utilizing the location of the sun.

Diver's Watches: 

• Diver's Watches are designed and manufactured especially for divers whose lives depend on the reliability of their watch in the water.
• Diver's watches must meet various standards regarding water resistance, pressure resistantcy, readability in the water, time presetting function (rotation elapsed time bezel), anti-magnetic ability, anti-shock, rust resistantcy in salt water, manageability in water, ability to withstand sudden temperature change, etc..

E.O.L.:  End of Life. In quartz movement the end of battery life is indicated by the seconds hand which starts to jump every four seconds. The battery should be changed immediately.

Guilloche.:  A style of intricate engraving that is popular on watch dials, usually very thin lines interwoven to create a surface texture.

High Tech Ceremic:  Used as a protective shield for spacecraft reentering the earth's atmosphere, high tech ceramic is polished with diamond dust to create a highly polished finish. Because the ceramic can be injection molded, pieces can be contoured. It has a very smooth surface, usually found in black, but can be produced in a spectrum of colors.

Jewels:  Synthetic sapphires or rubies that act as bearings for gears of a mechanical watch. A quality hand wound or automatic mechanical watch contains at least 17 jewels.

Kinetic:  Based on a revolutionary technology, Seiko Kinetic?watches run entirely on sell generated energy from natural movement of your wrist. It never needs a battery.

Mechanical:  Describes a movement with a balance wheel.

Mineral Crystal:  Watch glass that has been tempered to increase its scratch resistance.

Minute Repeater:  A complication on a watch that can strike the time in hours, quarters, or seconds by means of a push piece.

Moon Phase:  An indicator that keeps track of the phases of the moon. A regular rotation of the moon is once around the earth every 29 days, 12 hours, and 44 minutes. once set, the moon phase indicator accurately displays the phase of the moon.

Perpetual:  A type of calendar that automatically adjusts for months of different lengths and indicates February 29 in each leap year.

Plating:  Coating a metal base with another metal. In watch making a stainless steel base is coated with gold seven to 20 microns thick.

Power Reserve:  The time the watch will run with a fully charged power supply. For mechanical watches it is usually 44 hours. For quartz watches it can vary from 18 moths to 10 years.

PVD:  Physical Vapor Deposition. Method of coating thin watch cases by integrating titanium particles and then depositing gold for color.

Sapphire Crystal:  Scratch resistant crystal.

Slide Rule Bezel:  A rotating bezel that is printed with a logarithmic scale and assorted other scales and is used in conjunction with fixed rules of mathematics to perform general mathematical calculations or navigational computations.

Solar Powered:  A type of quartz movement where the batteries are recharged via solar panels on the watch face. They have a power reserve so they can run even in the dark.

Split Seconds:  A second chronograph that runs concurrently with the first but can be stopped independently to record an intermediate time. It the catches up to run with the first hand again.

Sub Dial:  A small dial used for any of several purposes, such as keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours on a chronograph or indicating the date.

Tachymeter:  A watch function that measures the speed at which the wearer traveled by means of a numeric scale on the watch bezel of a chronograph. Frequently used to determine a speed of a car over a measured distance.

Telemter:  A chronograph with dial calibrated to determine distance by coordinating sight of a sound - causing a phenomenon with the later reception of the sound (e.g. lightening and thunder).

Titanium: Titanium is a metal that's twice as strong and half as light as stainless steel.  It is also non-allergenic, extremely resistant to salt water and other forms of corrosion, and able to withstand extreme temperatures.

Tourbillon: A device in some mechanical watches that eliminates timekeeping errors caused by slight variations due to shifts in gravity when a watch changes position during use. The round carriage or "cage" of the tourbillon holds the mechanisms that rotate the wheels, and thus the hands of the watch, in a continuous rate of once per minute.

24-Hour Indicator: Displays military time by sub-wheels or digital readout.

Water Resistant:  A term that may be used if a watch is sufficiently impervious to water or moisture so that at the point of purchase, that watch could successfully withstand tests as specified by the Federal Trade Commission.

If your watch has a "locking" crown ensure that crown is securely threaded down to the case at all times except when setting the watch.

Chemicals and solvents, with a lower specific gravity than water, may penetrate the case at lower pressures.  Certain caustic chemicals  may damage seals and diminish the water-resistant capabilities.

Watches come in different water-resistant depths and diver's depths:

• Water Resistant - Will withstand splashes of water or rain but should not be worn while swimming or diving.
• Water Tested to 50 Meters (165 feet) - Suitable for showering or swimming in shallow water.
• Water Tested to 100 Meters (330 feet) - Suitable for swimming or snorkeling.
• Water Tested to 150 Meters (500 feet) - Suitable for snorkeling.
• Water Tested to 200 Meters (660 feet) - Suitable for skin diving.
• Diver's to 150 Meters - Meets ISO Standards and is suitable for scuba diving.
• Diver's to 200 Meters - Meets ISO Standards and is suitable for scuba diving.

Do not operate the crown or pushbuttons when the watch is wet or submerged.  If watch should get wet, it should always be wiped dry before attempting to change settings or modes.

World Timer:  Displays the time in up to 24 time zones.