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The watch is wound by the motion of the wearer's arm rather
than through turning the winding stem. A rotor that turns in response to
motion, winds the watch's mainspring. Most automatic watches have up to
36 hours of power reserve. If an automatic watch is not worn for a day or
two, it will wind down and need to be wound by hand to get it started again.
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B |
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Battery reserve indicator (or end of
battery indicator) |
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Some battery-operated watches have a feature that indicates
when the battery is approaching the end of its life. This is often indicated
by the second-hand moving in two second intervals instead of each second.
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Bezel |
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The ring that surrounds the watch dial (or face). The bezel
is usually made of gold, gold plate or stainless steel. |
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Bi-directional rotating bezel |
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A bezel that can be rotated either clockwise or counter clockwise.
These are used for mathematical calculations such as average speed or distance
(see "slide rule") or for keeping track of elapsed time (see "elapsed
time rotating bezel"). |
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Built-in illumination |
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Lighting on a watch dial that allows the wearer to read the
time in the dark. |
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C |
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Calendar |
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A feature that shows the date, and often the day of the week.
There are several types of calendar watches. Most calendar watches show
the information digitally through an aperture on the watch face. Some chronograph
watches show the information on sub-dials on the watch face. |
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Chronograph |
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A watch that includes a built in stopwatch function i.e. a
timer that can be started and stopped to time an event. There are many variations
of the chronograph. Some operate with a centre seconds hand, which keeps
time on the watch's main dial. Others use sub-dials to time elapsed hours,
minutes and seconds. Still others show elapsed time on a digital display
on the watch face. Some chronographs can be used as a lap timer (see "flyback
hand" and "split seconds hand"). The accuracy of the stopwatch
function will commonly vary from 1/5th second to 1/100th second depending
on the chronograph. Some chronographs will measure elapsed time up to 24
hours. Watches that include the chronograph function are themselves called
"chronographs." When a chronograph is used in conjunction with
specialized scales on the watch face it can perform many different functions,
such as determining speed or distance (see "tachymeter" and "telemeter").
Do not confuse the term "chronograph" with "chronometer."
The latter refers to a timepiece, which may or may not have a chronograph
function that has met certain high standards of accuracy set by an official
watch institute in Switzerland. |
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Chronometer |
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Technically speaking, all watches are chronometers. But for
a Swiss made watch to be called a chronometer, it must meet certain very
high standards set by the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (C.O.S.C.).
If you have a Swiss watch labelled as a chronometer, you can be certain
that it has a mechanical movement of the very highest quality. |
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Countdown timer |
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A function that lets the wearer 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. These are useful in events
such as yacht races, where the sailor must manoeuvre the boat into position
before the start of a race. |
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Crown |
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Also called a stem or pin, a crown is the button on the outside
of the watch case that is used to set the time and date. In a mechanical
watch the crown also winds the mainspring. In this case it is also called
a "winding stem". A screw in (or screw down) crown is used to
make a watch more water resistant. The crown actually screws into the case,
dramatically increasing the water-tightness of the watch. |
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Crystal |
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The transparent cover on a watch face made of glass, crystal,
synthetic sapphire or plastic. Better watches often have sapphire crystal,
which is highly resistant to scratching or shattering. |
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D |
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Depth alarm |
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An alarm on a divers' watch that sounds when the wearer exceeds
a pre-set depth |
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Depth sensor/depth meter |
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A device on a divers' watch that determines the wearer's depth
by measuring water pressure. It shows the depth either by analog hands and
a scale on the watch face or through a digital display. |
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Dial |
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The watch face. |
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Diameter |
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The width of a circular case. At Second Time Round the case
diameter is measured between the hours of 1 o'clock and 7 o'clock. Non-circular
cases i.e. Tank, square, oval and rectangular styles are measured by their
width across. |
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Digital watch |
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A watch that shows the time through digits rather than through
a dial and hands (analog) display |
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Diving watch |
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A watch that is water resistant to 200M. Has a one way rotating
bezel and a screw-in crown and back. Has a metal or rubber strap (not leather).
Has sapphire crystal and possibly a wet-suit extension. |
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E |
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Elapsed time rotating bezel |
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A graduated rotating bezel (see "rotating bezel")
used to keep track of elapsed time. The bezel can be turned so the wearer
can align the zero on the bezel with the watch's seconds or minute's hand.
After a period of time passes, you can read the elapsed time off the bezel.
This saves you having to perform the subtraction that would be necessary
if you used the watch's regular dial. |
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Escapement |
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The device in a mechanical movement that controls the rotation
of the wheels and thus the motion of the hands. |
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F |
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Flyback hand |
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A seconds hand on a chronograph that can be used to time laps
or to determine finishing times for several competitors in a race. Start
the chronograph, putting both the flyback hand and the regular chronograph
seconds hand in motion. To record a lap time or finishing time, stop the
flyback hand. After recording the time, push a button and the hand will
"fly back" to catch up with the constantly moving elapsed-time
hand. Repeat the process to record as many lap times or finishing times
as needed. |
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G |
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Gear train |
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The system of gears which transmits power from the mainspring
to the escapement. |
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Gold plated |
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A layer of gold electroplated to a base metal. |
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I |
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Integrated bracelet |
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A watch bracelet that is incorporated into the design of the
case. |
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Jewels |
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Synthetic sapphires or rubies that act as bearings for gears
in a mechanical watch. The jewels reduce friction to make the watch more
accurate and longer lasting. |
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K |
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Kinetic |
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Refers to the Seiko line of Kinetic watches. This innovative
technology has a quartz movement that does not use a battery. Movement of
your wrist charges a very efficient capacitor, which powers the quartz movement.
Once the capacitor is fully charged, men's models will store energy for
7-14 days without being worn. Ladies models store energy for 3-7 days. Of
course, if the watch is worn every day the capacitor is continually recharged.
The watch alerts you to a low capacitor charge when the seconds' hand starts
to move in two-second intervals. |
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L |
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Lap timer |
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A chronograph function that lets the wearer time segments
of a race. At the end of a lap he stops the timer, which then returns to
zero to begin timing the next lap. |
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Liquid-crystal display (LCD) |
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A digital watch display that shows the time electronically
by means of a liquid held in a thin layer between two transparent plates.
All LCD watches have quartz movements. |
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Lugs |
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Projections on a watch face to which the watchband or bracelet
is attached. |
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M |
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Measurement conversion |
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A feature, usually consisting of a graduated scale on the
watch's bezel, that lets the wearer translate one type of measurement into
another i.e., miles into kilometres or pounds into kilograms. |
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Mechanical movement |
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A movement powered by a mainspring, working in conjunction
with a balance wheel. Most watches today have electronically controlled
quartz movements and are powered by a battery. However, mechanical watches
are currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity. |
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Movement |
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The inner mechanism of a watch that keeps the time and moves
the watch's hands, calendar, etc. Movements are either mechanical or quartz.
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P |
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Power reserve indicator |
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A feature that shows when the watch will soon need a new battery
or winding. A battery reserve indicator on a quartz watch informs the wearer
when the battery is low. Often this is indicated by the seconds hand moving
at two or three-second intervals. Seiko's Kinetic watches are quartz watches
that do not have a battery (see "Kinetic"). When a Seiko Kinetic
needs to be wound, the seconds' hand will also move in two-second intervals. |
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Q |
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Quartz movement |
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A movement powered by a battery and a circuit board containing
quartz crystals. Quartz movements are very accurate. They can be mass-produced
which makes them less expensive than most mechanical movements, which require
a higher degree of craftsmanship. |
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R |
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Rotating bezel |
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A bezel (the ring surrounding the watch face) that can be
turned. Different types of rotating bezels perform different timekeeping
and mathematical functions (see "elapsed time rotating bezel",
"unidirectional rotating bezel", "bi-directional rotating
bezel" and "slide rule.") |
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Rotor |
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The part of an automatic (or self-winding) mechanical watch
that winds the movement's mainspring. It is a flat piece of metal, usually
shaped like a semicircle that swivels on a pivot with the motion of the
wearer's arm. |
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S |
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Sapphire crystal |
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A crystal made of synthetic sapphire, a transparent, shatter-resistant,
scratch-resistant substance. |
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Screw-lock crown |
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A crown that can be screwed into the case to make the watch
watertight. |
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Second time-zone indicator |
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An additional dial that can be set to the time in another
time zone. It lets the wearer keep track of local time and the time in another
country simultaneously. |
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Shock resistance |
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As defined by U.S. government regulation, a watch's ability
to withstand an impact equal to that of being dropped onto a wood floor
from a height of 3 feet. |
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Slide rule |
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A device consisting of logarithmic or other scales on the
outer edge of the watch face that can be used to do mathematical calculations.
One of the scales is marked on a rotating bezel, which can be slid against
the stationary scale to make the calculations. Some watches have slide rules
that allow specific calculations, such as for fuel consumption by an airplane
or fuel weight. |
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Solar powered |
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A watch that uses solar energy (from any light source) to
power the quartz movement. The Citizen >Solar-Tech |
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Stepping motor |
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The part of a quartz movement that moves the gear train, which
in turn moves the watch's hands. |
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Stopwatch |
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A watch with a seconds' hand that measures intervals of time.
When a stopwatch is incorporated into a standard watch, both the stopwatch
function and the timepiece are referred to as a chronograph. |
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Sub-dial |
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A small dial on a watch face used for any of several purposes,
such as keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours on a chronograph, or indicating
the date. |
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T |
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Tachymeter ("tack
IM eh ter") |
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A feature found on some chronograph watches. A tachymeter
(also called a "tachometer") measures the speed at which the wearer
has travelled over a measured distance. |
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Tank watch |
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A rectangular watch designed by Louis Cartier. The bars along
the sides of the watch were inspired by the tracks of tanks used in World
War 1. |
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Telemeter ("tel EH
meh ter") |
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A telemeter determines the distance of an object from the
observer by measuring how long it takes sound to travel that distance. Like
a tachymeter (see "tachymeter"), it consists of a stopwatch or
chronograph and a special scale, usually on the outermost edge of the watch
face. |
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Titanium |
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A metal that is used for some bracelets and watchcases. Titanium
is much stronger and lighter than stainless steel. Titanium is also hypoallergenic.
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Tonneau watch |
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A watch shaped like a barrel, with two convex sides. |
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U |
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Unidirectional rotating bezel |
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An elapsed time rotating bezel (see "elapsed time rotating
bezel"), often found on divers' watches, which only moves only in a
counter clockwise direction. It is designed to prevent a diver who has unwittingly
knocked the bezel off its original position from overestimating his remaining
air supply. Because the bezel moves in only one direction, the diver can
only be on the side of safety when timing his dive. Many divers' watches
are ratcheted, so that they lock into place for greater safety. |
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W |
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Watch measurements |
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The diameter or width of a watchcase, along with the thickness
of the case. On non-circular cases i.e. tank, square and rectangular watches,
the case is measured by the width across. The thickness on all watches is
measured from the top of the bezel to the bottom of the case. |
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Water resistance |
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The ability to withstand splashes of water. |
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Winding stem |
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The button on the right side of the watchcase used to wind
the mainspring. Also called a "crown." |
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World time dial |
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A dial, usually on the outer edge of the watch face, that
tells the time in up to 24 time zones around the world. The time zones are
represented by the names of cities printed on the bezel or dial. The wearer
reads the hour in a particular time zone by looking at the scale next to
the city that the hour hand is pointing to. The minutes are read as normal.
Watches with this feature are called "world timers." |
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