Watch Terminology
A B C D E
F G H I J
K L M N O P Q
R S T U V
W X Y Z
A
Adjusted: Derived from Latin ad justus, meaning just right.
Adjusted to compensate for temperature, positions, and isochronism.
Age of the Moon: The time that has elapsed since the new moon. In some
watches, the 29 1/2 days of the lunar month are indicated on a lunar dial.
Alarm: A device that makes a sound at a pre-set time. There are both
quartz and mechanical alarm watches. All or Nothing Piece: A repeating
watch mechanism which insures that all the hour and minutes are struck or
sounded or nothing is heard.
Altimeter: A device that determines altitude by responding to changes
in barometric pressure.
Amplitude: Maximum angle by which a balance swings from its position
of rest.
Anadigi Display: A display that shows the time with hour and minute
hands (an analog display) as well as digital numbers (a digital display).
Analog Display: A display that shows the time by means of hands and a
dial. Annealing: Heating and cooling a metal slowly to relieve internal
stress. Anti-Magnetic: Not affected by a magnetic field. Antiquarian:
Of antiques or dealing in, also the study of old and out-of-date items.
Aperture: Small opening. The dials of some watches (in French: montres
a guichet) have apertures in which certain indications are given (the date,
hour, etc.).
Appliqué: The process of cutting pieces of one material and applying
them to the surface of another material. (Hour markers on a watch dial
often have Arabic numerals, Roman numerals and other marker symbols applied in
this fashion.)
Arabic Numerals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 Arbor: The
mechanical axle of a moving part; on the balance it is called the staff, on the
lever it is called the arbor. Art Deco: A style of design that was
popular in the 1920s and 1930s (and has a lasting impact on jewelry,
architecture and other arts in current times) marked by stylized forms and
geometric designs, bold colors, and the use of plastic and glass that was
adapted to mass production. Art Nouveau: A style of decoration
and architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized
particularly by the depiction of leaves and flowers in flowing designs, and by
many curves or turns and winding designs. Assay: Analyzing a metal for its
gold or silver content.
Assembling: Process of fitting together the components of a movement.
This was formerly done entirely by hand, but the operations have now been
largely automated. Nevertheless, the human element is still vital, especially
for inspection and testing.
Asthmometer Scale: Graduations on the dial of a chronograph for
measuring the respiration rate. Asymmetrical: Irregular in shape or outline; "asymmetrical
features"; "example: a dress with an crooked hemline."
Auto Repeat Countdown Timer: A countdown timer that resets itself as
soon as the preset time has elapsed, and starts the countdown again. It repeats
the countdown continuously until the wearer pushes the stop button.
Automatic Watch: A watch whose mainspring is wound by the movements or
accelerations of the wearer's arm. On the basis of the principle of terrestrial
attraction, a rotor turns and transmits its energy to the spring by means of an
appropriate mechanism. The system was invented in Switzerland by Abraham-Louis
Breguet in the 18th century.
Automatic Winding (also called "Auto" "self-winding"
or "perpetual"): Winding that occurs due to the motion of the
wearer's arm rather than due to turning the winding stem. It works by means of a
rotor that turns in response to motion, therein winding up the watch's
mainspring. An automatic watch that is not worn for a period of time will drain
the power reserve and the watch will wind down. Automation: Automatic
working figures moving in conjunction with the movement mechanism.
Striking Jacquemarts or jacks which are figures (may be humans provided
with hammers) striking bells to supply the sound for the hour and quarter
hours. The hammers take the place of the bells clapper. Automata
is the plural of automation. Auxiliary Compensation: For middle
temperature errors found on marine chronometers. Auxiliary Dial: Any
extra dial for information (dates, days, months, timers etc.) AWI:
American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute. (701 Enterprise Drive,
Harrison, OH 45030 - Telephone: 513-367-9800)
B
Baguette: A French term for an oblong shape. A watch having it's
length at least 3 times it's width. A long narrow diamond. Balance Cock:
The bridge that holds the upper jewels and the balance and secured at the end
only.
Balance Spring: A very fine spring (also called a "hair
spring") in a mechanical watch that returns the balance wheel back to a
neutral position. Balance Staff: The shaft of the balance wheel.
Balance Wheel: The part of a mechanical watch movement that
oscillates, dividing time into equal segments.
Banking Pins: The two pins which limit the angular motion of the
pallet.
Bar Movement: A type of movement employing about six bridges to hold
teh train. This movement was being used by 1840.
Barrel: Thin cylindrical box containing the mainspring of a watch. The
toothed rim of the barrel drives the train.
Battery Reserve Indicator: A feature of a battery-powered watch that
shows how much longer the watch will operate before the battery should be
replaced. Beat: Refers to the tick or sound of a watch; about 1/5 of a
second. The sound is produced by the escape wheel striking the pallets. Beetle
Hand: An hour hand resembling a stag beetle; usually associated with the
poker-type minute hand in 17th and 18th century watches. Bell Metal:
Four parts copper and one part tin used for metal laps to get a high polish on
steel.
Bezel: The ring (usually made of gold, gold plating, or steel) that
surrounds the watch face.
Bi-Directional Rotating Bezel: A bezel that can be moved either
clockwise or counterclockwise. These are used for mathematical calculations or
for keeping track of elapsed time. Bi-Metallic Balance: A balance
composed of brass an steel designed to compensate for temperature changes in the
hairspring. Blind Man's Watch: A Braille watch; also known as a tact
watch. Bluing (or Buing): If polished steel is heated to 540 degrees,
the color will change to blue. Bombe': Convex on one side. Bow:
The ring that is looped at the pendant to which a chain or fob is attached. Box
Chronometer: A marine or other type chronometer in gimbals so the movement
remains level at sea. Box Jointed Case: A heavy hinged decorative case
with a simulated joint at the top under the pendant. (Also called the Box Case.)
Bracelet: A type of watchband made of elements that resemble links. Breguet
Key: A ratcheting watch key permitting winding in only one direction. Breguet
Spring: A type of hairspring that improves time keeping also called
over-coil hairspring.
Bridge: Complementary part fixed to the main plate to form the frame
of a watch movement. The other parts are mounted inside the frame. Bubble
Back: A Rolex watch which were water proof (Oyster) and auto wind
(Perpetual) circa 1930 to the 1950s. Buffer Spring: Buffer spring is a stop spring for
oscillating weight. Bull's Eye Crystal: Used on old
type watches; the center of the crystal was polished which achieved the bull's
eye effect. Bumper Watch: A "bumper watch" is a watch with an
automatic movement. Instead of having a full rotor (360 degrees of rotation) it
has what is sometimes referred to as a hammer rotor, and this hammer rotor
swings back and forth inside the case approximately 300 degrees striking a small
spring mounted to a platform at each side. When the hammer rotor hits this
spring it is propelled back the other way until it strikes the spring at the
other side [or end] of the platform and so on. The sound it makes is a kind
of "clang" or "bump" thus the name "bumper watch."
C
Cabochon: Decorative stone that has been carved into a round shape.
(These stones are placed on some crowns.)
Calendar: A feature that shows the day of the month, and often the day
of the week and the year.
Cambered: Often used to refer to a curved or arched dial or bezel. Caliber
or Calibre: The size of a watch movement also to describe the model, style
or shape of a watch movement. Cap Jewel: Also called the end stone, the
flat jewel on which the staff rests.
Case: The metal housing of a watch's parts. Stainless steel is the
most typical metal used but titanium, gold, silver, and platinum are also used.
Less expensive watches are usually made of brass and plated with gold or silver. Case
Screw: A screw with part of its head cut away. Center Wheel: The
second wheel; the arbor for the minute hand; this wheel makes one revolution per
hour. Chain (Fusee): Looks like a miniature bi-cycle chain connecting
the barrel and fusee. Chamfer: Sloping or beveled. Removing a sharp
edge or edges of holes. Champleve: An area hollowed out and filled with
enamel and then baked on. Chapter: The hour, minute and seconds numbers
on a dial. The chapter ring is the zone or circle that confines the numbers.
Chime: The bell-like sound made when a clock strikes on the hour,
half-hour, etc. Two familiar chimes traditionally found in clocks are the
Westminster chime made by the famous Big Ben in London, and the bim-bam, a
two-note chime.
Chronograph: A stopwatch, that is, a timer that can be started and
stopped to time an event. There are many variations of the chronograph. Some
operate with a center second hand, which keeps time on the watch's main dial.
Others use subdials to show elapsed hours, minutes and seconds. Still others
show elapsed time on a digital display on the watch face. 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. Some
chronographs can time more than one event simultaneously. Do not confuse the
term "chronograph" with "chronometer." The latter refers to
a timepiece (it may or may not have a chronograph function), which has met
specific high standards of accuracy set by an official watch institute in
Switzerland. The term "chronograph" is also used to refer to any watch
that includes the chronograph function.
Chronometer: A timepiece that has met certain high standards of
accuracy set by the Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometeres in Switzerland. Chronometer
Escapement: A detent escapement used on marine chronometers. Click:
A pawl that ratchets and permits the winding wheel to move in one direction; a
clicking sound can be heard as the watch is wound. Clock Watch: A watch
that strikes the hour but not on demand. Cloisonne: Enamel set between
strips of metal and baked onto the dial. Club Tooth: Some escape wheels
have a special design which increases te impulse plane; located at the tip of
the tooth of the escape tooth. Coarse Train: 16,000 beats per hour. Cock:
The metal bar which carries the bearing for the balance's upper pivot an is
supported at one end. Compensation Balance: A balance wheel designed to
correct for temperature.
Complication: A watch with other functions besides timekeeping. For
example, a chronograph is a watch complication. Other complications coveted by
watch collectors include minute repeaters, tourbillons, perpetual calendars, and
split-second chronographs. Contrate Wheel: A wheel with its teeth at a
right angle to plane of the wheel. Convertible: Movements made by Elgin
(and some other firms) that was a means of converting from a hunting case to an
open-faced watch or vice-versa. Corfam: An artificial leather created
and made by DuPont from 1964 to 1971. Many wristwatch bands were made from this
material.
Countdown Timer: 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 time runs out -- these are useful in events
such as yacht races, where a sailor must maneuver a boat into position before
the start of a race. Craze (crazing): A minute crack in the glaze of
enamel watch dials.
Crown: Button on the outside of the case that is used to set the time
and the calendar, and, in the mechanical watches, to wind the mainspring. Crown
Wheel: The escape wheel of a verge escapement; looks like a crown.
Crystal: The transparent cover on the watch face made of glass
crystal, synthetic sapphire or plastic. Curb Pins: The two pins that
change the rate of a watch; the two pins, in effect, change the length of the
hairspring. Cuvette: The inter-dust cover of a pocket watch. Cylinder
Escapement: A type of escapement used on some watches.
D
Damaskeening: The art of producing a design, pattern, or wavy
appearance on a metal. American idiom or terminology used in all American
factory ads. The European terminology was Fausse Cotes or Geneva Stripes.
Day/Night Indicator: A colored or shaded band on a world time clock
that shows which time zones are in daylight and which in darkness. Demi-Hunter:
A hunting case with the center designed to allow the position of the hands to be
seen without opening the case.
Depth Alarm: An alarm on a diver's watch that sounds when the wearer
exceeds a pre-set depth. In most watches it stops sounding when the diver
ascends above that depth.
Detent Escapement: A detached escapement. The balance is impulsed in
one direction; used on watches to provide greater accuracy. Detent a locking
device.
Dial: The watch face.
Digital Watch: A watch that shows the time with digits rather than
with a dial and hands display. Discharge Fallet Jewel: The left jewel. Double
Roller: A watch with one impulse roller table and a safety roller, thus two
rollers. Draw: The angular position of the pallet jewels in the pallet
frame which causes those jewels to be drawn deeper into the escape wheel under
pressure of the escape wheel's tooth on the locking surface. Drivers Watch:
Drivers watches were designed to be worn on the side of the wrist
while driving a car so that the driver would not have to move the wrist to see
the time. Drop: The
space between a tooth of the escape wheel and the pallet from which it has just
escaped.
Dual Timer: A watch that measures current local time as well as at
least one other time zone. The additional time element may come from a twin
dial, extra hand, subdials, or other means. Dumb-Repeater: A repeating
watch with hammers that strikes a block instead of bells or gongs. Duplex
Escapement: An escape wheel with two sets of teeth, one for locking and one
for impulse.
E
Ebauche (ay-boesh): A movement not completely finished
or in the rough; not detailed; a raw movement; a movment made up of two plates,
train, barrel and did not include a dial, case or escapement. Eccentric:
Not exactly circular, non-concentric. A cam with a lobe or egg shape. Eco-Drive:
A quartz watch that uses a Solar conversion panel and energy cell to provide the
operating power. The ability of an Eco-Drive to use light from any source to
generate electrical power means that the supply is limitless and free and never
needs a battery.
Elapsed Time Rotating Bezel: A graduated rotating bezel used to keep
track of periods of time. The bezel can be turned so the wearer can align the
zero on the bezel with the watch's second or minute hands. The wearer can then
read the elapsed time off the bezel. This prevents the wearer from having to
perform the subtraction that would be necessary if the watch's regular dial was
used. Engine Turning: Decorative engraving, usually on the watch case. Electronic
Watch: Newer type watch using quartz and electronics to produce a high
degree of accuracy. Elinvar: A hairspring composed of a special alloy
of nickel, steel, chromium, manganese and tungsten that does not vary at
different temperatures. Elinvar was derived from the words elasticity
invariable. End Shake: The up and down play of an arbor between the
plates and bridge or between the jewels. Ephemerous Time: The time
calculated for the Earth to orbit around the sun. Escape Wheel: The
last wheel in a going train; works with the fork or lever and escapes one pulse
at a time. Escapement: The device in a mechanical movement watch by
which the motion of the train is checked and the energy of the mainspring
communicated to the balance. The escapement includes the escape wheel, lever,
and balance complete with hairspring.
F
Face: The visible side of the watch where the dial is contained. Most
are printed with Arabic or Roman numerals. Farmer's Watch (Oignon): A
large pocket watch with a verge escapement an a farm scene on the dial. Fecit:
A Latin work meaning "made by." Five-Minute Repeater: A watch
that denotes the time every five minutes, and on the hour and half hour, by
operating a push piece. Flinque: Enameling over hand engraving.
Flyback Hand: A second hand on the chronograph that can be used to
time laps or to determine finishing times for several competitors in race. FOB:
A short chain or ribbon attached to a pocket watch, or pocket watch chain,
and worn hanging in front of the vest or waist. An ornament or seal is typically
attached to such a chain or ribbon. Foliot: A straight-armed balance
with weights on each end used for regulation; found on the earliest clocks and
watches. Fork: The part of the pallet lever that engages with the
roller jewel. Full Plate: A plate (or disc) that covers the works and
supports the wheels pivots. There is a top plate, a bottom plate, half and 3/4
plate. The top plate has the balance resting on it. Fusee: A spiral
grooved, truncated cone used in some watches to equalize the power of the
mainspring.
G
Gear Train: The system of gears that transmits power from the
mainspring to the escapement. Geneva Stripes: The art of producing a
design, pattern, or wavy appearance on a metal. [This is the European term for
damaskeening.] Geneva Stop Work: A system used to stop the works
preventing the barrel from being over wound. Gilt or Gild: To coat or
plating with gold leaf or a gold color. Global Positioning System (GPS)
Watch: Watches that utilize GPS technology and provide features such as multi-channel
receivers that can receive signals from many GPS satellites to calculate
and display the latitude, longitude and altitude of your current position. Going Barrel: The barrel houses
the main spring; as the spring uncoils, the barrel turns, and the teeth on the
outside of the barrel turn the train of gears as opposed to toothless fusee
barrel. Gold Filled: Sandwich-type metal; a layer of gold, a layer of
base metal in the middle, and then another layer of gold - these layers of
metals are soldered to each other to form a sandwich. Gold Jewel Setting:
In high-grade watches the jewels were mounted in gold settings.
Gold Plating: A layer of gold that has been electro-deposited onto a
metal; its thickness is measured in microns.
Grande Sonnerie (Grand Strike): A type of repeater that sounds the hours and quarter
hours when the wearer pushes the button. Great Wheel: The main wheel of
a fusee type watch.
Guilloche: Type of engraving in which thin lines are interwoven,
creating a patterned surface.
H
Hack-Watch: A watch with a balance that can be stopped to allow
synchronization with another timepiece. Hairspring: The spring which
vibrates the balance. Hairspring Stud: A hairspring stud is used
to connect the hairspring to the balance cock. Hallmark: The silver or
gold or platinum markings of many countries.
Hard Metal: A scratch resistant metal comprised of binding several
materials, including titanium and tungsten carbide, which are then pressed into
an extremely hard metal and polished with diamond powder to add brilliance. Heart
Cam-Piece: A heart shaped cam which causes the hand on a chronograph to fly
back to zero. Helical Hairspring: A cylindrical spring used in
chronometers.
High-Tech Ceramic: 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 and is usually
found in black, but can be produced in a spectrum of colors.
Horology: The science of time measurement, including the art of
designing and constructing the timepieces. Hunter Case: A pocket watch
case with a covered face that must be opened to see the watch dial.
I
Independent Seconds: A seconds hand driven independently by a separate
train but controlled by the time train.
Index: Another term for the racquet-shaped regulator which lengthens
or shortens the effective length of the hairspring.
Integrated Bracelet: A watch bracelet that is integrated into the
design of the case. Isochronism: "Isos" means equal; chronos
means time-occuring at equal intervals of time. The balance and hairspring
adjusted will allow the watch to run at the same rate regardless whether the
watch is fully wound or almost run down.
J
Jewels: Synthetic sapphires or rubies that act as bearings for gears
in a mechanical watch, reducing friction.
Jump Hour Indicator: A jump hour indicator takes the place of an hour
hand. It shows the hour by means of a numeric window on the watch face.
K
Karrusel: An invention of Bonniksen in 1894 which allows the entire
escapement to revolve within the watch once in 52 1/2 minutes (in most karrusels),.
this unit is supported at one end only as opposed to the tourbillon which is
supported at both ends and which most often revolves about once a minute. Key
Set: Older watch that had to be set with a key.
L
Lap Memory: The ability, in some quartz sport watches, to preserve in
the watch's memory the times of laps in a race that have been determined by the
lap timer. The wearer can recall these times on a digital display by pushing a
button.
Lap Timer: A chronograph function that lets the wearer time segments
of a race. At the end of a lap, the wearer stops the timer, which then returns
to zero to begin timing the next lap.
Leaves: The teeth of the pinion gears. L'Epine' Calibre:
Swiss term for open face. Introduced by J.A. L'Epine in 1770. Lever
Escapement: Invented by Thomas Mudge in 1760. Lever Setting: The
lever used to set some watches. Light-Emitting Diode (LED): A type of
diode that emits light when
current passes through it. LEDs have many uses, visible LEDs are used as
indicator lights on all sorts of electronic devices (including pocket watches
and wristwatches.) Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD): A digital watch display that shows the time
electronically by means of the liquid held in a thin layer between two
transparent plates.
Locking: Arresting the advance of the escape wheel during the
balance's free excursion.
Lugs: Projections on the watchcase to which the watch band/bracelet is
attached. Luminous: Emitting light, especially emitting self-generated light.
(Used on watch hands and hour markers.)
M
Main Plate: Base plate on which all the other parts of the watch
movement are mounted. Main Wheel: The first driving wheel, part of the
barrel.
Mainspring: The driving spring of a watch or clock contained in the
barrel. Maltese Cross: The part of the stop works preventing the barrel
from being over wound.
Marine Chronometer: Highly accurate mechanical or electronic
timekeeper enclosed in a box (hence the term "box chronometer"), used
for determining the longitude on board a ship. It is necessary for marine
chronometers with mechanical movements to be mounted on gimbals so that they
remain in a horizontal position. Mean Time: Also equal hours; average
solar time; the time shown by watches. Mean Time Screws: balance screws
used for timing, usually longer than other balance screws; when turned away from
or toward the balance pin, they cause the balance vibrations to become faster or
slower.
Measurement Conversion: A feature, usually consisting of a graduated
scale on a watch's bezel, that lets the wearer translate one type of measurement
into another; for example, miles into kilometers, or pounds into kilograms.
Mechanical movement: A movement powered by a mainspring, working in
conjunction with a balance wheel. Micrometric Regulator: A regulator
used on railroad grade watches to adjust for gain and loss in a very precise
way. Micro-second: A millionth of a second.
Micron: Unit of measure of the thickness of the gold-plating. 1 micron
= 1/1000mm. Minute Repeater: A watch that strikes or sounds the hours,
and minutes on demand.
Moon-phase: A window in a watch face that shows the current phase of
the moon.
Mother-of-Pearl: Iridescent milky interior shell of the freshwater
mollusk that is sliced thin and used on watch dials. While most have a milky
white luster, mother-of-pearl also comes in other colors such as silvery gray,
gray blue, pink and salmon.
Movement: The inner mechanism of a watch that keeps time and moves the
watch's hands calendar, etc. Movements are either mechanical or quartz. Musical
Watch: A watch that plays a tune on demand or on the hour. Multi-Gold:
Different colors of gold - red, green, white, blue, pink, yellow and purple.
N
Nanosecond: One billionth of a second. N.A.W.C.C.: The
National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. Located: 514 Popular Street,
Columbia, Pennsylvania 17512 (telephone: 1-717-684-8261.) Founded in 1943, The
National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. (NAWCC)
is a nonprofit scientific organization that serves as a unique
educational, cultural and social resource for its membership and the public at
large. Members include hobbyists, students, educators, casual collectors,
and professionals in related retail and manufacturing trades. The one common
bond (and main membership requirement) is a fascination with the art and science
of timekeeping (horology). Nurenburg Egg: Nickname for a German watch
that was oval-shaped.
O
Oignon: Large older (1700s) style watch in the shape of a onion or in
the shape of a bulb. Oil Sink: A small well around a pivot which
retains oil. Overbanked: A lever escapement error; the roller jewel
passes to the wrong side of the lever notch, causing one side of the pallet to
rest against the banking pin and the roller jewel t rest against the other side,
thus locking the escapement and stopping the motion of the balance. Overcoil:
The raised up portion of the balance hairspring, not flat. Also called Breguet
hairspring.
P
Patina: Oxidation of any surface and change due to aging. A natural
staining or discoloration due to the aging process. Pair-Case Watch: An
extra case around a watch (two cases), hence a pair of cases. The outer case
kept out the dust. The inner case could not be dustproof because it provided the
access to the winding and setting keyholes in the watch case. Palladium:
One of six platinum metals, used in watches in place of platinum, because it is
harder, lighter and cheaper. Pallet: The part of the lever that works
with the escape wheel-jeweled pallet jewels, entry and exit pallets. Parachute:
An early shock proofing system designed to fit as a spring on the end stone of
balance. Pave: A number of jewels or stone set close together. Paved in
diamonds. Pedometer: A device that counts the number of strides taken by the
wearer by responding to the impact of the wearer's steps. Pendant: The
neck of the watch; attached to it is the bow (swing ring) and the crown.
Perpetual Calendar: A calendar that automatically adjusts for the
months' varying length and for leap years. Pillars: the rods that hold
the plates apart. In older watches they were fancy. Pinchbeck: A metal
similar in appearance to gold. named after the inventor. Alloy of four parts
copper and three parts zinc. Pinion: The larger gear is called a wheel.
The small solid gear is a pinion. The pinion is made of steel in some watches. Plate:
A watch has a front and a back plate or top and bottom plate. The works are in
between.
Platinum: One of the rarest of precious metals, platinum also is one
of the strongest and heaviest, making it a popular choice for setting gemstone
jewelry and watches. It has a rich, white luster, and an understated look.
Platinum is hypoallergenic and tarnish resistant. Platinum used in jewelry and
watches is at least eighty-five to ninety-five percent pure. Many platinum
watches are produced in limited editions due to the expense and rarity of the
metal. Poise: A term meaning in balance to equalize the weight around
the balance. Pontillage (bull's eye crystal): The grinding of the
center of a crystal to form a concave or so called "bull's eye
crystal." Pop Art: Pop Art is a 20th century art movement that
utilized the imagery and techniques of consumerism and popular culture. Pop art
developed in the late1950's as a reaction against Abstract Expressionism and
flourished in the sixties and early seventies. Pop Art favored figural imagery
and the reproduction of everyday objects, such as Campbell Soup cans, comic
strips and advertisements. The movement eliminated distinctions between
"good" and "bad" taste and between fine art and commercial
art techniques.
Position: As adjusted to five positions; a watch may
differ in its time keeping accuracy as it lays in different positions. Due to
the lack of poise, changes in the center of gravity, a watch can be adjusted to
six positions: dial up, dial down, stem up, stem down, stem left and stem right.
Power Reserve Indicator: A feature of a mechanical watch that shows
how much longer the watch will operate before it must be wound again.
Psychedelic: Having the vivid colors and bizarre patterns associated
with psychedelic states. An art form that represents a psychedelic experience.
Pulsimeter: A scale on a chronograph watch for measuring the pulse
rate.
Push-piece: Button that is pressed to work a mechanism. (Push-pieces
are on chronographs, striking watches, alarms, etc.)
Q
Quick Train: A watch with five beats or more per second or 18,000 per
hour.
Quartz Crystal: A tiny piece of synthetic quartz that oscillates at
the rate of 32.768 times a second, dividing time into equal segments.
Quartz Movement: A movement powered by a quartz crystal to vibrate.
R
Rack & Pinion Lever Escapement: Developed by Abbe de Huteville in
1722 and by Peter Litherhead in 1791; does not use a roller table, but a pinion.
Receiving Pallet: Also called left or entrance jewel, the first of tow
pallet jewels with which a tooth of the escape wheel comes into engagement.
Repeater: A device that chimes the time when the wearer pushes a
button. Repousse': A watch with a hammered, raised decoration on the
case. Retro Mod: An unconventional modern style of fashionable
design, or dress (originated in the 1960s.) Refers to the fashion, decor,
design, or style reminiscent of things from the past (especially from the
1960s.) Right Angle Escapement: Also called English Escapement. Rolled
Gold: Thin layer of gold soldered to a base metal. Roller Jewel:
The jewel mounted or seated in the roller table, which receives the impulse from
the pallet fork. Roller Table: The part of the balance in which the
roller jewel is seated. Roman Numerals: Developed by the Romans for use
in trade and commerce as a method to indicate numbers. The system they developed
lasted many centuries and has some specialized use in current times. It is a
typestyle characterized by upright letters having serifs and vertical lines
thicker than horizontal lines. Roman numerals were very popular on yesteryear's
pocket watches and clocks and are sometimes used on today's wristwatches, clocks and pocket
watches.
I - (Roman symbol for 1) - The easiest way to note
down a number is to make that many marks - little I's. Thus I means 1, II means
2, III means 3. However, four strokes seemed like too many....
V - (Roman symbol for 5) - The Romans moved on to
the symbol for 5 - V. Placing I in front of the V — or placing any smaller
number in front of any larger number — indicates subtraction. So IV means 4.
After V comes a series of additions - VI means 6, VII means 7, VIII means 8.
X - (Roman symbol for 10) - X means 10. But wait — what about 9? Same
deal. IX means to subtract I from X, leaving 9. Numbers in the teens, twenties
and thirties follow the same form as the first set, only with X's indicating the
number of tens. So XXXI is 31, and XXIV is 24.
L - (Roman symbol for 50)
C - (Roman symbol for 100)
D - (Roman symbol for 500)
M - (Roman symbol for 1000) Rose (or pink) Gold: A softly hued gold that contains the same metals
as yellow gold but with a higher concentration of copper in the alloy. A popular
color in Europe, rose gold in watches is often seen in retro styling or in
tricolor gold versions. Some 18k red gold watches achieve their color from
additional copper in the alloy.
Rotating Bezel: A bezel (the ring surrounding the watch face) that can
be turned. Different types of rotating bezels perform different timekeeping and
mathematical functions.
Rotor: The part of an automatic (self-winding) watch that winds the movement's
mainspring.
S
Safety Pinion: A pinion in the center wheel designed to unscrew if the
mainspring breaks; this protects the train from being stripped by the great
force of the mainspring. Safety Roller: The smaller of the two rollers
in a double roller escapement.
Sapphire Crystal: A crystal (the cover that protects the watch face)
made of synthetic sapphire, a transparent shatter-resistant, scratch-resistant
substance.
Screw-Lock Crown: A crown that can be screwed into the case to make
the watch watertight.
Second Time-Zone Indicator: 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. Shagreen: The skin of a horse,
a shark, ray fish and other animal usually dyed green or blue green. Then used
as ornamental covers for older watch cases. Shrapnel Guard: A metal
grill that covers the crystal. They were mainly used during World War 1 to
protect watches from shrapnel and other flying debris.
Shock Absorber: Resilient bearing which, in a watch, is intended to
take up the shocks received by the balance staff and thus protects its delicate
pivots from damage.
Shock Resistance: As defined by the 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 three feet. Sidereal Day: The time of
rotation of the Earth as measured from the stars. About 3 minutes 56 seconds
shorter than the mean solar day. Side-Winder: A mismatched case and
movement; a term used for a hunting movement that has been placed on an open
face case and winds at the 3 o'clock position. Open face cases wind at the 12
o'clock position. Silveroid: A type of case composed of alloys to
simulate the appearance of silver. Single Roller: The safety roller and
the roller jewel are one single table. Size: System used to determine
the size of the movement to the case.
Skeleton Case: A case with a transparent front or back that allows the
wearer to view the watch's movement. Skeleton Watch: A watch made so
the viewer can see the works. Plates are pierced and very decorative. Skull
Watch: A antique watch that is hinged at the jaw to reveal a watch.
Slide Rule: A device consisting of a logarithmic or other scale on the
outer edge of the watch face that can be used to do mathematical calculations. Slow
Train: A watch with four beats per second or 14,000 per hour. Snail:
A cam shaped much like a snail. The snail determines the number of blows to be
struck by a repeater (a count wheel.) Snailing: Ornamentation of the
surface of metals by means of a circle design; also called damaskeening.
Solar Compass: A compass that allows the wearer to determine the
geographical poles by means of a rotating bezel. The wearer places the watch so
that the hour hand faces the sun. Then, the wearer takes half the distance
between the position and 12 o'clock, and turns the bezel until its
"south" marker is at that halfway point. Some quartz watches have
solar compasses that show directions on an LCD display.
Solar Powered Batteries: Batteries in a quartz watch that are
recharged via solar panels on the watch face. Solar Year: 365 days, 5
hours, 48 minutes and 49.7 seconds. Souscription: The cheapest Brequet
watch which he make with high quality made in batches or group lots in advance
to lower the cost (ebauches.) Space Age Watch: Watch making designs (especially from 1957
to 1979) that reflect the bold and daring styles that emerged from the
technology that was derived from the space travel revolution.
Split Seconds Hand: Actually two hands, one a fly-back hand, the other
a regular chronograph hand. When the wearer starts the chronograph, both hands
move together. To time laps or different finishing times, the wearer can stop
the fly-back hand independently while the regular chronograph hand keeps moving,
in effect 'splitting' the hand(s) in two. Spotting: Decoration used on
a watch movement and barrel of movements. Spring Bar: The metal keeper
that attaches the band to the lugs of a wrist watch and is spring loaded. Spring
Ring: A circular tube housing a coiled type spring. Stackfreed:
Curved spring and cam to equalize the uneven force of the mainspring on the 16th
century German movements. Staff: Name for the axle of the balance.
Stainless Steel: An extremely durable metal alloy (chromium is a main
ingredient) that is virtually immune to rust, discoloration and corrosion; it
can be highly polished, to look like a precious metal. Because of its strength,
stainless steel is often used even on case backs of watches made of other
metals. Starburst: A shape or design with emanating rays that resembles
the flash of light produced by an exploding star.
Stepping Motor: The part of a quartz movement that moves the gear
train, which in turn moves the watch's hands.
Sterling: A white and highly reflective precious metal. Sterling
silver refers to silver that is 92.5 percent pure, which should be stamped on
the metal, sometimes accompanied by the initials of the designer or the country
of origin as a hallmark. Although less durable than stainless steel and other
precious metals, sterling silver is often employed in watches that coordinate or
look like sterling silver jewelry. A protective coating may be added to prevent
tarnish.
Stopwatch: A watch with a second 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."
Subdial: A small dial on the watch face used for any of several
purposes, such as keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours on the chronograph,
or indicating the date. Sun Dial: A devise using a gnomon or style that
cast a shadow over a graduated dial as the sun progresses, indicating solar
time.
Swiss Made: A watch is considered Swiss if its movement was assembled,
started, adjusted and controlled by the manufacturer in Switzerland.
Swiss A.O.S.C. (Certificate of Origin): A mark identifying a watch
that is assembled in Switzerland with components of Swiss origin. Swivel:
A hinged spring catch with a loop of metal that may be opened to insert a watch
bow.
Sweep Seconds-Hand: A second-hand that is mounted in the center of the
watch dial.
T
Tachymeter: A device on a chronograph watch that measures the speed at
which the wearer has traveled over a measured distance.
Tank Watch: 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.
Telemeter: A telemeter determines the distance of an object from the
observer by measuring how long it takes sound to travel that distance. It
usually consists of a stopwatch, or chronograph, and a special scale, usually on
the outermost edge of a watch face.
Thirty (30) Minute Recorder (or register): A subdial on a chronograph that can
measure time periods of up to 30 minutes.
Timer: Instrument used for registering intervals of time (duration,
brief times), without any indication of the time of day.
Titanium: A "space age" metal, often having a silver-gray
appearance. Because it is 30 percent stronger and nearly 50 percent lighter than
steel, it has been increasingly used in watchmaking, especially sport watch
styles. Its resistance to salt water corrosion makes it particularly useful in
diver's watches. Since it can be scratched easily, some manufacturers use a
patented-coating to resist scratching.
Tonneau Watch: A watch shaped like a barrel, with two convex sides. Top
Plate: The metal plate that usually contains the name and serial number. Torsion:
A twisting force.
Totalizer: A mechanism that keeps track of elapsed time and displays
it, usually on a subdial.
Tourbillon: A device in a mechanical watch that eliminates timekeeping
errors caused by the slight difference in the rates at which a watch runs in the
horizontal and vertical positions. The tourbillon consists of a round carriage,
or cage, holding the escapement and the balance. It rotates continuously at the
rate of once per minute. Train: A series of gears that form the works
of a watch. The train is used for other functions such as chiming. The time
train carries the power to the escapement. Transition Watch: Watches
sold with both key and stem-winding on the same movement. Also, denotes watches
that were converted from pocket watches to wristwatches in the early 1900s.
During the 1800's pocket watches were all that was available. The wristwatch had
not yet been used. A popular story from the early 1900s tells of a German
military officer strapping his pocket watch to his wrist to keep his hands free.
This was the beginning of the modern wristwatch. As this practice became
popular, smaller sized pendant or pocket watches were adapted for use on the
wrist. This is where the term "transition" watch is commonly used. When
wristwatch popularity amongst men really took off (1908 to 1915), everyone
wanted to join in on the fad. Watch factories took existing smaller smaller
pocket watches and retrofitted them into a wristwatch. And, local jewelers also
designed pocket watches so they could be worn on the wrist. This was quite
common during the "Transitional" period.
Triple
Case Watch: 18th and 19th century verge escapement, fusee watches made for
the Turkish market. A fourth case sometimes added is called Quadruple cases.
Twelve (12) Hour Recorder (or Register): A subdial on a chronograph that can
record time periods of up to 12 hours.
U
Uni-directional Rotating Bezel: An elapsed time rotating bezel, often
found on divers' watches, that moves only in a counterclockwise direction. It is
designed to prevent a diver who has unwittingly knocked the bezel off its
original position from overestimating his or her remaining air supply. Because
the bezel moves in only one direction, the diver may err only on the side of
safety when timing a dive. Many divers' watches are ratcheted, so that they lock
into place for greater safety. Up and Down Dial Indicator: A dial that
shows how much of the mainspring is spent and how far up or down the mainspring
is.
V
Valjoux: is a Swiss manufacturer of mechanical watch movements that
specializes primarily in chronograph production (originally marked as
VAL or "R" for
Valjoux.) They are used in a number of middle range mechanical watches,
and have been owned by ETA for a number of years. ETA
now stamps their name on each
movement. Major watch brands that use the movements are Omega, Breitling,
Oris, TAG Heuer, and so on. Vibration: Movement of a pendulum or other oscillating element limited
by two consecutive extreme positions. The balance of a mechanical watch
generally makes five or six vibrations per second (that is, 18,000 or 21,600 per
hour), but that of a high-frequency watch may make seven, eight or even ten
vibrations per second (that is, 25,200, 28,800 or 36, 000 per hour). Verge
Escapement: Early type of escapement with a wheel that is shaped like a
crown. Vermeil: Gold plated over silver. Virgule Escapement:
Early escapement introduced in the mid 1700s.
W
Watch Glass Protector: A snap on metal grill that covers the
crystal. Watch Paper: A disc of paper with the name of the
watchmaker or repairman printed on it; used as a form of advertising and found
in some pair-cased watches.
Waterproof: The ability to completely exclude the possibility of water
entering into any working portion of a watch. According to the Federal Trade
Commission, no watch is fully 100 percent waterproof and no manufacturer that
sells watches in the U.S. may label any of their watches "waterproof."
The FTC demands that watches only be referred to as "water resistant."
Water Resistant: The ability to resist damage caused by exposure to
water.
White Gold: Created from yellow gold by incorporating either nickel or
palladium to the alloy to achieve a white color. Many watches made of
white gold will be 18k, or 75 percent pure gold. Wind Indicator: A
watch that indicates how much of the mainspring is spent.
Winding: Operation consisting of tightening the mainspring of a watch.
This can be done by hand (by the crown) or automatically (by a rotor, which is
caused to swing by the movements of the wearer's arm).
Winding Stem: The button on the right side of the watchcase used to
wind the mainspring. Also called a "crown."
Wolf Teeth: A winding wheel's teeth so named to their shape.
World Time Dial: A dial, usually on the outer edge of the watch face,
which tells the time 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."
X
Y
Yacht Timer: A countdown timer that sounds warning signals during the
countdown for a boat race.
Yellow Gold: The traditionally popular gold used in all gold, gold and
stainless steel combinations, or other precious metal watches.
Z
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