Alarm - Sounds a signal at a pre-set time.
Altimeter - Tells altitude by responding to changes in barometric pressure.
Analog Display - A display that shows the time using hands.
Analog Watch - A watch with a dial, hands, and numbers or markers for telling time.
AR - Anti-reflective coating put on the crystal, sometimes gives off a blue hue.
Automatic - Winding that occurs from a rotor through motion that keeps the watch operating, opposed to battery (quartz).
Balance Spring - A spring in a mechanical watch that returns the balance wheel back to a neutral position.
Balance Wheel - The part of a mechanical watch that oscillates.
Barrel - box containing the mainspring of a watch.
Beats - Measured by beats per second then generally translated to beats per hour or BPH. Example: 8 beats per second is 28,800 beats per hour.
Bezel - The ring that goes around the watch face.
Bidirectional Bezel - A bezel that can be moved either clockwise or counterclockwise.
Bracelet - A watch band made steel, titanium, or a precious metal.
Bridge - Fixed to the main plate to form the frame of a watch movement.
Caliber - Used in reference to describe the type/model of movement being used in a watch
Case - The metal housing of a watch's parts.
Chronograph - Acts as a stopwatch, can be started and stopped to time an event utilizing subdials on the watch face.
Chronometer - Certified that it meets COSC specifications by running the movements through a series of test and positions.
Complication - Anything besides the time. A day and date function would be two complications.
C.O.S.C. - The Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) test movements and certifies that it falls within C.O.S.C. standards of -4/+6 seconds per day.
Countdown Timer - Counts time down from from a predetermined time. Example, if set for 60 minutes, it will count down to zero. Keeps track of elapsed time.
Crown - Either a pull out or screw down pusher attached to the stem used to change time, day, date, and wind the watch.
Crown Guard - Are on either side of crown, usually found on dive watches to prevent damage to the crown during diving.
Crystal - What you view the watch through, normally mineral or sapphire crystal.
Day/Date - A watch that indicates the week day and the date.
Deployment Buckle - A type of buckle that open and fastens using hinged extenders.
Dial - The watch face.
Digital watch - A watch that displays time digitally, opposed to hands.
Dual Timer - A watch that measures current local time and another time zone. This could also be a GMT complication.
Escapement - Device in a mechanical watch that controls the rotation of the wheels .
ETA - Owned by the Swatch Group and are a leading player of Swiss based movements.
Face - The visible side of the watch where the dial is contained.
Gasket - gaskets used to seal the case back, crystal, and crown to help with water resistance.
Horology - The science of time measurement, including designing and constructing the timepieces.
Integrated Bracelet - A watch bracelet that is integrated into the design of the case.
Jewels - Synthetic sapphire or rubies that act as bearings for gears in the mechanical watch.
LE - Limited Edition
Limited Editions - A watch that produced in specific amount and not made again after the initial run.
Lugs - Come off of the case and is where the bracelet or strap is connected.
Mainspring - This is the spring that stays “tightens” up to create the power reserve.
Manual Wind - A manual wind watch is wound by hand, creating the power reserve.
Mechanical - A movement that is hand wound tightening the mainspring.
Moon-phase - A window in a watch face that shows which phase the moon is.
Movement - Movements are either manual, automatic, or quartz and move the hands and any complications.
Perpetual Calendar - A calendar that automatically adjusts to the length of the month.
Power Reserve - The amount of power reserved to keep the watch running. If a watch is fully wound with a power reserve of 40 hours and set down in will stop in roughly 40 hours. If it is an automatic as long as it is in motion before the power reserve runs out it will gain power and keep going.
Power Reserve Indicator - Indicates how much power is left before it stops running.
Pushers - Button(s) that are pressed to work a mechanism, usually on a chronograph.
Quartz Movements - A battery operated watch, which will require replacement unlike a mechanical watch. Its power is constant until it dies.
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 watch that winds the the movement's main spring through motion.
Sapphire Crystal - Synthetic sapphire, very scratch-resistant unlike mineral crystal.
Screw-Lock Crown - A crown that can be screwed into the case to make the watch to help with water resistance.
Second Time Zone - Simply a complication that can be set to a different time zone on the dial.
Shock Resistance - Based on the simulation of the shock received by a watch falling from the height of 3 feet onto a horizontal hardwood surface, issued by the International Organization for Standardization.
Skeleton Case - Allows vision of the movements through the face or back of the watch
Slide Rule - Scale on the outer edge of the watch face that integrates usually with a bidirectional bezel which enables the ability to do mathematical calculations.
Swiss Made - According to Swiss law, a Swiss-made watch means that at least 50% of the parts are Swiss made and that the assembly, finishing, and final inspection occurs in Switzerland.
Sweep Seconds-Hand - A seconds-hand that is mounted in the center of the watch dial.
Tachymeter - A measuring system on the outer bezel that is used to measure speed.
Titanium - 30% stronger and much lighter than steel, also hypoallergenic.
Tourbillon - Consist of a round carriage, or cage, holding the escapement and the balance wheel. This is the pinnacle in watch making and is highly coveted for the knowledge and craftsmanship it takes build. It is common place for these watches to be in excess of 100K USD.
Tritium: An isotope of hydrogen that is used to activate the luminous dots or indices on a watch dial.
Two Tone: Two different metals being used on watch, like gold and stainless steel.
Unidirectional Bezel - Only moves counterclockwise.
Vibration: Measured by vibrations per second then generally translated to vibrations per hour or VPH. Example: 8 beats per second is 28,800 vibrations per hour.
Water Resistance - First no watch is water proof! Secondly, if a watch states only “water resistant” then it can only handle small amounts of moisture, do not submerge. If the watch states “water resistant 200m” for example it is good for swimming or snorkeling.
Winding - This tightens the mainspring of a watch either with a rotor on automatic or the crown on manual wind movements. This can also be done with the crown on automatic movements, but not a necessity.
