Have you ever heard a watch term and thought to yourself, but what does it actually mean? With the never-ending watch terminology out there it is all too easy to get overwhelmed. If you’re a long time watch enthusiast or fresh to the market, these watch terminologies are of utmost importance. As you know there are countless brands, styles and features available on luxury watches. That’s why we thought it would be a good idea to compile a comprehensive guide that covers all sorts of watch terminology, from components to styles to movements and so much more. We made sure to cover all our basis so that you can make an informed decision the next time you are shopping for a wrist companion. Keep on reading to learn more about luxury watches and their terminology. 

If you find this article insightful, share it with a friend and tag us. Looking for a luxury timepiece crafted by master watchmakers? Shop online now and discover our wide range of luxury watches.  

In this article, we will be discussing each section separately. The sections we will be covering are: 

1. Watch Parts
2. Watch movements 
3. Watch complications
4. Different types of luxury watches
5. Different watches for different occasions

Body: 

Watch Parts simply explained 

Watches are made up out of hundreds of parts that are in charge of controlling your watches accuracy, durability and style of course. Below we will look at each component and briefly explain the purpose of each. 

Aperture

The aperture is the small window on the dial that displays information such as the date, month or year. 

Bezel

The top ring on top of a watch that encircles the dial is commonly referred to as a bezel. Certain bezels can also display additional information such as GMT. 

Bracelet

This is either a leather strap that sits around the wrist or a metal band to keep the watch in position. 

Case

The body of the watch that protects the “organs” of the watch is called the Case. The case plays an important role in preventing dust particles or water that may penetrate the watch. Cases are also designed to absorb shock when the watch falls. The quality of shock absorption will depend on the brand of the watch. 

Crown

The crown of a watch is the device (knob) on the side of the watch that lets you wind the watch (manual wind mechanical watches) It can also stop the watch when it is pulled out which would save you some valuable battery life. 

Crystal

The crystal refers to the transparent glass that covers the face of the watch and its function is to protect the dial of your watch. Modern watches come out with scratch-resistant crystal however, it would be wise to find out from the retailer whether or not the crystal is scratch resistant before you make your purchase. 

Dial

The dial is the face of the watch that sits below the crystal. 

Hands

The hands of the watch refer to the time indicators on the dial. You get three variants which indicate the hours, the minutes and even the seconds. The hands of different watches can allow the wearer of the watch to measure speed, distance and in some watches, they can measure air supply which is more commonly used in diving watches. 

Helium Escape Valve

Helium valves are found on diving watches. They release pressure in the watch when it reaches its maximum depth. Ordinary watches do not have this function, although they are designed to withstand certain amounts of pressure underwater. This too will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. 

Lugs

The lugs are the slim metal bars that connect the case to the strap of the watch. 

Movement

The movement refers to the movement that powers the watch and drives all of the timekeeping functions. It is also known as the calibre. 

Pusher

This is the button on the side of the watch that activates a complication such as a chronograph watch. 

Sub-dial

The sub-dial is a smaller dial than the main one. It provides the wearer with additional information such as in the case of a chronograph’s recorded time. 

The different types of movements 

There are three types of movements in luxury watches, namely: 

Manual

A manual movement requires regular winding of the watch’s crown that provides the power behind the movement of dials and sub-dials. 

Automatic

Automatic watches are powered by mechanical movements that stem from the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist. They are also known as self-winding watches. Whenever the wearer decides to take it off, it will stop the movement after a while of inactivity. 

Watch World has a wide range of automatic movement watches such as the incredible Ingersoll Apsley. It incorporates an automatic movement and is designed to showcase a postmodern timepiece that is extremely accurate and not to mention Good Looking. 

Quartz

Quartz movements refer to a battery-operated movement that does not require the wearer to wind it up. Quartz powered watches are typically less expensive than those of manual and automatic watches. Shop our wide range of quartz movement watches online that is as good looking as they are functional. 

What are watch complications and what are the different types?

When we speak about watch complications we are not referring to any problems that the watch might have. This term simply refers to the function of the watch other than timekeeping that indicates the hours, minutes or seconds. Below is a list of the most popular complications and their functions. 

Annual Calendar 

It displays the date and month but does not account for leap years. 

Chronograph

The chronograph complication describes the time functionality of a watch. It is commonly referred to as a stopwatch which allows the wearer to measure elapsed periods. 

Date Window

The date window is commonly found as an aperture at 3 O’clock or 6 O’clock. Some date windows have a magnifying ‘drop’ on the crystal also called cyclops in watch jargon. 

Dual time

This displays local time zones and an additional time zone. 

Minute repeater 

A minute repeater chimes the time when activated. They usually have different sounds for minutes, hours and quarter-hours. 

Moon phase

A moon phase display indicates the phases of the moon

Perpetual calendar

A perpetual calendar displays the day, date and month. It is important to note that a perpetual calendar does consider the leap year.

Power reserve 

This function indicates the amount of power left before it needs to be wound. 

Tachymeter

This function in watches measures the speed over fixed distances and is commonly found on the watches of F1 drivers or pilots.  

What are the different types of luxury watches available to me?

Luxury watches are typically broken down in four specific categories, separated with different designs and features. 

Dress watches

Dress watches are elegant and sophisticated with minimalistic streamlined profiles. They are the perfect companion for the office, evening wear or any other sophisticated attire. 

Sport watch

Sports watches get their name from the robust and sturdy construction. These timepieces can endure rugged conditions whilst maintaining accurate timekeeping. 

Pilot watch

Pilot watches were originally designed for aviators. These watches typically have larger cases and easy-to-read dials. They provide additional timekeeping complications such as chronographs for measuring elapsed periods. 

Diving watch

Diving watches present themselves as the ultimate timekeepers for divers. They are constructed with sturdy cases that are designed to withstand the depths of the sea. Diving watches are also typically constructed with complications that ultimately helps divers manage their oxygen supply underwater. 

Watches for everyone

At Watch World we pride ourselves in providing our clients with only the best. Our watch offering is vast and covers all of the basis. We also only stock watches that were created by master craftsmen and horologists alike. Whether you are looking at a new timepiece for the office or one that you can wear on casual occasions. We’ve got one for every occasion.  

Watch World has a couple of watches that might strike some inspiration this year, check out our online promotions for more watches that will have you looking sharper than ever and keep you on time every time. 

Conclusion: 

You now have some insight into common watch terminology as well as the functions each one has. So the next time you are looking at buying a timepiece that you love, you can make an informed decision straight away. Choosing a watch for yourself is an exciting journey and with Watch World as your right-hand man, you can never make the wrong decision. The best thing about investing in a proper watch for yourself is that one day your collector’s legacy timepiece can be handed down as an heirloom from one generation to the next. We also now offer you a watch repair service so if your watch is currently sitting at home and needs fixing, bring it in so our team of professional horologists can inspect it for you and get it on your wrist again. You can book a watch repair by clicking here or you can also get in touch with us to discuss your watch needs. 

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Many may wonder what a chronograph watch is and how it works. The answer to this question is really simple – a chronograph watch is an ordinary watch that tells time, but it also has a stopwatch function which forms part of the watches movement. The movements of these watches can be mechanical, where it is self-winding or automatic. On the other hand, it can have a quartz movement that is battery powered. Chronograph watches are not only manufactured as wristwatches but can also be made as a pocket watch.

So, how does it work? The watch works just like an ordinary wristwatch, as it has a long hour hand as well as a shorter minute hand. There is also a long second hand; however, this hand only operates when the stopwatch function is activated. There is a smaller sub-dial on the face of the watch, and this gives you the seconds. This dial operates continually just as the hour and minute hands and is situated at the 3 o’clock position. There is another smaller sub-dial found at the 9 o’clock position, which operates when the stopwatch function is activated and records the number of minutes passed. Finally, another smaller sub-dial located at the 6 o’clock position, shows the hours that the stopwatch function has recorded. The more intricate and advanced chronograph watches have a fourth smaller sub-dial, which is capable of recording fractions of a second.

How do you then activate the stopwatch function of the watch? It is equipped with a small button situated at the 2 o’clock position. When this button is pushed it starts the stopwatch function and all the smaller sub-dials will begin to rotate. When it is pushed again the stopwatch function will stop and the desired time-lapse will be recorded. There is another second small button that resets all the sub-dials back to zero when pushed. The chronograph watch is also equipped with a Tachymetre scale, this is situated around the circumference or bezel of the watches dial. This scale is intended to measure speed, distance or it can even be used to measure fuel consumption.

In the next section, we are going to explain the difference between a chronograph watch, mechanical watches with quartz or self-winding movements, and digital watches.

Chronograph Watches

The chronograph watch was first invented by Louis Moinet in 1816 for the purpose of tracking the stars and planets in real-time. However, it was only in the early 20th century that watch manufactures introduced the chronograph watch to the general public. A great example of this kind of watch is the CAT OPERATOR CAMO chronograph watch. What makes this watch so special? Pilots use this watch to make very precise and quick timing calculations, and for this reason, all Apollo astronauts are equipped with a chronograph watch.

The military and navy also make use of this kind of equipment in order to track the speed and distance of missiles that have been launched. Race car drivers, as well as their pit staff, are supplied with this type of watch, as it can measure speed and distance travelled. Deep-sea divers also make use of this type of watch to track the speed and depth that they dive.

Also, it is not uncommon to see a nurse or doctor make use of this type of watch, which helps record the heartbeat and pulse rate of their patients. The ordinary man on the street can also make use of this type of watch, for use at home and cooking time in the kitchen. However, the main function that stands out is the Tachymetre, which is located around the outside of the dial. How does this function work? When using this part of the watch, you will be able to track speed as well as distance travelled. Firstly, let’s see how the speed tracking works. Imagine you are at the racetrack and want to track the speed of a car.

First, you need to know the distance between the two points you are tracking. Then simply push the start button when the car pulls off and push it again when it passes the second or endpoint. Where the long second-hand stops, is the amount of time it took to travel the distance. The reading on the Tachymetre records the speed the car travelled. What about tracking distance? The same principle is followed, but now you need to know the speed travelled. The car pulls off and must reach a chosen speed, which must then remain constant. When you reach this constant speed, push the start button. When the second-hand reaches that speed on your Tachymetre, you will discover the distance travelled. Considering purchasing one of these amazing watches? Here are two very reliable and affordable brands to choose from INGERSOLL THE APSLEY or the CAT OPERATOR CAMO.

Mechanical or Quartz Watches

Let’s first consider the mechanical watch. In this category, we find two types of watch movements, self-winding or automatic. The self-winding watch has a mainspring inside that needs to be frequently wound up manually by using the button on the side of the watch. While the automatic movement is wound up by the movement of the watch on the wearers’ wrist. One of the main disadvantages of the self-winding watch is that there is a possibility you can overwind the mechanism of the watch, which can cause irreparable damage. The self-winding watch also needs to be cleaned and serviced regularly to keep it in good working order.

Next is the quartz watch. The main advantage of buying a quartz watch is that it doesn’t have to be wound up manually. The watch is driven by a battery and therefore automatically keeps the time and can last for many years. Of course, the battery can run down and has to be changed, but that only happens very seldom. Another advantage of the quartz watch is that it is a great deal more accurate than the self-winding watch.

So, how does it work? The battery generates an electric current, which in turn goes through the quartz crystal. The current then causes the crystal to oscillate at a high frequency, which then runs a small motor inside the watch. Once the small motor starts running, it causes the hands of the watch to move.

Here are two simple reasons why you should choose a quartz watch:

• The quartz watch is a great deal cheaper than the mechanical watch and it also requires a lot less maintenance.
• The quartz watch is a great deal lighter in weight than the mechanical watch

Digital display watches

When you are looking to buy a new watch, the first thing that attracts your attention is the watch face and its appearance. There are basically only two dial displays you can choose, the Digital or Analogue display. The Analogue watch face has moving hands, which give you hours, minutes and seconds. However, the Digital display gives you the time in digital format by using numbers or other types of symbols.

The screen or watch face of a digital watch is shown in LED or LCD numbers or symbols. In order for this to work, a digital display watch is usually powered by a battery, which means it has a quartz movement. Today, the digital display watches are a great deal more popular than the analogue display. So, the question is, what attracts the attention of a watch buyer and why do many people prefer a digital display rather than an analogue display?

Here are some of the reasons:

• Many watch buyers who are opposed to buying a digital display watch argue that the battery can fail. This may be true; however, it has been proven that the digital watches battery only fails after five or even up to ten years. To overcome this problem completely, there are digital display watches on the market today that are solar-powered, which means that it can recharge itself and will never fail.
• The digital watch display is a lot easier to read than an analogue watch. This is a great advantage especially for our children as well as our senior citizens.
• The accuracy of the digital display watch is far greater than any of the other watch types.
• One of the main attractions for the scholar or employee that needs to make calculations is the calculator function a digital watch display offers.
• An added advantage for the digital display watch is the introduction of smartwatches. Here you will be able to play games, watch TV and so much more.

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