WATCH FAQS
WATCH MOVEMENTS
AUTOMATIC
An automatic watch is a watch that is self-winding. As the watch moves whilst on the wrist, a rotor attached to the movement swings backwards and forwards which in turn winds the watch's mainspring, which means the watch will maintain the correct time for as long as it is worn.
Depending on how much power is stored in the power reserve, even taking it off at night will mean it can still show the correct time in the morning. You can manually wind automatic watches in order to store some power - just rotate the crown away from you for about 10 turns to get some power in the bank. The average automatic movement will have around 40 hours power reserve when fully wound. You cannot overwind an automatic watch.
MECHANICAL
A mechanical watch is a watch that requires manual winding to function. Once fully wound a watch will function on average for around 40 hours. It does not need to be fully unwound for it to be wound again, You can 'top up' the winding half way through. This means that if it is fully or mostly wound, you can wind it in the morning to restore some power without having to reset the time every day. Do be aware though that you can overwind manual watches - if you feel resistance when winding stop otherwise you could break the mechanism.
QUARTZ
A quartz watch is a watch that is powered by a battery. The battery sends a charge through a circuit into a quartz crystal. The charge causes the crystal to vibrate and then oscillate. The oscillations power a mini electric motor which makes the gears turn to show the time. The second hand of a quartz watch will move in distinctive ticks, whereas on automatic and mechanical watches, the second hand will sweep smoothly around the dial.
WATCH TYPES
ANALOGUE
An analogue watch is a watch that displays the time using hands.
CHRONOGRAPH
A chronograph watch is a watch that includes stopwatch functionality, allowing you to measure elapsed time.
DIGITAL
A digital watch is a watch that displays the time in numerical digits most often in an LED display.
DIVE WATCH
A dive watch is a watch that has been crafted to be water resistant to deeper depths to enable it to be used in activities such as sailing, swimming and scuba diving. A dive watch often features a screw down crown to prevent water making its way into the watch and a locable rotating bezel to show the lapse of time.
WATER RESISTANCE
ATM
ATM stands for "atmospheres" or "atmospheric pressure." It is a unit of measurement used to indicate the water resistance of a watch. The ATM rating on a watch tells you how much pressure the watch can withstand underwater. It is important to note that these measurements are a standard measurement based on factory testing which do not necessarily mimic real-life situations. For example the mere act of swimming and moving your wrist under water can significantly increase the water pressure applied to your watch - therefore even though a watch might say that it is water resistant to 3 ATM / 3 bar / 30M it does not mean that you could actually dive to 30m and expect your watch not to let water in. Se below for a guide on what the measurements actually mean:
For example:
1 ATM / 1 bar / 10M: Splash-resistant but not suitable for immersion in water
3 ATM / 3 bar / 30M: Resistant to light rain and splashes. It is not suitable for swimming or diving.
5 ATM / 5 bar / 50M: Suitable for swimming, but not for diving.
10 ATM / 10 bar / 100M: Suitable for swimming and snorkeling.
20 ATM / 20 bar / 200M: Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports, but not for deep-sea diving.
30 ATM+ / 30 bar + / 300M+: Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports and scuba diving.
It's important to note that the water resistance of a watch can deteriorate over time due to wear and aging. Additionally, the type of water exposure (e.g., saltwater vs. freshwater) and sudden temperature changes can affect a watch's water resistance. Therefore, it's recommended to follow the manufacturer's guidelines for water resistance and have the watch checked and serviced regularly to maintain its performance.
WATCH TERMINOLOGY A-Z
BLUED SCREWS
The term "blued screw" refers to a small screw that has undergone a heat-treating process, known as bluing, to achieve a distinctive blue color. Bluing is a controlled oxidation process that is often used on steel components in watchmaking.
BUTTERFLY CLASP
Fold-Over Design: The butterfly clasp has a fold-over design that resembles the wings of a butterfly when opened. It consists of two hinged metal plates that fold over each other.
Hidden Deployment: When closed, the clasp is hidden beneath the watch band, providing a sleek and continuous look. This is in contrast to some other clasps, like traditional buckles or tang buckles, where the closure is visible on the outside of the wrist.
Security: The butterfly clasp typically includes a locking mechanism to secure the watch on the wrist. This adds an extra layer of protection, reducing the risk of accidental opening.
DIAMETER
Watch diameter is a measurement that indicates the width of a watch from one side to the other, typically excluding the crown and any additional protrusions. The diameter is a key dimension in determining the size of a watch and is usually expressed in millimeters (mm).
EXHIBITION BACK
This is where the back of the watch is transparent, allowing you to see the inner workings of the watch.
FLYBACK
The flyback function simplifies this process. With a flyback chronograph, you can reset the stopwatch to zero while it is still running, eliminating the need to stop and restart the chronograph for each measurement.
GENEVA STRIPES
Geneva stripes, also known as Geneva waves or Côtes de Genève, are a type of decorative finishing applied to the surfaces of certain watch movements. This technique involves creating a series of closely spaced, parallel lines that run in a consistent and often wavy pattern.
Geneva stripes are often used in conjunction with other decorative techniques, such as perlage (small, overlapping circles) and anglage (beveling of edges). Together, these finishing touches contribute to the overall aesthetics of the watch movement, showcasing the skill and artistry of the watchmaker. Watches with Geneva stripes are often considered more refined and are frequently found in luxury timepieces.
GMT
GMT in watches means the watch has dual-time function. This complication allows the wearer to track two time zones simultaneously. The additional time zone is often displayed using a separate hand or subdial on the watch.
LUG
A Watch Lug is the part of the watch where the watch strap is attached to the watch. The Lug will have a hole in each side where a spring bar will fit through the watch strap to secure it to the watch.
AUTOMATIC
An automatic watch is a watch that is self-winding. As the watch moves whilst on the wrist, a rotor attached to the movement swings backwards and forwards which in turn winds the watch's mainspring, which means the watch will maintain the correct time for as long as it is worn.
Depending on how much power is stored in the power reserve, even taking it off at night will mean it can still show the correct time in the morning. You can manually wind automatic watches in order to store some power - just rotate the crown away from you for about 10 turns to get some power in the bank. The average automatic movement will have around 40 hours power reserve when fully wound. You cannot overwind an automatic watch.
MECHANICAL
A mechanical watch is a watch that requires manual winding to function. Once fully wound a watch will function on average for around 40 hours. It does not need to be fully unwound for it to be wound again, You can 'top up' the winding half way through. This means that if it is fully or mostly wound, you can wind it in the morning to restore some power without having to reset the time every day. Do be aware though that you can overwind manual watches - if you feel resistance when winding stop otherwise you could break the mechanism.
QUARTZ
A quartz watch is a watch that is powered by a battery. The battery sends a charge through a circuit into a quartz crystal. The charge causes the crystal to vibrate and then oscillate. The oscillations power a mini electric motor which makes the gears turn to show the time. The second hand of a quartz watch will move in distinctive ticks, whereas on automatic and mechanical watches, the second hand will sweep smoothly around the dial.
WATCH TYPES
ANALOGUE
An analogue watch is a watch that displays the time using hands.
CHRONOGRAPH
A chronograph watch is a watch that includes stopwatch functionality, allowing you to measure elapsed time.
DIGITAL
A digital watch is a watch that displays the time in numerical digits most often in an LED display.
DIVE WATCH
A dive watch is a watch that has been crafted to be water resistant to deeper depths to enable it to be used in activities such as sailing, swimming and scuba diving. A dive watch often features a screw down crown to prevent water making its way into the watch and a locable rotating bezel to show the lapse of time.
WATER RESISTANCE
ATM
ATM stands for "atmospheres" or "atmospheric pressure." It is a unit of measurement used to indicate the water resistance of a watch. The ATM rating on a watch tells you how much pressure the watch can withstand underwater. It is important to note that these measurements are a standard measurement based on factory testing which do not necessarily mimic real-life situations. For example the mere act of swimming and moving your wrist under water can significantly increase the water pressure applied to your watch - therefore even though a watch might say that it is water resistant to 3 ATM / 3 bar / 30M it does not mean that you could actually dive to 30m and expect your watch not to let water in. Se below for a guide on what the measurements actually mean:
For example:
1 ATM / 1 bar / 10M: Splash-resistant but not suitable for immersion in water
3 ATM / 3 bar / 30M: Resistant to light rain and splashes. It is not suitable for swimming or diving.
5 ATM / 5 bar / 50M: Suitable for swimming, but not for diving.
10 ATM / 10 bar / 100M: Suitable for swimming and snorkeling.
20 ATM / 20 bar / 200M: Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports, but not for deep-sea diving.
30 ATM+ / 30 bar + / 300M+: Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports and scuba diving.
It's important to note that the water resistance of a watch can deteriorate over time due to wear and aging. Additionally, the type of water exposure (e.g., saltwater vs. freshwater) and sudden temperature changes can affect a watch's water resistance. Therefore, it's recommended to follow the manufacturer's guidelines for water resistance and have the watch checked and serviced regularly to maintain its performance.
WATCH TERMINOLOGY A-Z
BLUED SCREWS
The term "blued screw" refers to a small screw that has undergone a heat-treating process, known as bluing, to achieve a distinctive blue color. Bluing is a controlled oxidation process that is often used on steel components in watchmaking.
BUTTERFLY CLASP
Fold-Over Design: The butterfly clasp has a fold-over design that resembles the wings of a butterfly when opened. It consists of two hinged metal plates that fold over each other.
Hidden Deployment: When closed, the clasp is hidden beneath the watch band, providing a sleek and continuous look. This is in contrast to some other clasps, like traditional buckles or tang buckles, where the closure is visible on the outside of the wrist.
Security: The butterfly clasp typically includes a locking mechanism to secure the watch on the wrist. This adds an extra layer of protection, reducing the risk of accidental opening.
DIAMETER
Watch diameter is a measurement that indicates the width of a watch from one side to the other, typically excluding the crown and any additional protrusions. The diameter is a key dimension in determining the size of a watch and is usually expressed in millimeters (mm).
EXHIBITION BACK
This is where the back of the watch is transparent, allowing you to see the inner workings of the watch.
FLYBACK
The flyback function simplifies this process. With a flyback chronograph, you can reset the stopwatch to zero while it is still running, eliminating the need to stop and restart the chronograph for each measurement.
GENEVA STRIPES
Geneva stripes, also known as Geneva waves or Côtes de Genève, are a type of decorative finishing applied to the surfaces of certain watch movements. This technique involves creating a series of closely spaced, parallel lines that run in a consistent and often wavy pattern.
Geneva stripes are often used in conjunction with other decorative techniques, such as perlage (small, overlapping circles) and anglage (beveling of edges). Together, these finishing touches contribute to the overall aesthetics of the watch movement, showcasing the skill and artistry of the watchmaker. Watches with Geneva stripes are often considered more refined and are frequently found in luxury timepieces.
GMT
GMT in watches means the watch has dual-time function. This complication allows the wearer to track two time zones simultaneously. The additional time zone is often displayed using a separate hand or subdial on the watch.
LUG
A Watch Lug is the part of the watch where the watch strap is attached to the watch. The Lug will have a hole in each side where a spring bar will fit through the watch strap to secure it to the watch.