Technical information

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WHAT DO THESE WATCH TERMS MEAN?
Alarm
A feature which provides a sound signal at a preset time
within a 12 or 24 hour period.
Ana-Digi
A watch with combined analog and digital displays.
Analog
A watch with hands (hour, minute and sometimes
second) to indicate the time.
Anti-Reflective Crystal
A thin layer is placed on the watch crystal (sapphire or
mineral), which disperses reflected light.
Applied Markers
Small raised numerals, various shaped pieces of polished
metal or in combination that have been attached to the
surface of a watch dial.
Atomic Time (A•T)
Time measured through vibrations of atoms in a metal
isotope that resembles mercury. The result is extremely
accurate time that can be measured on instruments.
Radio waves transmit this exact time. Atomic watches
and clocks can receive the signal.
Bar
Indicator of water resistance, measuring unit of
static pressure. 1 bar = 10 meters
Bracelet
Usually refers to a metal watch band.
Cabochon
A term used to indicate a smooth round or oval convex
shaped polished gemstone. Used with watches to
describe a stone set crown. This may be of natural or
man-made materials.
Calendar
A calendar watch may display one or more of: day of
week, date, month, leap year and/or year. The watch can
be analog, digital or an ana-digi.
Caliber
The type of movement in a watch. A series of numbers
and letters are located on the caseback to
indicate the exact identity of a watch movement.
Case and Caseback
The upper and lower outside enclosure for the watch
movement, dial and hands and/or digital display, styled
so as to appeal to the wearer.
Cell
A single complete unit for storage of electrical power.
The power source for a watch.
Chronograph
A watch especially made to display elapsed time.
A timing sequence can be started, stopped and reset
by operating push buttons. Usually has minute and
sometimes hour registers as well as seconds. Also
referred to as a stopwatch.
Complication
Any function on a watch that tells something other than
the time or date.
Depth Sensor
Usually an electro-mechanical device to measure how
deep a diver is under water.
Dial
A thin metal or plastic plate attached to the watch
movement using markers to indicate time of day. Some
watches may also have function indicators and windows
to display additional information.
Diamond Like Carbon (DLC)
Provides properties of diamonds to the case surface.
The primary qualities are hardness and wear resistance
compared to other types of coatings.
Digital
Method of indicating time and related information on
a liquid crystal or mechanical display using numbers,
letters and symbols.
Diver’s Watch
A specially designed watch engineered to meet the
needs of divers. This type of watch has enhanced
structure and sealing mechanisms to guard against the
entrance of moisture.
Dual Time (Second Time Zone)
The capability of a watch to display time in two different
time zones simultaneously or on command.
Elapsed-Time
A term applied to a rotating bezel usually marked
in one minute increments. Used by divers and
others to measure the passage of time from a
given starting point.
Electro-Plating
The application of a thin coating of metal such as
silver, gold, palladium or others applied to a metal
case or bracelet through the use of electrochemical or
other processes.
Ion Plating
A method by which a coating of various metals or alloys
is applied to a metal case or bracelet. In the process, the
molecules of metals or alloys used for plating enter the
surface of the article being plated. This process allows
for superior bonding and the color becomes integrated
into the surface of the metal when finished.
Micron
One millionth of a meter, approximately forty millionths of
an inch. A human hair is generally equivalent to 5 microns.
Mineral Crystal
A synthetic mineral crystal (MC). Three times
harder and more scratch resistant than plain glass.
Minute Repeater
An extraordinary watch that chimes the hour,
quarter hour and minutes.
Mode
The state of the display of a watch where the individual
features are shown as the module is switched through
each function. For example, setting mode, calendar
mode, alarm mode, etc.
Mode Indicator
A system using a row of boxes on a digital display or a
sub-dial with an indicator hand to show which mode the
watch is operating/displaying.
Module
A term commonly used to describe the complete
timekeeping and display unit in a digital watch.
Moon Phase
A watch complication that depicts the phases of the
moon as seen from Earth.
Mother-of-Pearl
A thin slice of sea shell that displays a rainbow of colors
as it is exposed to light.
Movement
The engine of a watch.
N.D. Limits
The limit of safe dive time at specific depths for which
No Decompression is necessary.
Perpetual Calendar
Adjusts month-end date automatically, even for
leap years.
Radio-Controlled
Radio signals are received both automatically and
on-demand from 5 signal stations located in
4 regions across the world. Signal stations include: Fort
Collins, Colorado, USA; Mainflingen, Frankfurt, Germany;
Shangqiu, Henan, China; Fukushima, Japan; Kyushu,
Japan. Signal stations will vary depending on the model.
Sapphire Crystal
Watch crystal made of artificial sapphire, used primarily
for watches. Sapphire crystal is extremely hard, making
it highly scratch resistant.
Screw-Down Crown
A crown used on many high grade water resistant
watches, including diver’s watches, for a positive seal
between case and crown.
Split Second Timing (SST)
Provides the ability when timing a car race or similar
event with multiple competitors to record
their individual split times.
Stainless Steel
An alloy of iron with chromium and some other metals
combined to make a product that is resistant to rust and
ordinary corrosion, making it the metal of preference for
use in watch cases and bracelets.
Stem
A thin round metal pin or rod, threaded on its outer end for
attaching the crown, with a groove for the setting lever
and a square for the winding and/or setting pinions.
Strap
A watch band made of material such as leather, canvas,
rubber, polyurethane, plastic or nylon.
Sub-Dial
A smaller dial or dials within the dial with an indicator
hand for showing additional time-related information.
Tachymeter
An extra dial ring usually marked with numerals from
60 at the twelve position, increasing counter-clockwise
around the dial up to the number 500. The tachymeter is
usually found on chronograph watches. Its purpose is to
give vehicles average speed in miles or kilometers per
hour over a measured course of 1 mile or 1 kilometer
without taking the time for calculation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS