INTRODUCTION TO WATCH KEY TERMS TO KNOW

The modern watch is a marvel of engineering, benefitting from hundreds of years of innovation. To keep up with all of the intricate components that provide both form and function, we have crafted a glossary of the most important watch terms to know. Understanding the parts of a timepiece is an essential step before shopping for a new designer watch.

GLOSSARY OF WATCH TERMS

• Dial: Also known as the face, the watch dial displays the time with hands and numerals, or other creative symbols, representing the hours on the clock.
• Case: A case forms the silhouette of the watch and protects the inner mechanisms. Usually made of metal or ceramic, the case is available in many shapes from round and rectangular to tonneau and oval.
• Caseback: On the underside of the watch, the caseback can be removed as a way to see the inner workings of the watch. Some models have exhibition casebacks that form a transparent cover to expose the watch movement. 
• Crown: A small knob placed on the side of the case used to adjust the time or to wind the watch in older models.
• Crystal: A clear, protective surface that lies on top of the watch dial. It’s typically made out of glass, acrylic, or synthetic sapphire. 
• Bezel: A ring made of metal or ceramic that affixes the crystal to the case.  
• Gasket: A rubber ring used to make a watertight seal around the edge of a caseback.

WATCH MOVEMENTS

• Movement: The inner workings of a watch that makes use of various power sources to keep time.  
• Caliber: A word synonymous with movement, it’s often used by manufacturers to describe a specific model name developed in-house.
• Manual Winding: This type of watch makes use of a tightly wound mainspring that slowly releases tension to keep time. It can usually last about two days before needing to be wound again.
• Automatic: A counterweight is added to the mainspring and when worn, the movement from the wrist winds the watch.
• Quartz: A modern watch movement that makes use of a quartz crystal battery to keep the hands on a watch face moving and ticking.

T-BIRD JEWELS: YOUR GUIDE TO LUXURY TIMEPIECES

As a premier Las Vegas jeweler, T-Bird Jewels is equipped with the expertise and experience to answer any questions you might have about luxury watches. We serve clients not only from Las Vegas, but also from nearby cities like Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Las Vegas. Beyond our impeccable timepiece selection, we offer battery watch replacement, watch repair, and other timepiece and jewelry services. Call us at (702) 256-3900 or visit our showroom today, and see what legendary customer service feels like.