The glossary is included in the first two posts.
1:1. Stands for “one to one.” See “Unicorn”.
ALS. Refers to the watch manufacturer A. Lange & Sohne.
Annual Calendar. A calendar mechanism that automatically adjusts for the different lengths of all months except February. The watch has to be reset at the end of each February, based on whether there were 28 or 29 days that year. Compare with “Perpetual Calendar”.
Anti-reflective coating (or “AR”). Refers to coating applied to watch crystals that reduces glare. AR coating can be single (coating only on inside) or double (coating on both sides).
AP. Refers to the watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet.
AR. See “Anti-reflective coating.”
ATM. Atmospheres. A unit of pressure.
Automatic. This is one type of mechanical movement. The other type is an manual movement. The word “Automatic” can refer to a movement (automatic movement), or a watch (a watch with an automatic movement). An automatic movement is also referred to as a “self-winding” movement. An automatic movement words similarly to a manual movement, but with the addition of a rotor. When the wearer of the watch moves their wrist, the rotor spins and transfers energy that automatically winds the mainspring. That way, the watch harnesses energy from the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist.
Bezel. The ring around a watch dial that holds the crystal in place. Many bezels can be rotated to measure elapsed time or to indicate time in a different time zone.
BLNR (or Batman). Refers to the Rolex GMT Master II 116710 with the black and blue bezel. Derived from Bleu et Noir (French for blue and black).
B&R. Refers to the watch manufacturer Bell & Ross.
Calendar. A watch that displays the date. A simple calendar shows the day of the month in an aperture on the dial. A more complicated calendar may also show the month, year, and day of the week.
Caliber (or Calibre). See “Movement”.
Canal Street. Famous location in New York for buying (usually very poor quality) replica watches.
Case. This refers to the container that houses and protects the watch movement.
Caseback. This refers to the underside of the case—the part of the watch that sits against the skin.
Center seconds. Refers to the placement of the second hand in the center of the dial.
CG. Crown guard.
Chronograph. A device that measures elapsed time, such as a stopwatch. The word can be used to refer to a the device, or to a watch that incorporates the device. A standard chronograph has two pushes on the side of the watch case. The top pusher is used to start and stop the time-keeping function. The botto pusher is used to return the hands to zero. One or more subdials are typically used to show the elapsed time.
Chronometer. A watch that has passed the certain timing tests administered by an official agency that certifies chronometers, such as “COSC”.
CNY. Chinese New Year.
Complication. A watch with functions other than keeping time. Examples of complications include a chronograph, a tourbillon, and a perpetual calendar. The word “Complication” may be used to refer to the non-timekeeping function, or to the watch with the non-timekeeping function.
CONUS. Continental United States.
COSC (or C.O.S.C.). This is the abbreviation for “Contrôle officiel suisse des chronomètres”, which is the French phrase for “Swiss chronometer testing bureau.” COSC an agency sponsored by the Swiss government. The agency tests watches submitted to it and issues chronometer certificates to those that are precise enough to meet COSC standards.
Crown. The knob on the side of the case that is used to set the time and also the date (if the watch has a calendar). In mechanical watches, the crown is turned to wind the watch’s mainspring.
Crown guard. One or more protrusions from the case of the watch watch designed to protect the crown from damage.
Crystal. The word is typically used to refer to the transparent cover that protects the watch dial. These covers can be made of synthetic sapphire, plastic, or glass. A crystal may include anti-reflective coating to prevent glare. The word may also be used to refer to the tiny piece of quartz in a quartz watch.
Cyclops. A small lens on the crystal that magnifies the date.
Datewheel. The rotating wheel that includes the date numbers on watch that have a date function.
Day-date. Can be used generally to refer to a watch that shows the date and the day of the week. May refer to the Rolex Day Date model.
DD. Day date.
Decorated movement. Some replicas have a decorated movement, or a decorated plate on top of the movement, to replicate the look of the gen movement.
Deployant buckle (or Deployant clasp). A buckle that is attached to the watch strap that pops open and fastens using hinged extenders. A deployment buckle is easier to put on and remove than a tang buckle. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a deployment clasp. Deployant is derived from the French word deployer, which was derived from the Old French desplier, which was derived from Latin Displicare, and which means to fold. A deployment is the movement of troops or equipment for military action.
Dial (face). This is the part of an watch that displays the time, typically through a dial and moving hands. It can also display additional information, such as date and chronograph functions.
Diver’s watch. A watch that meets the requirements of the international standard ISO 6425. These requirements include water resistance to at least 100 meters, legibility in total darkness from 25 cm, a unidirectional, rotating timing bezel, and other requirements such as minimum shock resistance.
DSSD. Rolex Deep Sea Sea Dweller.
Dual time zone. A watch that enables the wearer to read two different time zones. Travelers can use it to display their home time zone and the local time. Pilots and military personnel can us the function to display Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). GMT is sometimes referred to as UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).
DW. Datewheel.
ETA. ETA SA Swiss Watch Manufacturer (ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse) is a swiss company that designs and manufactures watches and movements. The company was originally founded in 1856, though parts of its production line can be traded to 1793. ETA is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Swatch Group. Examples of ETA movements include the ETA 2824, the ETA 2892, and the Valjoux 7750.
FF. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.
FFF. Blancpain Fifty-five fathoms.
Fiddy. A Panerei PAM 127.
Fly-back chronograph. A chronograph that slows the timing to be reset without having to be stopped.
Franken. A watch that includes both replica and genuine parts.
Frequency. The number of vibrations, or semi-oscillations, that a watch makes per unit of time. Most modern mechanical watches have a frequency of 21,600 or 28,800 vph. A watch with a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour ticks 8 times per second.
Gen. Genuine.
GMT. GMT refers to Greenwich Mean Time. Some watches have a GMT function and are referred to as GMT watches. See “Dual Time Zone”.
Hacking seconds. A watch in which the second hand stops when the crown is pulled out.
Horology. The study and measurement of time.
IWC. Refers to the watch manufacturer International Watch Co. The company refers to itself as IWC.
JLC. Refers to the watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoulter.
Jewels. Synthetic rubies are used in watch movements. One of their uses is to function as bearings to reduce friction.
1:1. Stands for “one to one.” See “Unicorn”.
ALS. Refers to the watch manufacturer A. Lange & Sohne.
Annual Calendar. A calendar mechanism that automatically adjusts for the different lengths of all months except February. The watch has to be reset at the end of each February, based on whether there were 28 or 29 days that year. Compare with “Perpetual Calendar”.
Anti-reflective coating (or “AR”). Refers to coating applied to watch crystals that reduces glare. AR coating can be single (coating only on inside) or double (coating on both sides).
AP. Refers to the watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet.
AR. See “Anti-reflective coating.”
ATM. Atmospheres. A unit of pressure.
Automatic. This is one type of mechanical movement. The other type is an manual movement. The word “Automatic” can refer to a movement (automatic movement), or a watch (a watch with an automatic movement). An automatic movement is also referred to as a “self-winding” movement. An automatic movement words similarly to a manual movement, but with the addition of a rotor. When the wearer of the watch moves their wrist, the rotor spins and transfers energy that automatically winds the mainspring. That way, the watch harnesses energy from the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist.
Bezel. The ring around a watch dial that holds the crystal in place. Many bezels can be rotated to measure elapsed time or to indicate time in a different time zone.
BLNR (or Batman). Refers to the Rolex GMT Master II 116710 with the black and blue bezel. Derived from Bleu et Noir (French for blue and black).
B&R. Refers to the watch manufacturer Bell & Ross.
Calendar. A watch that displays the date. A simple calendar shows the day of the month in an aperture on the dial. A more complicated calendar may also show the month, year, and day of the week.
Caliber (or Calibre). See “Movement”.
Canal Street. Famous location in New York for buying (usually very poor quality) replica watches.
Case. This refers to the container that houses and protects the watch movement.
Caseback. This refers to the underside of the case—the part of the watch that sits against the skin.
Center seconds. Refers to the placement of the second hand in the center of the dial.
CG. Crown guard.
Chronograph. A device that measures elapsed time, such as a stopwatch. The word can be used to refer to a the device, or to a watch that incorporates the device. A standard chronograph has two pushes on the side of the watch case. The top pusher is used to start and stop the time-keeping function. The botto pusher is used to return the hands to zero. One or more subdials are typically used to show the elapsed time.
Chronometer. A watch that has passed the certain timing tests administered by an official agency that certifies chronometers, such as “COSC”.
CNY. Chinese New Year.
Complication. A watch with functions other than keeping time. Examples of complications include a chronograph, a tourbillon, and a perpetual calendar. The word “Complication” may be used to refer to the non-timekeeping function, or to the watch with the non-timekeeping function.
CONUS. Continental United States.
COSC (or C.O.S.C.). This is the abbreviation for “Contrôle officiel suisse des chronomètres”, which is the French phrase for “Swiss chronometer testing bureau.” COSC an agency sponsored by the Swiss government. The agency tests watches submitted to it and issues chronometer certificates to those that are precise enough to meet COSC standards.
Crown. The knob on the side of the case that is used to set the time and also the date (if the watch has a calendar). In mechanical watches, the crown is turned to wind the watch’s mainspring.
Crown guard. One or more protrusions from the case of the watch watch designed to protect the crown from damage.
Crystal. The word is typically used to refer to the transparent cover that protects the watch dial. These covers can be made of synthetic sapphire, plastic, or glass. A crystal may include anti-reflective coating to prevent glare. The word may also be used to refer to the tiny piece of quartz in a quartz watch.
Cyclops. A small lens on the crystal that magnifies the date.
Datewheel. The rotating wheel that includes the date numbers on watch that have a date function.
Day-date. Can be used generally to refer to a watch that shows the date and the day of the week. May refer to the Rolex Day Date model.
DD. Day date.
Decorated movement. Some replicas have a decorated movement, or a decorated plate on top of the movement, to replicate the look of the gen movement.
Deployant buckle (or Deployant clasp). A buckle that is attached to the watch strap that pops open and fastens using hinged extenders. A deployment buckle is easier to put on and remove than a tang buckle. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a deployment clasp. Deployant is derived from the French word deployer, which was derived from the Old French desplier, which was derived from Latin Displicare, and which means to fold. A deployment is the movement of troops or equipment for military action.
Dial (face). This is the part of an watch that displays the time, typically through a dial and moving hands. It can also display additional information, such as date and chronograph functions.
Diver’s watch. A watch that meets the requirements of the international standard ISO 6425. These requirements include water resistance to at least 100 meters, legibility in total darkness from 25 cm, a unidirectional, rotating timing bezel, and other requirements such as minimum shock resistance.
DSSD. Rolex Deep Sea Sea Dweller.
Dual time zone. A watch that enables the wearer to read two different time zones. Travelers can use it to display their home time zone and the local time. Pilots and military personnel can us the function to display Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). GMT is sometimes referred to as UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).
DW. Datewheel.
ETA. ETA SA Swiss Watch Manufacturer (ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse) is a swiss company that designs and manufactures watches and movements. The company was originally founded in 1856, though parts of its production line can be traded to 1793. ETA is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Swatch Group. Examples of ETA movements include the ETA 2824, the ETA 2892, and the Valjoux 7750.
FF. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.
FFF. Blancpain Fifty-five fathoms.
Fiddy. A Panerei PAM 127.
Fly-back chronograph. A chronograph that slows the timing to be reset without having to be stopped.
Franken. A watch that includes both replica and genuine parts.
Frequency. The number of vibrations, or semi-oscillations, that a watch makes per unit of time. Most modern mechanical watches have a frequency of 21,600 or 28,800 vph. A watch with a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour ticks 8 times per second.
Gen. Genuine.
GMT. GMT refers to Greenwich Mean Time. Some watches have a GMT function and are referred to as GMT watches. See “Dual Time Zone”.
Hacking seconds. A watch in which the second hand stops when the crown is pulled out.
Horology. The study and measurement of time.
IWC. Refers to the watch manufacturer International Watch Co. The company refers to itself as IWC.
JLC. Refers to the watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoulter.
Jewels. Synthetic rubies are used in watch movements. One of their uses is to function as bearings to reduce friction.
