Luxury Wrist Watch Terminology
Whether you’re a longtime luxury watch enthusiast or a novice, you know that there are many different wrist watch brands, styles, and features to choose from. There’s a lot of luxury watch terminology to learn, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. In this post, Drwatchstrap has put together a comprehensive guide to basic luxury watch terminology. From luxury watch components to styles, movements, and more.
Basic Wrist Watch Terminology
- Watch parts
- Watch movements
- Watch Complications
- Most popular luxury watch brands
- Custom watch bands for luxury watches
What is the wrist watch parts terminology?
| Dial: | The face of the watch, or dial, may feature various elementsIndices: Hour markers on the dial.Subdials: Small dials within the main dial, often associated with complications.Lume: Luminescent material for visibility in the dark. |
| Case: | The outer shell of the watch, housing the movement and dial:Case Material: Common materials include stainless steel, gold, titanium, and ceramic.Case Size: Diameter and thickness of the watch.Crystal: The transparent cover protects the dial, often made of sapphire or mineral glass. |
| Bezel: | A ring surrounding the dial can be fixed or rotated:Rotating Bezel: Used for timing, often in diving watches. |
| Buckle vs. Clasp: | The two common types of fasteners for watch straps. A buckle is a simple pin-and-hole closure, while a clasp is more complex, providing additional security.Pin buckleDeployant claspHook buckleJewelry buckleRead more about Watch band clasp types |
| Crown: | A small knob on the side of the case is used for setting the time and winding the watch. |
| Strap / Bracelet: | The band holding the watch to your wrist:Strap: Typically made of leather, rubber, or fabric.Bracelet: Metal links forming a band.Mesh bracelet: A mesh watch band, also known as Milanese strap, is a type of watch strap characterized by a woven or interlinked metal design. Typically made from stainless steel, the mesh watch band features a flexible and breathable structure that conforms comfortably to the wrist. |
| Lugs: | The projections on the watch case to which the strap or bracelet is attached. |
| Helium Escape Valve: | Found on diving watches, helium escape valves release pressure in the watch when it is at depth. |
Read more about watch parts name
2, Watch Movement
At the heart of every watch is its movement, the mechanism responsible for keeping time. There are two main types:
- Quartz Movement: Powered by a battery, these watches are known for accuracy and low maintenance.
- Automatic Movement: These watches rely on intricate gears and springs, Automatic or also called self-winding.
- Manual winding movement: Also called hand-wound movement. A mechanical movement that is powered by regularly winding the watch’s crown.
3, Watch Complications
- Power Reserve: The duration a watch can run without winding or wearing.
- Flyback Chronograph: A chronograph that can be reset and restarted without stopping.
- Dual Time Zone/GMT Hand: Ideal for travelers. Stands for Greenwich Mean Time. Watches with a GMT function can display multiple time zones.
- Skeleton Dial: A dial with portions cut away to reveal the movement underneath.
- Perpetual Calendar: A calendar that automatically adjusts for different month lengths and leap years.
- Tourbillon: A rotating cage designed to improve the accuracy of a mechanical watch by offsetting the effects of gravity on the movement.
- Co-Axial Escapement: An escapement designed by George Daniels and used by Omega, known for reducing friction and increasing precision.
- Chronometer: A high-precision watch certified to meet specific accuracy standards set by an official testing institute.
- Power Reserve Indicator: A feature displaying the remaining energy in the watch’s mainspring, ensuring you know when it’s time to wind.
- World Time Zone: A feature that displays the time across various cities around the world.
- Stopwatch: A simple timer function for measuring elapsed time, often used for sports or casual timing.
- Quick Set Date: Allows you to easily adjust the date without cycling through the entire 24 hours.
- Moon Phase: A complication that tracks the lunar cycle, displaying the current phase of the moon.
- Regatta Timer: Specifically designed for sailing races, it counts down the time to the start of a race.
- Transparent Caseback: Allows a view of the movement through the back of the watch, showcasing the intricate mechanics.
These are the basic luxury wrist watch terminology, In conclusion, when considering the purchase of a luxury watch, it’s crucial to align your choice with your personal preferences and functional needs
4, Most popular luxury watch brands
| Audemars Piguet | Blancpain | Breitling |
| Bvlgari | Cartier | Chopard |
| Corum | Franck Muller | Girard Perregaux |
| Glashutte | Grand Seiko | Hermes |
| Hublot | IWC | Jaeger-Lecoultre |
| Omega | Oris | Panerai |
| Patek Philippe | Piaget | Richard Mille |
| Rolex | Tag Heuer | Ulysse Nardin |
| Vacheron Constantin | Zenith | others |
5, Custom watch bands for luxury watches
Custom watch straps are expensive for luxury watches, especially when you purchase from the official online store or local shop. Why the original genuine watch straps are very expensive? the main thing is about the brand’s premium. Their waiting time is also very long. Ranging from one to six months. Some watch models are discontinued, then you may be difficult to find a replacement watch band for it. Then you can come to drwatchstrap. We can custom leather watch bands for most of luxury watches. Please feel free to contact us if you do not find the watch band for your watch.