Watch jargon translated

Time translated Horological terminology can be mindboggling, however, investing time in learning the lingo can help to identify the best—and most practical—watch for you. Here, we decode some of the jargon most commonly used in the watch world

Men's luxury watches
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Horological terminology can be mindboggling, but you don't want to sound like you don't know what you're talking about if you want to buy a good one. Those in the know here at Country Life have compiled a basic list of the watch jargon that you need to know if you're interested in making a purchase, so gen up and then get out there.

Watches come in all shapes and sizes, and all different kinds of materials, but most of the essential components are the same. Some have more bells and whistles than others -every watch has a bezel for instance, but not every piece will come with a Tourbillon, as you obviously know..

WATCH JARGON BUSTED

Annual calendar

Tells the day, month and year; only needs to be adjusted each leap year

Automatic

A watch that only very rarely needs to be wound manually

Bezel

The ring around the dial of a watch

Calibre

Describes the size and configuration of a watch’s movement

Chronograph

A watch that is also a stopwatch

Chronometer

A specific type of timepiece tested and certified to meet certain precision standards

Complication

An additional feature on a watch, such as a calendar

Crown

A button on the side of a watch that sets the time and date and is wound up to power manual watches

Dial

The watch face

Index

Marks on the dial that indicate hours and sometimes minutes

Manual

A watch that relies on a hand-wound mechanism to keep it powered up

Mechanical

Driven by a spring. Must be wound periodically

Minute repeater

Chimes the time in hours, quarters or minutes depending on the press of a button on the side

Movement

The watch’s engine—either quartz or mechanical

Perpetual calendar

Tells the day, month and year; doesn’t need to be adjusted each leap year

Quartz

A watch powered by an oscillating crystal, which runs on a battery

Tourbillon

An additional, complex component that works against forces such as gravity that can affect the accuracy of a watch

** Read more on the best luxury watches to buy, watches for different times in your life and all the latest news and best luxury watches launched to the market

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Country Life

Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.

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