Analogue

An analogue watch displays time by means of hands and a dial (as opposed to digital or alphanumerical).

Blank

An unfinished movement sold as such. Until circa 1850, an ébauche comprised only the plate, bridges, fusee and barrel. It was known as a blanc and was finished at the établissage. The...

Cushion cut

Gemstones cut in a cushion like shape. Cushion cut diamonds were cut in the 18th and 19th century.

Dividing head (Division plate)

A disc with evenly spaced notches around its circumference for dividing the circumference of gears prior to cutting the required number of teeth.

Engine turn

To cut metal with decorative engraving by hand or using an engine turning machine.

Fork

In clocks and watches, an extension of the lever that connects the escapement and the pendulum rod or balance.

Hunter

A watch whose case has a front and back cover.

Iolite

Iolite is a transparent, violet-blue, light blue, or yellow-gray mineral. Iolite is pleochroic; a single stone will show up to 3 colours (in this case violet-blue, light blue, and yellow-gray)....

Jasper

An opaque, ornamental stone found in many colours, including white, brown, yellow, red, and green. It is often striped, speckled, and multi-coloured and is used in watch making as a dial. Jasper...

Kunzite

A transparent pink or light purple gemstone and is a variety of spodumene. The colour of some kunzite can be enhanced by irradiation. Kunzite has a hardness of 6-7 and a specific gravity of 3.1 -...

LumiNova®

A new-generation luminous substance, used to coat hands and numerals. It stores light which it then emits in the dark causing the hands and numerals to glow and continue to be visible. Previously,...

Master

A watchmaker who has presented his masterpiece or test piece.

Nephrite

A family of the jade group of ornamental gemstones. Nephrite is slightly softer that jadeite and is often veined.

Oval

A brilliant cut with an oval rather than round girdle (55 facets). Invented in the 1960s, it is increasingly popular for solitaire engagement rings or as a centre-stone surrounded by two...

Parts

The various elements used to make or repair a watch. In the latter case, these are spare parts.

Quartz oscillator

The regulating organ in a quartz clock or watch.

Regulator

A clock with non-coaxial hour and minute hands. The size of the hands and their position reflect their importance: the minute hand is always the larger and is positioned in the centre of...

Striking mechanism

An acoustic device that automatically or on demand indicates the hour, and possibly quarter-hour and minutes, or sounds at a pre-set time.There are different striking mechanisms: Passing...

Termineur

An independent workshop or independent watchmaker assembling all or some of a watch, using parts supplied by an établisseur or manufacture.

Universal hour

One twenty-fourth of the universal day which begins at midnight at the Prime Meridian at Greenwich. Following the 1884 International Meridian Conference in Washington, the Earth was divided...

Vermeil

Silver covered with a thin layer of gold.

Water-resistance

A watch's water-resistance is measured in bars (a unit of pressure where 1 bar equals 1 atmosphere or atm). Manufacturers generally indicate this water-resistance in metres (m), feet (ft),...

Year

A four-digit indication of the current year that changes automatically at midnight on December 31st.

Zinc

A metal applied by electrodeposition (electroplating) to protect iron and steel.