Watch Parts: Essential Terms Every Watch Brand Owner Should Know

Case

Case is the watch housing - it contains movement, dial and hands and it protects these parts from everyday wear and tear due to moisture, dust and shock.  It usually has a glass attached to it that allows you to see the time. It can be made from different materials like stainless steel, zinc alloy, titanium, brass, plastic, silver, gold etc, and comes in variety of shapes like round, square, rectangle, tonneau.

Watch case manufacturing process involves several stages: design, material preparation, shaping, machining, polishing, and assembly. The process begins with design, often using CAD models and 3D printing for prototyping. Raw materials like metal sheets are then cut, shaped, and machined using techniques like stamping, CNC machining, and die casting.

Following machining, the cases undergo polishing, sometimes manually, before final assembly, including adding the movement, crystal, and other components. Water resistance testing is a crucial step before the final product is deemed ready. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of watch case manufacturing process.

1. Design and Prototyping

  • Watch designers sketch the watch case, and then engineers create technical CAD drawings and potentially 3D renderings.
  • Prototyping with 3D printing helps to visualize and refine the design.

2. Material Preparation: Raw materials, often stainless steel, titanium, or precious metals, are prepared as sheets or billets.

3. Shaping

  • Stamping: Metal sheets are stamped into the basic case shape using a die.
  • Machining: CNC machines precisely cut and shape the case to the exact specifications, including internal components.
  • Die Casting: Molten metal is injected into a mold under high pressure to create the case. 

4. Machining and Finishing

  • Deburring: Removing any rough edges or imperfections from the case.
  • Polishing: Cases are polished to achieve a desired finish, which can be glossy, matte, or brushed. 

Case is the most important part to a watch except for movement.  A finished case includes case body, caseback, glass, crown/ pushers, bezel/ bezel insert so its production time is the longest among all the components and it's also most expensive part except for movement.  Therefore, an in-house case workshop is the key to a watch factory. 

Caseback

Caseback is literally the backdoor of a watch and almost always the access point for maintenance and repairs. The hands, dial and movement are also installed through the back during assembly (with very few exceptions), making the caseback a vault door for the watch's precious cargo.

3 types of caseback are widely used: snap-on caseback, screw-in caseback and caseback with screws. 

Usually snap-on casebacks are used for watches under 5 ATM water resistant, if watches are above 5 ATM, we go with screw-on casebacks and screw-fastened casebacks which are more secure. 

With a screw-on caseback, orientation of markings (text or pattern) might not perfectly align with the dial or other features of the watch, because exact rotational position can vary slightly when it reaches a tight seal.

How to open a watch?  Usually it starts with caseback and you may need a tool. 

Snap-on Caseback Openers

Screw-on Caseback Openers

Crystal

Watch crystal is the transparent part of the watch, also known as the glass or the lens. It covers and protects the face of the watch.  It is generally made of a piece of transparent mineral glass, synthetic sapphire, or acrylic.

Mineral glass is the most common option, offering good scratch resistance but being more susceptible to shattering. Sapphire crystal, on the other hand, is renowned for its exceptional hardness and clarity, making it a popular choice for high-end watches.

Watch crystals can be flat, single domed, or double domed. Flat crystals are, as the name suggests, flat, while single-domed crystals have a curved top surface and a flat bottom, and double-domed crystals are curved on both top and bottom surfaces. Double-domed crystals minimize distortion compared to single-domed crystals, which can magnify and distort the dial at extreme angles. 

A watch crystal date magnifier, often called a cyclops, is a small, convex lens that's attached to the watch crystal (the clear cover over the watch face) to magnify the date display, making it easier to read. These are commonly found on watches with a date complication. 

Usually thin coating layers are applied to a watch's crystal (sapphire or mineral) to reduce reflections and improve visibility. The most common type is anti-reflective (AR) coating, which minimizes glare and allows for better readability in various lighting conditions. Other coatings can also be applied for scratch resistance or to repel fingerprints. 

Bezel

Watch bezel, also know as outer ring, is the ring around the case of the watch that can secure the crystal. Some bezels can rotate either uni- or bi-directionally – these are used as a function to measure elapsed time, often for diving. They can also be decorative, and some are embellished with precious gemstones or diamonds.

Bezel Insert

Watch bezel insert is a component, often made of materials like ceramic or aluminum, that fits inside the watch's bezel. It typically features markers, numbers, or other markings that enhance the bezel's functionality and appearance. Bezel inserts can be used to track elapsed time, different time zones, or other measurements, depending on the type.

Ceramic Bezel Inserts

Crown

Watch crown is a small, knob-like component on the side of a watch case, typically at the 3 o'clock position. It's used to wind the watch's mainspring (in mechanical watches), set the time and date, and sometimes control other functions like a chronograph or a rotating bezel.

Pushers

Watch pushers, also known as push buttons, are small buttons on the side of a watch case. They are used to activate or control various functions of the watch, particularly in chronograph (stopwatch) or other complex mechanisms. Pushers typically allow users to start, stop, and reset the chronograph or adjust other complications like the date or moon phase.

Dial

Watch dial, also known as the watch face, is the visible surface inside the watch case that displays the time and other information. It typically features hour markers, hands, and may include additional features like date windows or sub-dials. The dial's design and materials play a significant role in both the functionality and aesthetics of the watch.

Dial Texture

A watch dial texture refers to the tactile or visual surface treatment applied to the dial of a watch, creating a non-flat, patterned, or visually interesting surface. This texture can be achieved through various techniques, adding depth, character, and visual appeal to the watch's face.

Index

Watch indices, also known as hour markers, refers to the indicators on a watch face that show the hours. These can be simple dots or lines, or more elaborate shapes like numerals (Arabic or Roman) or even unique symbols. The design of the indices significantly influences the watch's overall style and how easily the time can be read.

Date Window

A date window on a watch is a small aperture on the dial that displays the current day of the month. It's a common feature in both mechanical and quartz watches, offering a practical way to quickly check the date. The date window is typically located at the 3, 6, or 9 o'clock position, or sometimes in a circular or rectangular shape.

Sub-dial

A sub-dial on a watch is a small, secondary dial located within the main dial. It displays additional information or functions beyond the standard hours and minutes, such as elapsed time (chronograph), date, day of the week, or moon phase. These subdials are often called registers or counters, particularly in the context of chronographs.

Chapter Ring

A watch chapter ring is a ring, typically found on the outer edge of a watch dial, that features minute markers or other markings. It serves as a frame for the dial and can enhance the watch's readability or aesthetic appeal. Chapter rings can be plain or decorated with designs, logos, or other images.

Hands

Watch hands are the pointers on a watch face that indicate the hours, minutes, and sometimes seconds, as well as date, 24 hours, power reserve etc. Watch hands are the primary way to visually represent the time on a watch face. They are essential for telling time and are a key part of a watch's design.

Common types include hour, minute, and second hands, with varying lengths, shapes, and colors to differentiate them.

Hour hands are typically shorter and wider than minute hands, while second hands are usually thinner and may have a different color or design.

Watch hands come in various styles and designs, including arrow hands, baton hands, Dauphine hands, and Breguet hands, each with its own aesthetic appeal. The design and style of watch hands contribute significantly to a watch's overall aesthetic, with luxury watches often featuring intricate hand designs.

Watch hands are often made of steel or brass and are designed to be thin to minimize the watch's thickness. Some hands have a hollowed-out area filled with luminescent material for visibility in low light.

Some watches may use discs instead of hands to display the time.

Luminous

Watch luminous, also know as "lume" refers to a special coating applied to the hands, indices, and sometimes the dial, that allows the watch to glow in the dark. This is achieved through a photoluminescent material that absorbs light and then slowly releases it, creating a visible glow. This feature is particularly useful for telling time in low-light or dark conditions such as diving.

Movement

Watch movement, also known as a calibre, is the internal mechanism that powers a watch's hands and any other features. It's essentially the "engine" of the watch, responsible for keeping time and operating any complications. There are three main types of watch movements: quartz, mechanical and digital movements.

Quartz Movement: A quartz movement in a watch is a mechanism powered by a battery that uses a quartz crystal to keep time. This crystal vibrates at a precise frequency when energized by the battery, and these vibrations are used to regulate the watch's hands and other functions.

Quartz movements are known for their accuracy and reliability, often requiring only battery changes every few years.

Mechanical Movement: A mechanical watch movement is a timekeeping mechanism that uses a series of gears, springs, and an escapement to power the watch and regulate the movement of the hands. Unlike quartz watches, which use a battery and a quartz crystal, mechanical movements rely on the controlled release of energy from a wound-up spring. There are two main types: manual-wind, which require the user to wind the mainspring regularly, and automatic, which are self-winding using the wearer's wrist movements.

Mechanical movements are prized by watch enthusiasts for their intricate craftsmanship and engineering

Digital Movement: A digital movement refers to the electronic mechanism that powers a digital watch and displays the time using numbers on a digital display, typically LED or LCD. Unlike analog watches with mechanical or quartz movements, digital watches rely on a quartz crystal, circuits, a battery, and a microchip to generate and display the time.

Digital watches often offer additional features like alarms, timers, and even more.

Movement Holder

Watch movement holder is a component used to securely hold a watch movement inside the case and protects it against shocks.  Movement holders are usually made of plastic and sometimes metal like stainless steel or brass for luxury watches.

Rotor

A watch rotor, also known as an oscillating weight, is a key component in automatic watches that winds the mainspring using the wearer's wrist movements. It's a semi-circular, weighted piece that rotates freely within the watch case, transferring energy to the mainspring through a series of gears. This process eliminates the need for manual winding, as the rotor's movement, driven by the wearer's natural motions, automatically recharges the watch.

Keypower Watch Factory offers custom service for clients to add engravings of logo, text or pattern on movement rotors. This decorative element is often visible through a transparent case back and can be a way to personalize the watch or showcase a brand's identity.  

Band

A watch band, also known as a watch strap or watch bracelet, is the part of a wristwatch that attaches the watch case to the wearer's wrist. It serves both a functional purpose by securing the watch and an aesthetic one by complementing the watch's design. Watch bands are made from a variety of materials, including leather, metal (like stainless steel or titanium), rubber, silicone, and fabric etc.

The primary function of a watch band is to keep the watch securely on the wrist. It does this by wrapping around the wrist and using a clasp or buckle to fasten.

Watch bands are a key element in the overall look of a watch and can be chosen to match personal style and preferences. Different materials, colors, and designs can significantly alter the watch's appearance.

Buckle

A watch buckle, also known as a clasp, is the part of a watch strap that secures the watch to the wrist. It's the mechanism that fastens the two ends of the strap together, ensuring the watch stays securely on the wearer's arm.

There are several types of watch buckles, including:

Pin buckles: These are similar to belt buckles, using a pin that inserts into holes on the strap to adjust the fit.

Deployment clasps: These clasps fold open and closed, offering a more secure and often more comfortable closure.

Butterfly clasps: A type of deployment clasp that opens symmetrically, creating a "butterfly" shape when open.  It's also know as double deployment clasp.

Gaskets

A watch gasket is a small, flexible seal, often made of rubber or silicone, that is crucial for maintaining a watch's water resistance and protecting its internal components from dust and moisture. It creates a barrier between the watch case and other parts like the crystal, case back, crown, and pushers.

Usually we call it I-ring for glass gasket while O-ring for caseback gasket in watchmaking industry.

Regular servicing, including lubricating and potentially replacing worn gaskets, is recommended to ensure continued protection.