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The Watch Encyclopedia
Understand the details that make a watch.
83 terms
Clear filtersFive-minute repeater
A striking mechanism sounding the hours and the elapsed five-minute intervals on demand.
Complications & displaysFlyback chronograph
A chronograph that can reset and restart an ongoing timing interval with one operation.
Complications & displaysGMT
In watch descriptions, usually an additional hour display for another time zone, often using a 24-hour hand.
Complications & displaysGrande sonnerie
A striking complication automatically sounding hours and quarters according to its programmed sequence.
Complications & displaysGregorian calendar
The civil calendar system whose month lengths and leap-year rules many watch calendars are designed to follow.
Complications & displaysHome time
A retained time indication for the wearer's usual location while another display shows local travel time.
Complications & displaysHour repeater
A striking mechanism sounding the hour count when activated.
Complications & displaysInstantaneous date
A date-change mechanism that switches its indication rapidly at the changeover point.
Complications & displaysJacquemart
An animated figure presented as striking a bell or sounding element in a clock or watch.
Complications & displaysJumping hour
An hour indication that changes discretely, often through a numbered aperture.
Complications & displaysJumping minute
A minute indication that advances in discrete steps rather than moving continuously across its scale.
Complications & displaysLap time
The time for one successive segment of an activity, distinct from the accumulated time from its start.
Complications & displaysLeap-year indicator
An indication identifying the position within a calendar mechanism's leap-year cycle.
Complications & displaysLocal time
The time used at the wearer's current location, often represented by an independently adjustable travel-watch indication.
Complications & displaysLunar month
The interval between successive matching phases of the Moon, relevant to moon-phase display gearing.
Complications & displaysLunisolar calendar
A calendar system combining lunar months with adjustments to maintain a relationship with the solar year.
Complications & displaysMean solar time
Time based on an averaged solar day rather than the changing apparent motion of the Sun.
Complications & displaysMinute repeater
A striking mechanism sounding the hours, quarters and minutes on demand.
Complications & displaysMonopusher chronograph
A chronograph whose start, stop and reset operations are controlled by one pusher.
Complications & displaysMoon phase
A display representing the changing visible phase of the Moon.
Complications & displaysMoon-age display
An indication of the elapsed position within the lunar phase cycle, often expressed in days.
Complications & displaysMusical watch
A watch incorporating a mechanism capable of producing a musical sequence.
Complications & displaysPerpetual calendar
A calendar mechanism programmed to account for month lengths and leap-year cycles.
Complications & displaysPetite sonnerie
A striking complication using a reduced automatic striking sequence compared with a grande sonnerie.
Complications & displaysPointer date
A date display indicated by a hand pointing to a numbered scale.
Complications & displaysPower-reserve indicator
A display estimating how much running energy remains in the watch.
Complications & displaysPulsometer
A scale converting the time for a stated number of pulse beats into an estimated pulse rate.
Complications & displaysQuarter repeater
A striking mechanism sounding the hours and elapsed quarters on demand.
Complications & displaysRegatta countdown
A timing function designed to track the countdown before a sailing-race start.
Complications & displaysRegulator display
A dial layout separating the principal hour, minute and seconds indications.