?

What is time?
Time is all the macro does not stop with the sustainability and irreversibility of the material
state of the various process of change and continuous nature of the event common weights and
measures in general.
Time is the description to the process of physical movement, is the artificial division between.
Time is the mentality processes for physical movement into segmentation, division.
Definition: The time is divided by people based on physical movement, not already there, the
universe of "time" would not have been divided.
Physical movement takes time, but if you do not put time divided into partitions, our thinking
can not identify. The reason we can think, because thinking of the physical world can be named
as real things, thinking is true, thinking named things with names, as used in thinking.
Without split-off "time", can not be named, can not be distinguished, only divided into "time", the
thinking in order to be used, because the partition can be named after.
For instance, we put the Earth orbits the Sun once a year into the campaign process, the
movement of the Earth's rotation around the process is divided into day,
Thinking of this division easy to calculate using the number sign. If you do not live on earth,
definitely would not split the movement of the earth to time.
Therefore, time is a human invention to facilitate thinking, thinking about the universe, and to
divide physical movement into time, is man-made rules, rather than what the natural rules. Is the
artificial division between, whenever how to divide can be.

()


Contents
Mechanical Movement
Self winding and manual winding watch
Appearance and descriptions
Decorations
Functioning of a mechanical movement
The power source
The power reserve
The transmission
The distribution
The regulation
Review
The Rubies
The anti-shock system
The Lubrication
Simple and complication watches
Chronograph and Chronometer
Watch with calendar and other complication movements
Exterior of a watch

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Mechanical Movement
Self winding and manual winding watch
A mechanical watch is a watch that uses a
mechanical mechanism to measure the passage of
time. There are mainly two kind of watches, hand
wound watch and automatic watch. The internal
mechanism of a watch, excluding the face and
hands, is called the movement.
A mainspring which stores mechanical energy to
power the watch. The spring loses energy as the
watch runs, the mainspring must be daily "wound"
by the owner turning the crown on the case to
provide energy to run the watch, that is called
manual winding movement.
An automatic or self-winding movement is, one
can wound the mainspring by turning the crown,
also the mainspring can be wound automatically
by the oscillating weight(rotor) on the movement,
with natural motion of the wearer's arm to wind
the mainspring of the movement, providing
energy run the watch, to make it unnecessary to
manually wind the movement.
Automatic movement
with oscillating
weight(rotor)
Mechanical Watch
(Automatic)
Mechanical Watch
(Hand wound)
Manual winding
movement

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Mechanical Movement
Appearance and descriptions
A thin metallic coating protects the component of the cage., generally plated with nickel, rhodium, gold,
etc. This coating is first to insure a protection against the oxidation, and secondly to enhance the
appearance of the components.
One generally designates a movement by the bridge side and the dial side.
A movement is composed of a cage that contains a certain number of components.
Cage is constituted of a basic piece called the main plate, on which are fixed the bridges. It is between the main
plate and the bridges that the gear train and other moving part are fixed.
Main plate is generally piece of brass and has certain number of recesses and holes. Some parts, pins and rubies
are pressed into the main plate
Bridges are elements of particular shapes, generally realized in the same material as that of the main plate. They
also have recesses, holes, post and rubies. Positioned and fixed in a precise way onto the main plate, that allow
the different components to stay in place.
Movement bridge side Movement dial side
Gears and escapement bridge Main plate Barrel bridge

Calibre
()()caliber
calibreline: 1(line) = 2.255
line

Caliber()

Mechanical Movement
Appearance and descriptions
Dimensions
The thickness and the diameter of the cage give the dimensions of the movement that one calls a calibre.
The dimensions of a calibre are determined by its casing diameter(in mm) and its total height(in mm).
The diameter of the calibre is given in line: 1(line) = 2.255mm
The line is the twelfth of the inch, this last being the twelfth part of the foot.
1

12
inch
The Numbering
Every caliber carries a reference number(supposed) so that it
can be identified easily when ordering spare parts. This reference
number is generally accompanied with the mark of the
manufacturer. In addition, the number of rubies is engraved on
the main plate or on the oscillating weight.
Tapestry
Cotes de Genve
Pearled Guilloch
The Decorations
The decoration is the operation that consists of creating a pleasant
visual surface to look at. It is created on the component surface with
the help of small disks of emery papers or with abrasive millstones.
Certain decors can thus be created such as cotes de Genve,
rounded or Guilloch patterns and tapestry.
The bevels of the bridges are polished with diamond cutters. In some
cases of very fine watch making, the peripheries of the bridges are
stretched, beveled and polished by hand.

1. 2. 3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Functioning of a mechanical movement
1. 2. 3.
4.
1. The Energy Source
2. The Transmission
3. The Distribution
4. The Regulation

S
40

The Energy Source

The Barrel
If the user of a watch turns the crown to wind the mainspring, the user is
the energy source. One will be able to deduct that mainspring functions like
an accumulator of energy.
Barrel
Mainspring
Barrel Cover
Mainspring
Barrel
Arbor
Hook on the
mainspring
The mainspring
Returned S
The mainspring is an elastic metallic blade of rectangular section. The progress of
the blade, rolled up against the barrel arbor and trying to take its initial shape,
produces the energy necessary for the watch to work.
The shape of the spring evolved from the spiral shape to shape of the returned S.
Fully wound within the barrel. The spring is manufactured in order to assure a
power reserve of approximately 40 hours.

()
The Energy Source
Mainspring inside a barrel
In a self-winding watch, the hook of the mainspring is replaced by a sliding bridle, that functions
like a safety valve.
When the mainspring will be fully wound, it will slip inside the barrel, preventing the mainspring
from being over winding
Hook
Fully wounded Unwound
Self-winding watch barrel
(Fully wounded)

The Energy Source

Power Reserve Indicator
The power reserve of a watch is the time that elapse between the moment that the mainspring is fully wound and
the moment that the watch stops.
The term power reserve is used to designate the length of time the watch will work without the mainspring being
rewound. This corresponds to the available energy at any given moment.
The power reserve is shown on the dial of certain models, similar to the fuel gauge of a car.

The Transmission
The gear train
The energy accumulated in the barrel by the winding of the mainspring is going to allow the transmission of
energy by means of the gear train.
The mainspring, while releasing itself, drags the barrel in rotation, then the gear train. The display of the hour by
the hands is also dependent on the gear train of the movement.
Barrel
Center wheel
Intermediate
wheel
Seconds wheel
Escape wheel
Pivot
Teeth
A Wheel:
This is a circular organ turning
around an axis. Its function is to
transmit the energy to the
movement.
Leaves

-()
-

()

()

The Distribution
The Escapement
Escapement is a distributing organ to distributes the energy. The purpose of the escapement is to
maintain and count the oscillations of the sprung-balance of a watch.
The escapement receives the energy provided initially from the gear train by the barrel and
periodically release a small amount of this energy in order to:
- Maintain the oscillations of the regulating organ(sprung balance) to oscillate.
-Cause the train to move in tiny increments.
To the sprung balance
Roller jewel
(Ruby)
Roller table
Pallets
Pallet jewels
(Rubies)
Escape wheel
Functioning with
seconds wheel
Balance staff

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
:

The Regulation
The sprung-balance
The movement of the balance-sprung:
The balance-sprung oscillates around its neutral position, and this, in any position, contrary to a pendulum.
The balance-spring oscillates because if it is displaced from its neutral position, the hairspring is wound or unwound.
This movement creates an energy that will bring the balance wheel back to its neutral position. As it has acquired a
certain speed, it swings passed its neutral position, until the opposing energy of the hairspring stops it, and then
forces it to swing in the opposite direction.
1. Balance wheel
2. Hairspring
3. Balance bridge
4. Collet
5. Stud
6. Stud holder
7. Pins
8. Regulator
The sprung balance system:
The regulation organ of the mechanical watches is composed of a fly wheel
called the balance wheel and a hairspring. The inner end of the hairspring is
fixed onto the balance staff. The opposite end of the hairspring is fixed to the
Stud, which is fixed onto the balance bridge.

:

:

1.1618

2.

Plain balance
Gyromax
balance wheel
Balance wheel
with screws
Cut bimetallic
balance wheel
Gyromax

The regulation
Types of balance wheel
The Plain balance: The present balance wheels are build with two or three arms, they
are made of beryllium copper for the superior quality, in nickel for the standard quality.
They have an excellent capacity of inertia in relation to their mass.
The balance wheel with c\screws:
In the past, the balance wheels were more complicated for two reasons.
1.To adjusting or easily modify the moment of inertia of the balance wheel 16 to 18 screws
which are fixed on the balance rim. One could add or remove small washers between the
head of the screw and the rim, in order to increase or reduce the moment of inertia.
2. The former hairsprings were made of steel and dilated or contracted strongly according
to the variation of the temperature. It changed the length and the strength of the hairspring.
For watches of high precision, it was necessary to find a system that counterbalanced this
effect. One constructed the cut bimetallic balance wheel.
The rim is made of two metals(brass and steel). When the temperature changes, the two
metals expand or contract at different rates, which distort the rim and modifies the
moment of inertia.
The balance wheel is a fly wheel composed with a circular rim, held by arms.
Plain balance
Gyromax
balance wheel
Balance wheel
with screws
Cut bimetallic
balance wheel
The Gyromax balance wheel possesses a certain number of adjustable bolts that
allows to vary the moment of inertia by turning the slots of the bolts towards the inside
or outside of the balance wheel.

():

503614+10
...
:
18

Flat hairspring
Breguet hairspring
The Regulation
The hairspring
The flat hairspring:
It is essential that a hairspring develops itself as concentrically as possible. It is because
of the interior and outside attachments that this condition is difficult to satisfy.
For a flat hairspring whose outer end is fixed to the stud, the concentric development
is not possible.
The hairspring is a metallic blade rolled up on itself in the shape of Archimede spiral. One requires a lot of
performance from the hairspring. The couple must be as constant as possible whatever its elongation, the
temperature and the variation of the magnetic field.
The present hairspring is made with complex alloy: Iron 50%, nickel 36%, chromium 14% + 10% of tungsten,
molybdenum, niobium, vanadium, manganese, silicon, titanium, aluminum, beryllium, carbon
The Breguet hairspring:
At the end of 18
th
century, the watchmaker Arnold and Breguet solved the problem.
By giving a special shape to the last curve of the hairspring.
Flat hairspring
Breguet hairspring

Review
So how the functions works together?
Lets take a music box as an example. It posses a similar mechanism to a mechanical watch movement,
their difference is, music box plays music, watch plays time.
Crown
Power source
Transmission
Distribution
Regulation
When a music box playing a song, the speed is steady controlled by the swinging of the governor (regulation).
The governor controlling the speed of the pins roll (distribution) runs evenly to limit the turns of the gear train
(transmission), in order to reduce the speed of the barrel spring (power source) runs out the energy which
stored. We then turn the crown (winding) to restore energy. Same as in a watch, the balance wheel swings to
control the escapement to distribute energy evenly from the mainspring inside the barrel through the gear
train, making time runs accurately on the watch. If the balance wheel and escapement removed, nothing to
control the barrel spring release, then mainspring will runs out within a second. And some people may
misunderstand that the balance wheel providing energy to the watch, but in fact, it takes the role to regulating.

1704Nicolas Fatio De Duillier

1902August Verneuil

=
=
+=
The rubies
In 1704, this is the Swiss astronomer and optician Nicolas Fatio De Duillier, who discovered the way to drill the natural
rubies to use them as bearings in watches.
In 1902, August Verneuil discovered a process in which to manufacture artificial fine stones.
Although made by man, the rubies represent exactly the same chemical, physical and crystallographic properties, so that
of the natural composition. In practice, the synthetic ruby presents decisive advantages to the natural one. It is indeed
purer and more homogenous. The synthetic surpasses the original, notably concerning its industrial applications.
The ruby and the sapphire are part of the same family.
CORUNDUM
The basis of the synthetic ruby is
ALUMINUM OXIDE
Without addition=white sapphire
Chromium oxide=red ruby
Titanium + iron oxide=blue sapphire

()
The rubies
The scale of hardness of the stones according to Mohs is found on the possibility
that a stone has to scratch another one by rubbing.
Fluorite
Diamond
Quartz
Feldspar
Talc
Corundum

(0.055to0.10mm)
(C)(E)

a,
b,
c,
d,
e,
The anti-shock system
To avoid that the pivots of the wheel(0.055to0.10mm of diameter) do not break at he time of a shock undergone
by the watch, some anti-shock systems have been created.
Their principle consists in absorbing the shocks, by a part of the balance staff that is stronger than the pivots. This
stronger part comes to stumble against the body of the device.
For that to happen, the jewels are fixed elastically into their place. In the absence of shock, the pivots of the balance
wheel work normally. In case of shock, the jewel move, while allowing one part of the balance staff to absorb the
shock. At the end the shock, all jewels take their original position.
a, Ruby bearing
b, Spring
c, balance staff
d, setting
e, pivot

1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,

The lubrication
The lubrication is the fact to insert, between two pieces that rub one against the other, a product: the lubricant that
permits the decrease of the coefficient of rubbing and wear. It can be used under three forms: solid, liquid and gaseous.
The lubricants used in watch making
What qualities should a lubricant have?
1, chemical stability
2, non corrosive properties for the components
3, non-creep stability
4, low temperature stability
5, low volatility
6, a stable and low coefficient of friction
7, prevention of wear
8, the insurance of a steady and high amplitude, whatever is humidity
What lubricants are available to the watchmaker?
The classic oils:
They are either vegetable (olive oil for example) or of animal origin (neat s foot oil). These oils have very good
lubricant properties and seemed to be the ideal lubricant for watch making.
Unfortunately, on contact with air and by the catalytic effect of the cuprous metals, they tend to oxidize and therefore
to have a short time efficiency. One tired to improve them by taking care of the refinement and mixing them with
mineral oils. In spite of all the research, one will never get, even roughly, the stability that synthetic oils offer.

1950
678

MOS2

The lubrication
The synthetic oils:
They have been created, seen 1950, by the complex combination of chemical products. One distinguishes several
groups of it. The first synthetic oils produced satisfied the first five requirements listed. On the other hand, no one had
been interested in the actual lubricant properties that are the subject of the requirements 6, 7 and 8. Studies to this
topic have been undertaken at the end of the seventies. These oils are constantly improved, the goal being to find the
lubrication that rill have the longest life span.
The greases:
They are mixture of oils and fibrous soap that acts as sponge to keep oil. There is also a grease for watch making
constituted of oil and powder of molybdenum disulfide(MoS2) used like binder.
The greases are of a delicate use. They must be perfectly homogeneous before it can be used and should acts like a
lubricant. For the escapement, the grease must not produce any micro-droplets under the effect of the shocks when
mechanical contact is initiated.
Self- lubricating material and coatings:
Numerous studies are still being led, without any revolutionary solution discovered so far.
The choice of lubricant:
Considering the complexity of the problems to solve, the watchmaker is obliged to have a full confidence in the
recommendations of the watch making lubrications, and the technical brochures provided by the watch making
manufactures, indicating with precision the products of cleanings to use, the advisable lubricants, the quantities and the
place where to put them.
It is essential to deposit a lubricant onto a perfectly clean surface.
It serves no purpose to apply a drop of oil on a dirty component or to one that has already been oiled, as the oil will
not remain in place.

C.O.S.C(Contrle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres )

9 -4 +6
9 -5 +8

Simple and complication watches

Chronometer and Chronograph
A chronometer means watch of high precision, which
indicates the second, whose movement has been
tested during 15 days in different positions and
different temperatures, by a neutral official organism
"the C.O.S.C" (Official Swiss Center of
Chronometers). The movement that are in the criteria
of precision.
Movement bigger than9''' -4 to +6 seconds per day
Movement smaller than 9''' -5 to +8 seconds a day
receive an OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE of CHRONOMETER

()

Simple and complication watches

Chronometer and Chronograph
A chronograph is an instrument(watch) with which one can read the time and measure a lapse of time, on
demand, with the help of a chronograph mechanism.
Watch with chronograph

(Zegna 20th anniversary watch).

Simple and complication watches

Chronometer and Chronograph
The chronograph is a separate mechanism added to the movement of a watch. It is used to measure laps of
time in sport events, industrial operations, laboratory experiments or all other application that requires
knowing a precise lapse of time.
(Refer to our Zegna 20th anniversary watch).
Watch with split-seconds chronograph

Simple and complication watches

Watch with calendar
There are basically two types of display to indicate the date on a calendar watch
Indication with a disc
Date
Date disc
Indication by hand
Date

(28, 29, 3031

)
31
228430

Simple and complication watches

Watch with simple calendar
The simple calendar watch indicates the day, the date, the month and the phase of the moon, but it does not make into
account the variation of the days in the month (month of 28, 29, 30 or 31 days).
In other words, the user of a watch with a simple calendar mechanism should do a manual intervention at the end of each
month that count less than 31 days. For example, February 28 or April 30, it will be necessary to do a manual intervention.
Day
Phase of the moon
Month
Date

2912442.829.535929.5
442.89
31
Simple and complication watches
Indication of the phase of the moon
A disc on which the moon is represented two times indicates the phase of the moon. A suitable shape aperture
into the dial permits to see a part of the disc, revealing a waxing moon, a full moon or a new moon.
The length of a lunar cycle is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds (29.53 days). The length if a lunar
cycle with a star wheel of 59 teeth is 29.5 days. This mistake that results from this difference is 44 minutes and
2.8 seconds per month, either close to 9 hours per year.
It means that after 3 years, there will be a error of 1 day in the given indication. Then a manual correction should
be undertaken.

282930

(7)
(48)
(31) (59)
Simple and complication watches
The perpetual Calendar
A perpetual calendar permits like a simple calendar mechanism, to indicate the day, the month and the phase of the
moon, and ALSO takes automatically into account the length of the months (28, 29 and 30 days), even the leap years,
and these without manual intervention.
Leap year
counter
Day star
(7 teeth)
Month star
(48 teeth)
Date star
(31 teeth)
Moon phase star
(59 teeth)

Simple and complication watches

The perpetual calendar with complete year
Year system

,
08:11
= GMT+8 = 16:11
=GMT-5= 03:10
10:11 = GMT+2

Simple and complication watches
GMT Indication
Greenwich Mean time at the meridian of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, which is the prime meridian of the world.
GMT is a civil time beginning at midnight.
With the help of the GMT indicator, one can notice every countrys actual time accordingly with their time zones from the time
zone map.
.
GMT time zone map
According to this watch, if
the GMT now is 08:11
Then
China= GMT+8 = 16:11
East coast of USA=GMT-5= 03:10
The time now 10:11 = GMT+2
Which means showing the time of East Europe, and Egypt, etc.
GMT hand

Simple and complication watches

The two time zones watch
The second time zone

Simple and complication watches

The three time zones watch
Second
time zone
Third
time zone

()
In an alarm watch, which may be used as a memory aid, the mechanism which releases the alarm is identical to that in an
alarm clock.
One part of the movement is conventional, with its own stem (time setting and winding), and the other part of the
movement is the alarm with its own stem as well (alarm time setting and winding).
Simple and complication watches
The alarm watch
Alarm indication
Crown of the alarm
mechanism(alarm
time setting &
Winding)

(15)
02:17

Simple and complication watches

The minute repeater
A minute repeater watch
Slide
The minute repeater mechanism indicates on demand, the time to the nearest minute by
the sound of two hammers hitting two gongs of different pitches. The low pitch dong stand
for hours, high and low pitches ding dong stand for quarters, high pitch ding stand for minutes.
For example, if the time now is 02:17, then when we slide, you will here the sound dong, dong,
ding dong, ding, ding.
Minute
hammer
Hour
hammer

3
1,
2,()
3,

The grande sonnerie' strikes the hours and the quarters automatically, like a grand father clock. And it
has the same characteristics as the minute repeater. It strikes the hours, quarters and minutes on
demand.
By moving a push piece the grande sonnerie has 3 functions:
1, Grande sonnerie
2, Petite sonnerie (minute repeater only)
3, Silent
Simple and complication watches
The grande sonnerie

A. L. Breguet, 1801.

The tourbillon
A. L. Breguet, created the tourbillon system in1801. The purpose of this device is made to improve the
accuracy of the watch. The carriage is fixed on the second's wheel axis, makes one complete turn every
minute, to average the errors of rate in the vertical positions.
Simple and complication watches
The rotating regulation system
A tourbillon
movement
Tourbillon escapement
carriage

()
The carrousel
One can see that the sprung-balance is not on the center of the carriage. This is the main difference between
a tourbillon and a carrousel. The carriage is usually placed on the arbor of the intermediate wheel so that the
carrousel carriage makes some of them a complete turn every one minute or 4 to 6 minutes.
Simple and complication watches
The carrousel

()(),

24

Simple and complication watches

The retrograde systems
The retrograde systems
A retrograde system is a system provided with a hand (of hours, minutes, seconds, calendar etc.) which
moves on an arc of circle, drawn on an dial, and not on a complete circle.
Which means that when the hand reaches the end of the arc of circle, it comes back instantaneously to its
starting point.
Retrograde 24hour
counter
Retrograde day
counter
Retrograde date
counter
Retrograde seconds
counter

60

Simple and complication watches

Jumping system
Watch with the hour indication appearing in an aperture made into the dial. When the minute hand arrives on 60,
the hour jumps instantaneously to the next numeral.
So this is a watch with minute repeater, small seconds and jumping hours
Hour
indication

Exterior of a watch
The exterior of a watch comprises all the components added to the movement which contribute to:
Its final appearance
The protection of the movement
The way it is fixed in place and how it is used
These components are the glass, the dial, the hands, the case, the gaskets, the crown and its tube, the push-piece and the
bracelet.
Glass
Mid-case
Crown
Dial
Hands
Movement
Gasket
Case back cover
Crown tube
Movement ring
Case back glass

:
PVD

keramos

Material used to make watch case

The materials used to make watch cases must fulfill the following conditions:
It must be rust proof.
It must not be affected by contact with sweat and normal environmental conditions.
It must be hard-wearing.
In the luxury watch industry the cases of the watches are generally made out of stainless steel, titanium, silver, gold
of various color and platinum.
But nowadays, the creators use a lot of different materials like synthetic matters, ceramics, wood, etc
The stainless steel:
The stainless steel is the ideal material to make watch cases. Its toughness and its resistance permit to achieve a
resistant and everlasting product. In the other hand it is difficult and expensive to manufacture.
The brass:
Brass is easy to manufacture, and it is suitable to be covered by galvanic treatment. The watch cases made out of
brass are inexpensive, but their life span is limited. As soon as the protective layer wears off, by rubbing or abrasion,
the brass will corroded very quickly.
The titanium:
It is a blackish metal. Its oxide is a coloring agent for the sapphire. The nitrate of titanium is used in the P.V.D coating
of the watch cases.
The ceramics:
In Greek, the word "keramos" means clay (potter's earth). Since this very old origin, the ceramics have undergone,
and still undergo, a considerable evolution. They are a complex composition of inorganic, minerals, metallic and
crystalline substance.

1, ;
2,
3, 199581

Exterior of a watch
The precious metals
Precious metals recommended for use in watch making include gold, platinum, palladium and silver. Precious metals are
never used in their pure form.
They are always alloyed with other metals, to obtain a harder and more easily machinable material, and to change their
color.
Trade in precious metals has been the subject of legislation in all countries for a long time. As a rule, customs services
control the import and export of precious metals as well as standards of alloys. Legislation exists in every country and
offenders are punished.
Switzerland has a federal office that deals with precious metals. It is a neutral organization with no financial interests
whatsoever. The main tasks of this office are to protect the public from fraud and to protect the manufacturers from
unfair competition.
Assay offices are to be found in various parts of the country, where professional assayers carry out the necessary
analyses to:
Assess the amount of precious metal in an alloy and to hallmark the piece if it comes to standard.
Check that the other hallmarks are correct
Every object made out of precious metal should bear the following marks in close proximity.
1. The maker' s mark, which is registered with the authorities; this indicates who manufactured the object and
guarantees the standard.
2. The standard mark, which indicates the legal standard.
3. The hallmark, which is stamped by the assay office. This is compulsory on all watch cases which contain a precious
metal and optional on other objects. Since august 1, 1995 a hallmark in the form of the head of a St Bernard dog has
been used in Switzerland for all metals and all standards.

Exterior of a watch
Types of hallmarks
St. Bernard hallmark

18:750%,125%,125%
18:750%,45%,205%
18:750%,125%,95%,30%

925:925%,75%

:950%,,5%
Exterior of a watch
The standard (purity)marks
Gold
18 carats yellow: pure yellow gold 750%, silver 125%, copper 125%
18 carats pink gold: pure yellow gold 750%, silver 45%, copper205%
18 carats white gold: pure yellow gold 750%, palladium125%, copper 95%, silver 30%
Silver
Sterling silver: pure silver 925%, copper 75%
Platinum
Platinum: pure platinum 950%, palladium, cobalt, copper 5%

Exterior of a watch
Makers marks

Exterior of a watch
The casing ring
The casing ring
The casing ring is a ring, which is fitted around the movement when it is placed into the case. It can be
made of steel, brass or synthetic material.
It is used to fill the space that is between the watch case and the movement. It allows to fit a movement of
a different shape of the case.

Exterior of a watch
The crowns
The crown
The winding crown is screwed onto the winding stem. The winding stem fits into a hole in the side of the
case. If this hole were not sealed, humidity, dust and fine fibers from clothes will get into the movement.
Watch case
Joint
Crown tube
Crown with
Winding stem

Exterior of a watch
The gaskets
The gaskets
Gaskets ensure a water-resistant seal between two parts, the winding crown and the crown tube, for example, or
between two fixed parts, such as the back and the case.
In principle, a gasket must always be elastic and should never be compressed if it is to fulfill its function.
In this case it should be lubricated to allow it to slide. Back cover gaskets are often designed to be compressed to a
maximum. In this case, it is preferable to change them each time the watch is opened, since they may have been
distorted.
A gasket

1.
2.
(
).(loctite).
Exterior of a watch
The cements
Cement is used for two purposes in watch making:
1. To fix a part: e.g. the winding crown to the winding stem
2. To create a seal: e.g. between the glass and the bezel
Cement is in fact often used for both purposes at the same time. The type of cement used is frequently anaerobic
(it solidifies in the absence of air). This explains why jars of such cement are always only half full (loctite).

100

Exterior of a watch
The glasses
Usually the case of a watch is formed of three distinct parts: the bezel, the mid-case and the back case. These
three parts can be united according to the constructions. The fourth indispensable part of the case is the glass of
the watch.
Synthetic glasses
Since they are made of relatively soft material, synthetic glasses are easily scratched. Most synthetic glass is
domed. They are fitted and secured in a circular groove around the inside of the bezel through their own
elasticity.
Mineral & sapphire crystals
Fairly hard substance can scratch mineral crystal, while only sapphire or a diamond can scratch a sapphire crystal.
These watch glasses are not elastic, it means that they have to be cemented into the bezel groove or fixed by a
synthetic gasket.
The sapphire glass
Twenty operations are necessary to manufacture a simple sapphire glass. The greater
care must be taken while handling these glasses during the manufacturing. They must
be 100% pure. The smallest dust left in the sapphire would show on the glass. But it is
only at the end of the manufacturing , when the glass is polished, that we can see if
there is an inclusion.

Exterior of a watch
The dials
Dials are generally flat brass discs, beveled or domed, which are fixed onto the dial side of the movement
by dial feet.

18
1875Nemitz
Exterior of a watch
The hands
The hands
The hands of a watch are not simply indicators. Like the other exterior parts, the shape and appearance of the
hands help to give a watch certain style.
Hands are made of brass, steel, gold, aluminum or special alloys and may be galvanized or painted, oxidized. 18
carats hands are left untreated.
In 1875 Nemitz invents phosphorescent sulfur-calcium as the first luminous material for hands.

60

Exterior of a watch
The leather straps
A single strap must go through more than 60 different stages, from preparing the skin to the final finishing touches.
The manufacturing process is therefore organized as a series of specialized workshops, such like choose the skin,
cutting the straps, splitting and paring, padding, stitching, finishing and several final stages. Which means it takes a
considerable amount of time to produce just one strap.
Cow leather
Ostrich skin
Supple yet solid, ostrich skin is
irregularly patterned with quill
marks which mark the position
of the biggest feathers.
Shark skin
Unique for its pattern. Generally
speaking, the ridges are died one
shade lighter than the color of
the skin, or blackened.

Exterior of a watch
The leather straps
Caiman skin
Caiman skin has more or less
round scales, which are less
rectangular than those of the
alligator
Alligator skin
The alligator can be distinguished
from other crocodilians by the
Square or rectangular scales on
Its belly and the round scale on
Its flanks.
Lizard skin
Its akin is resistant, and can be
recognized by the very small, round
Scale at the center, which become
Square towards the edges of the skin.