Check your watch. Do you know what to call that tiny knob on the side of your watch? It’s called a crown! This article will enlighten you on the most basic parts of a watch and how they fit into making your utile timepiece work. Such information will tell you just how efficient and capable your compact time-telling device truly is. You could be feeling like getting into watch repair and watchmaking in no time after this read.
The Basic Watch Parts and Their Functions
1. Bezel
The bezel is the outer ring surrounding your watch and the watch part holding the crystal in place. It can either be plain or decorative as it can be customized according to the watch owner. Additionally, it is sometimes functional – like a rotating bezel for Seiko diving watches. Bezels are typically made out of metal, but ceramic bezels have been relatively popular as of late.
2. Case
The case is the watch’s outermost molding and is akin to the housing of the watch. It provides the general shape and protects the inner workings of your timepiece. Watch cases can be made out of ceramic, metal, or plastic.
3. Case Back
The case back is the posterior of a case that you can remove to access the inner components of the watch.
3. Crown
The “little knob” on the side of your watch is usually located in either the 3 or 4 o’clock position. It is used to set the date and time. The crown could also serve additional functions depending on the watch. For example, you can use it to wind the mainspring on a mechanical watch.
4. Crystal
The transparent portion of the watch is made out of glass, plastic, sapphire, or other materials. It protects the dial, hands, and other external and internal components of the watch.
5. Dial
This plate-shaped base is located below the watch’s crystal. The dial is the watch part that displays the time, along with the hands and hour markers.
6. Hands
These are indicators that move over the dial to point out the hours, minutes, and seconds. Most watches have three hands.
7. Hour Markers
Hour markers are the actual numeric labels on the watch face. They label the time (usually from 1 to 12).
8. Lugs
These are small metal pieces attaching the watch case to the straps. They protrude from the watch case and secure the strap or bracelet to the case. Lugs come in different shapes and sizes and can dictate the overall style and appearance of your timepiece.
9. Pusher
Pushers are also known as push-pieces or buttons. They are similar to crowns but are used for more advanced functions.
10. Straps, a.k.a. Bracelets
Straps or bracelets can be strips of leather or rubber that help attach the watch to your wrist. These can also be watch bands made of metal.
11. Subdial
A subdial is a smaller dial inset into the main watch dial. Subdials are used for secondary functions, like displaying seconds or a chronograph. The subdial is to the dial like the pusher is to the crown.
Bonus: Movement
We don’t have to get too specific regarding the inner workings of your timepiece just yet, but it is good to know that a watch’s interior parts as a whole are called the movement. Now you know!
