The Parts of a Watch: A Simple Guide to Watch Anatomy
Whether you’re asking a jeweller about a repair, choosing a new watch, or simply curious about how your watch works, it’s surprisingly helpful to know the names of its different parts.
In this article, we’ll take you on a whistle-stop tour of the anatomy of a watch, starting with the case and working our way through the key components you’re most likely to hear mentioned.
If you’d like deeper definitions of watchmaking terms, you can also explore our Watch Glossary for further reading.
The Anatomy of a Watch
The Case
The case is the outer body of the watch — the housing that protects everything inside, including the movement, battery, dial, hands and crystal.
Most watch cases are made from stainless steel, though gold, plastic and ceramic cases are also common, depending on the style and purpose of the watch.
The Bezel
The bezel is the outer ring that surrounds the crystal.
On some watches it’s purely decorative, adding visual interest or framing the dial. On others — particularly diver’s watches — the bezel is functional and rotates. This allows the wearer to measure elapsed time underwater, an essential safety feature for divers.
Bezels are commonly made from stainless steel or ceramic, and may include engraved or printed markers.
The Crystal (or Glass)
The crystal is the clear front of the watch through which you read the time.
It is usually made from one of three materials:
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Plastic (acrylic)
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Mineral glass
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Sapphire crystal
Sapphire crystal is the most scratch-resistant, while mineral glass offers excellent durability and is used in many quality watches.
The Crown
The crown is the small button on the side of the watch, typically positioned at 3 o’clock.
Attached to the crown is the stem, which connects to the movement. Turning or pulling the crown allows you to:
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Set the time
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Adjust the date
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Control chronograph functions
Pulling the crown out can also stop the watch, helping preserve battery life. That said, it’s best not to leave a battery in a watch for many years, as old batteries can leak and damage the movement.
Some watches have a push-pull crown, while water-resistant and dive watches often feature a screw-down crown to prevent moisture entering the case.
The Dial
The dial is the face of the watch, onto which the hands are mounted.
Dials can be plain, textured or coloured, and may include:
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Date or day windows (also called apertures)
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Chronograph sub-dials with smaller hands
Traditional dial finishes include beautifully engraved patterns such as sunray or sunburst dials. Luxurious materials like mother of pearl or semi-precious stones such as malachite are also used to striking effect.
The Indices
Indices are the numbers or markers around the dial that indicate the hours.
They may appear as:
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Arabic numerals
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Roman numerals
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Batons (simple markers)
Some watches display all twelve hour markers, while others mark only the 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions for a cleaner look.
Sub-Dials
Sub-dials (also called auxiliary dials) are smaller dials set into the main dial.
They may display:
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Seconds
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A stopwatch function
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A 24-hour clock
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The day or date
Sub-dials are most commonly found on chronograph watches.
The Hands
The hands are the pointers that tell the time.
Most watches have:
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An hour hand
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A minute hand
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A seconds hand (on many models)
Hands come in many styles, from slim and understated to bold and luminous for easy reading.
The Lugs
Lugs are the projections at the top and bottom of the case where the strap or bracelet attaches. They are sometimes referred to as horns.
Pushers
Pushers are buttons positioned beside the crown — often at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock, though some watches include additional pushers.
They are used to control functions such as starting, stopping or resetting a chronograph (stopwatch).
Bracelet or Strap
A watch may be fitted with either a strap or a bracelet:
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Straps are usually leather or synthetic and fasten with a buckle
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Bracelets are metal-linked, typically stainless steel or ceramic
The strap or bracelet fits between the lugs and is secured with spring bars (or pins). These can occasionally pop out if knocked, but replacements are inexpensive and easily fitted by a local jeweller.
If a bracelet is too large, links can be removed, and extra links can often be added if needed. Longer leather straps are also available for larger wrist sizes.
To Sum Up
Understanding the parts of a watch makes conversations with your jeweller easier and helps when repairs or replacements are needed.
If you have any questions about watch anatomy — or would like advice on care, repairs or servicing — feel free to leave a comment below. We’re always happy to help.
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