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Learn About Watches

Purchasing your luxury timepiece can be overwhelming. Between balancing the different functions and styles, many factors come into play when shopping for your watch. We have created this Watch Buying Guide to help you to make an educated decision when purchasing your next timepiece.

Feel free to click on each of the tabs below to learn more about watches and timepieces. When you are ready to begin shopping, or if you have any additional questions, feel free to speak to one of our experts at Morgan's Jewelers in Torrance!

About Watches

About Watches

Most inexpensive and medium-priced watches used mainly for timekeeping are electronic watches with quartz movements. Expensive, collectible watches valued more for their workmanship and aesthetic appeal than for simple timekeeping, often have purely mechanical movements and are powered by springs, even though mechanical movements are less accurate than more affordable quartz movements.

The idea of timekeeping has been around for thousands of years, most notably starting with sundials in ancient civilizations. Since then, we have come a long way. In the 1500s, the first pocket watch was invented. A few hundred years later in the 1800s, Patek Phillippe & Co. created the first wristwatch. During the early 1900s, wristwatches began significantly more popular, after they were given to soldiers fighting in World War I. Once the war was over, the soldiers continued to wear their wristwatches, leading the general public to begin wearing wristwatches as well.

In recent years, watch technology has evolved greatly. Nowadays, you have an array of watch options to choose from to perfectly complement your lifestyle and person preference. Morgan’s Jewelers carries a wide range of luxury watches from all of your favorite brands. You can view just a small selection of the watches we carry on our Watch page. We encourage you, however, you stop by our Southern California showroom in Torrance to view our entire selection of watches, including watches from brands not available over the internet.

Watch Functions

Watch Functions

With the strides made in watch technology over the past century, wristwatches have developed a plethora of useful features and functions. When shopping for a watch, you should be aware of the various features and functions available in watches, as well as what types of features and functions you would like in the watch you ultimately purchase. We have detailed each of the most popular functions below.

Calendar Watches

Calendar Watches

Have a feature that shows the day of the month and often the day of the week and the year. There are several types of calendar watches. Some show the date and day of the week with subdials and analog hands. Others have a scale on the outer rim of the watch face numbered from 1 to 31 for the days of the month. Others show the day, date and sometimes the year digitally through an aperture on the watch face.

Moon phase watches

Have a window in a watch face that shows which phase the moon is in. A disk beneath the window with two pictures of a moon rotates as the month progresses revealing gradually larger or smaller segments of the picture.

Travel Watches

Multi-Zone watches

Show the current time in two or more time zones simultaneously.

World timer watches

Watches with a dial usually on the outer edge of the watch face that tells the time in up to 24 time zones around the world. The time zones are represented by the names of the cities printed on the bezel or the dial. The wearer reads the hour in a particular time zone by looking at the scale next to the city that the hour hand is pointing to. The minutes are read as normal.

Yatching and Diving Watches

Water resistant watches

The case, crown, push buttons and crystal of a watertight watch are made in such a way that no dust or water can penetrate, providing longtime protection of the internal parts. Water-resistant watches should be tested once a year and opened only by a qualified watchmaker. Most manufacturers avoid the term “waterproof” as no internal standard has been devised. Waterproof is not a legal term in the US.

Tidal watches

Indicate high and low tides. A must for yachtsmen.

Yacht timer

A countdown timer (see “countdown timer”) that sounds warning signals during the countdown to a boat race.

Diver’s watches

Watches able to withstand water pressure up to a specific depth without incurring damage. These can have feature depth sensors, depth alarms, and altimeters.

Timing Watches

Chronograph

A watch which not only indicates the time of the day in hours, minutes and seconds, but is also equipped with an additional mechanism- operated manually by push buttons-which makes it possible to measure continuous or discontinuous intervals of time, from a fraction of a second to 12 hours.

Chronometer

Not to be confused with a chronograph, this term is assigned to watches that have undergone thorough and intensive testing at an official laboratory or an official institute. A chronometer is a precision instrument and is accompanied by a certificate.

Stopwatch

An instrument, usually a pocket watch, which only measures intervals of time and does not indicate the time of day. A stopwatch can be incorporated into a standard watch; both the stopwatch function and the timepiece would then be referred to as a “chronograph.”

Countdown timer

A function that lets the wearer keep track of how much of a pre-set period of time has elapsed. Some countdown timers sound a warning signal a few seconds before time runs out- these are usually events such as yacht races, where the sailor must maneuver the boat into position before the start of race.

Sweep seconds-hand

A seconds-hand that is mounted in the center of the watch dial.

Telemeter

Determines the distance of an object from the observer by measuring how long it takes sound to travel that distance. Like a tachymeter, it consists of a stopwatch or chronograph, and a special scale, usually on the outermost edge of the watch face. One use of a telemeter would be determining the distance of a storm from its observer.

Tachymeter

Probably the most common feature on a chronograph, a tachymeter (also called tachometer) measures the speed at which the wearer has traveled over a measured distance. The wearer starts the chronograph when passing the starting point and stops it when passing the finish. The wearer can then read the speed in units, in this case, miles per hour, off the tachymeter scale.

Lap timer

A chronograph function that lets the wearer time segments of a race. At the end of a lap, he stops the timer, which then returns to zero, to begin timing the next lap.

Lap memory

The ability, in some quartz sport watches, to preserve in the watch’s memory the times of laps in a race that have been determined by the lap timer (see lap timer). The wearer can recall these times on a digital display by pushing a button.

12-hour recorder (or register)

A subdial on a chronograph (see “chronograph”) that can time periods of up to 12 hours.

Alarm

A device that sounds a signal at a pre-set time.

Yacht timer

A countdown timer (see “countdown timer”) that sounds warning signals during the countdown to a boat race.

Rotating bezel

A bezel (the ring which holds the crystal) that can be turned. Different types of rotating bezels perform different timekeeping and mathematical functions (see “elapsed time rotating bezel”, uni-directional rotating bezel”, and “slide-rule”.)

Elapsed time rotating bezel

A graduated rotating bezel (see “rotating bezel”) used to keep track of periods of time. The bezel can be turned so the wearer can align the zero on the bezel with the watch’s seconds’ or minutes’ hands. He can then read the elapsed time off the bezel. This saves him having to perform the subtraction that would be necessary if he used the watch’s regular dial.

Uni-directional rotating bezel

n elapsed time rotating bezel (see “elapsed time rotating bezel”) often found on diver watches, that moves only in a counterclockwise direction. It is designed to prevent a diver who has unwittingly knocked the bezel off its original position from overestimating his remaining air supply. Because the bezel moves in only one direction, the diver can err only on the side of safety when timing his dive. Many diver watches are ratcheted, so that they lock into place for greater safety.

Slide rule

A device, consisting of logarithmic or other scales on the outer edge of the watch face, that can be used to do mathematical calculations. One of the scales is marked on a rotating bezel, which can be slid against the stationary scale to make the calculations. Some watches have slide rules that allow specific calculations, such as for fuel consumption by an airplane.

Flyback hand

A seconds hand on a chronograph (see “chronograph”) that can be used to time laps or to determine finishing times for several competitors in a race. Usually has two sweep second hands, one positioned above the other. When the timer is running, the hands appear as one. When the start/ stop button is activated while the chronograph mechanism is running, one hand stops to record a lap time etc. and the other continues to run. Activating the start/ stop button causes the hand to return to the original position in tandem with the running sweep hand.

Auto repeat countdown timer

A countdown timer (see “countdown timer”) that resets itself as soon as the preset time has elapsed and starts the countdown again. It repeats the countdown continuously until the wearer pushes the stop button.

Subdial

A small dial within a watch dial used for any of several purposes, such as keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours on a chronograph or indicating the date.

Repeater Watches

A repeater watch is a complication watch that indicates the hours by means of striking gongs- a function activated by a pushpiece of slide. There are several types of repeater watches:

Quarter-Hour Repeaters

This type of mechanism is designed to strike the hours and quarter-hours. A low-pitched gong is struck to indicate the hour, while quarter-hours are indicated by a low and a high note struck together.

Half-Quarter Repeaters

This type of mechanism is designed to strike the hours, quarter-hours and half-quarter hours, i.e. 7.5 minutes after the quarter-hour. A low-pitched (bass) gong is struck to indicate the hour, quarter-hours being indicated by a combination of bass and treble notes, the first half of the quarter-hour by a single treble note and the second half by two treble notes.

Five-minute Repeaters

These came in two versions. The first version is a bass note is struck to indicate the hours, and a treble note for every five minutes, rather than for every quarter-hour. The second version is a bass note is struck for the hours, combined bass and treble notes for the quarter-hours, and a treble note every five minutes in addition to the quarter-hour.

Minutes Repeaters

Watches that strike or sound that hours and minutes on demand by activating a button.

Multifunction Watches

Skeleton

A watch with a mechanism cut away to the minimum material by sawing and milling. Skeleton mechanisms are often provided with fine engravings and casings. Build in between the transparent dial and glass bottom; they create attractive, decorative watches.

Tourbillon

Device invented by A. L. Breguet in 1801 to eliminate errors of rate in the vertical positions. It consists of a rotating carriage or cage carrying all the parts of the escapement and the balance wheel. This ingenious mechanism corrects the small gravitational error that exists in regular watches.

Complication

A watch with more than one function (e.g. alarm, moon phase, perpetual calendar, power reserve indicator, split seconds, repeater). The term is usually used only for mechanical watches.

Grande Complication

A masterpiece of microengineering. It usually includes the maximum number of functions. Displays hours, seconds, elapsed time, phases of the moon, and includes a split-second chronograph. Can have 9 hands, over 950 parts, and an automatic mechanical perpetual calendar programmed for 514 years.

We the previous list was certainly long, we wanted to provide you with a comprehensive list of available watch functions. To begin shopping for a watch with your desired functions, please visit our Southern California showroom in Torrance.

Exterior Features

Exterior Features

The following are the main exterior parts of a watch:

Crystal

The transparent protective covering over a watch face made of sapphire, mineral crystal, glass or plastic.

Dial

The readable part of the watch, the face.

Analog display

The system of indicating time using hands and a dial.

Numerical display

The system of indicating time figures. Also called Digital Display.

Anadigi display

A display that shows the time both by means of hour and minute hands (analog display) and by numbers (digital display).

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

A method of displaying time in an electronic watch. It is created when particles are rearranged by electrical excitation. In LCD watches time is displayed constantly. All LCD watches have quartz movements.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)

The method of displaying time and/ or other functions in an electronic watch using the phenomenon known as electroluminescence. The time appears on the watch face of an LED watch only when a button is pressed and power is sent to the diodes.

Guilloche

A type of engraving in which thin lines are interwoven, creating a patterned surface. Adds beauty and design to the watch.

Subdial

A small dial on a watch face used for any of several purposes, such as keeping track of elapsed minutes on a chronograph or indicating the date.

Hands

Indicate the time or function.

Crown

The knob used to set hands and change functions.

Stem

The shaft connecting the crown to the winding and setting mechanism.

Push Button

Used in complications to start and stop special functions.

Watch strap

Leather, rubber, fabric or synthetic materials.

Deployant buckle

Safety feature protects against dropping the watch. Allows for the look of a strap style with the convenience of a one-piece fold over buckle style band.

Watch band

Either a link or expansion band made in stainless steel, gold or a combination of materials.

Integrated

Watch and bracelet in all one piece to accent a particular design.

Bezel

Case ring that hold the crystal, sometimes set with precious stones.

Interior Features

Interior Features

The following are the main interior parts of a watch:

Movement

The inner mechanism of a watch that keeps time and operates the watch’s functions.

Caliber

Used to denote the size of a movement usually measured in lignes (2.256 mm); also used by manufacturers as “names” for their movements

Ebauche

Literally the basic frame; commonly used for an assembled movement, without escapement, balance and hairspring and mainspring.

Mainspring

A coiled flat spring which provides the power to drive the gear train of mechanical watches.

Balance wheel

An oscillator, which regulates or governs the speed of the movement. A flat ring which pivots on an axle. It must be perfectly poised. After it has swung one way, the spring at its center reverses it and makes it swing the other way- hence the “tick tock” of a mechanical watch. Both balance and hairspring are made of a special alloy to offset the effect of temperature changes.

Hairspring or balance spring

A very delicate spiral spring attached to arbor of balance to control oscillations.

Balance staff

The axle on which the balance pivots.

Jewels

Used as bearing to reduce wear at points of greatest friction in movements. Usually 17-21 jewels in mechanical watches. By reducing friction they add years to a watch’s life. Once they were natural rubies, but now are synthetic. Their design shape helps to hold oil at the specific point of lubrication.

Quartz crystal

An oscillator made of a tiny piece of synthetic quartz. Its standard frequency is 32,768 times per second.

Hertz- Hz

The number of oscillation per second of electronic watches.

Maintenance

Maintenance

Because of the complexity of the mechanisms, we recommend you have your fine timepiece serviced by an authorized agent, equipped with genuine replacement parts and trained by the watch manufacturer. At Morgan’s Jewelers, we have been an authorized watch repair center for over three generations. If you would like have your watch serviced or repaired, we encourage you to visit our Southern California showroom in Torrance.

  • When setting the time, always turn the hands in a clockwise direction.
  • If you need to change the time, always set the day and/ or date function during the day. The day-date mechanism is activated between the hours of 11PM and 3AM; adjusting the time during these hours can jam the mechanism. The day-date mechanism is activated between 9PM and 12AM in some watches.
  • For maximum efficiency and preservation of value, a fine mechanical watch, like an automobile, needs regular check-ups. A mechanical watch should be serviced every three to four years, depending on the manufacturer’s instruction.
  • Automatic wind watches should be hand-wound if not running or if they have been off the wrist and the mainspring has run down. This winding builds up power to get the time-piece running immediately. After this initial winding, the normal wrist action will wind the watch. Generally, after wearing a full day, an auto wind should run for 36 to 48 hours.

If you have any additional questions about your watch, please feel free to contact us.

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