Brief Glossary of Watch Terminology

General Concepts and Completeness

Full Set – The watch comes with everything originally provided: original box, original documents (warranty card or certificate), user manual, and all extra bracelet links.
B&P (Box & Papers) – An international abbreviation indicating a watch accompanied by its original packaging and purchase or warranty documents.
Watch only – The watch is sold without the box and documents.
Original Box – The manufacturer’s box included with the watch, which protects the timepiece and increases its value.
Original Papers – The factory-issued warranty card or certificate proving the watch’s authenticity and the time of the original sale.
All links included – Confirmation that no links have been removed from the metal bracelet, or they are all present, allowing the bracelet to be adjusted to any wrist size.
Ref.no. (Reference Number) – The manufacturer’s model code that precisely identifies the watch’s design, materials used, and movement type.
Serial Number – A unique code specific to each individual watch, used to verify its authenticity and provenance.
Vintage – Watches produced at least 25–30 years ago (the limit is usually considered to be years prior to 1996–2000).

Movement and Functions (Complications)

Automatic – A mechanical watch that winds itself using the kinetic energy from the wearer’s wrist movement, which causes a rotor in the movement to spin.
Manual wind – A mechanical watch that lacks a self-winding rotor and Black be regularly wound by hand using the crown.
Quartz – A battery-powered watch that uses the vibration of a quartz crystal for timekeeping. It is highly accurate and requires less maintenance.
Power Reserve Indicator – A hand or scale on the dial that shows how much energy remains in a mechanical watch before it stops.
Chronograph – A watch with a stopwatch function, featuring separate pushers and sub-dials for measuring elapsed time.
GMT / Dual Time – A function that allows the display of two different time zones simultaneously, usually using an additional hand and a 24-hour scale.
World Timer – A sophisticated complication that allows the wearer to read the time in all 24 major world time zones at a glance.
Date – A window on the dial that displays the current date.
Day-Date – A function that displays both the day of the week and the date.
Annual Calendar – A “smart” calendar that automatically distinguishes between 30 and 31-day months. It only requires adjustment once a year, at the end of February.
Perpetual Calendar – One of the most complex complications, which automatically accounts for month lengths and leap years until the year 2100.
Moon Phase – A visual indicator on the dial that displays the current phase of the moon (new moon, full moon, etc.) in the sky.
Minute Repeater – A luxury complication that chimes the time using different tones for hours, quarters, and minutes when a dedicated slide or pusher is activated.
Alarm – A mechanical watch with a built-in hammer and a sounding spring that creates an audible signal at a set time.

Appearance and Materials

Bezel – The top ring of the case surrounding the crystal. It can be fixed, rotating (for diving), or equipped with a scale (e.g., a tachymeter).
Sapphire crystal – A synthetic crystal that is extremely hard and virtually scratch-resistant. It is the standard for luxury watches.
Hesalite – A type of acrylic crystal (plastic) that is impact-resistant and easily polished but scratches more easily (often used on classic models).
Crown – The knob on the side of the watch used for setting the time and date, and for winding mechanical watches.
Water Resistance – Indicates the watch’s ability to withstand water pressure. 10 ATM / 100m means the watch is suitable for swimming; 30 ATM / 300m is suitable for deep-sea diving.

Maintenance and Condition

Condition (Scale *–*****+) – A rating of the watch’s appearance and working order: *****+ denotes a brand-new watch, while * is for an item suitable for parts only.
Polished – A process where surface scratches are removed from the case and bracelet. Excessive polishing can ruin the original edges and geometry of the watch.
Pre-sale Inspection – An examination performed by a watchmaker to check the accuracy of the movement, the condition of the seals, and the watch’s authenticity.