All about... the inscriptions on the watch (50 photos)

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In addition to the company logo and model name, watch dials contain many other inscriptions. Some people think that manufacturers write whatever they want. In general, they are right, but only partly, since the inscriptions on the dials of respectable watches have a clear classification. What are they informing us about?

Swiss Made
What does this mean: This watch uses a Swiss movement (see swiss movement), the watch is assembled and tested in Switzerland, at least 50% of the parts are made there.
+ Quality and prestige.
- Quite expensive.

Swiss movement
What does this mean: The mechanism is assembled in Switzerland, Swiss-made parts make up at least 50% of the total cost.
+ Swiss quality does not come at a Swiss price.
— Are these French (Germans, Italians, Russians, Americans) absolutely sure that this mechanism fits their watches 100 percent?

Swiss mov't, Swiss quartz
What does it mean: Doesn't mean anything. As a rule, such markings are used on watches with movements of Swiss companies produced in their foreign (read Asian) factories.
+ The price of these movements (and, accordingly, watches) is lower, and from the point of view of accuracy and reliability, they are no worse than their purely Swiss counterparts.
- The image is not the same...

WR XX M (WR XX Bar)
What does this mean: The watch case protects the mechanism from moisture.
+ The advantages are obvious. In addition, you don’t have to worry about the fate of a watch left unattended while swimming.
— The numbers indicated in the designation — 1 bar (atm) = 10 meters — can mislead the owner, because have nothing to do with the permissible immersion depth. WR 30M - the watch is not afraid of rain and running water from the tap, WR 50M - you can swim carefully and leisurely in this watch, WR 100M - shallow diving. You cannot go to the bathhouse wearing just a watch.

Diver's XXXХ M
What it means: The watch is designed for scuba diving. This means not only high water resistance, but also a special design of all watch elements: luminous hands that are clearly visible in the dark, a rotating bezel that allows you to time your dive, and even a more durable strap fastening.
+ If waterproof ones “promise” not to die under water themselves, then diving ones guarantee reliable operation and, thereby, the safety of the swimmer.
- For everything good you have to pay well.

Antimagnetic
What does this mean: Thanks to the special design of the case, the watch is not afraid of exposure to magnetic fields.
+ Long and good health of such vital watch organs as the balance-spring assembly, the mainspring and some others.
- Finding them is not so easy

Antishock, Incablock
What does this mean: The watch is equipped with a special shock absorber that protects the most sensitive part of the watch - the balance axis - from shock.
+ It is possible to accidentally drop a watch from a table onto a wooden floor. When you are not afraid of dropping your watch, for some reason it falls less often.
— Protects only the balance axis, without paying attention to other parts. This inscription is nothing more than an advertising gimmick, because... Today they don't make watches that are not shockproof. This means that the manufacturer remembers shock resistance only when there is nothing else remarkable about the watch.

Sapphire
What does it mean: The glass is made from sapphire crystals.
+ Sapphire is harder than mineral glass and is difficult to scratch.
“But once you’ve scratched it, it’s much more difficult to remove the scratch.” In addition, sapphire breaks faster than ordinary glass upon impact.

Hardlex
What does this mean: The glass of this watch is specially treated, which increases its scratch resistance.
+ Relatively low price and durability.
— The harder the material, the easier it breaks.

Sapphlex
What does this mean: The glass consists of two layers: regular mineral and a thin top layer of sapphire.
+ Again, does not scratch.
- Expensive.

Gold 14K (18K, 23K)
What does this mean: The case (bracelet) is made of gold or coated with a noble metal. 14K corresponds to our 585th sample, 18K – 750th, 23K – 958th.
+ A gold watch is a gold watch. Gold is hypoallergenic and never oxidizes.
— Gold is a heavy and soft metal that requires frequent polishing

Stainless Steel
What does this mean: The case (bracelet) is made of stainless steel.
+ Steel also does not cause allergies, is durable and does not scratch easily.
— Heavier than titanium and even more so than brass.

T-Swiss made-T (L)
What does this mean: The luminescent elements of the watch are made using materials based on the tritium isotope (or the light-accumulating composition Luminova or Superluminova). There is no need to be afraid of tritium; it is dangerous only in very large quantities.
+/- Unlike the light-accumulating Luminova, tritium hands and markers do not require recharging in the light. The glow intensity is constant. However, tritium does not last forever, and in ten years the glow will dry out completely. Luminova composition does not age.

Automatic
What does this mean: The watch is equipped with a self-winding system and accumulates energy from the movements of the hand.
+ No need to start it.
— With a sedentary lifestyle, they often stop, and some automatic watches do not have manual winding.

Autoquartz (

Kinetic)
What this means: The battery of your quartz watch is recharged by the movements of your hand.
+ You are the owner of an eternal watch that does not require batteries.
— The same as at the automatic factory.

Chronometer, Officially certified chronometer
What does this mean: The accuracy of the movement of this watch is confirmed by special tests in an independent research center, which is confirmed by the certificate included with the watch.
+ High accuracy.
“Only the mechanism was tested, then it was installed in the case: the watch, in principle, can move in any way.”

Regulateur
What does this mean: In the name of precision, the craftsmen made it so that the hours, minutes and seconds are indicated on three independent additional dials.
+ Original appearance, and indeed high precision.
— It takes time to learn to determine what time it is.

Co-axial
What it means: This watch uses a co-axial escapement designed by George Daniels.
+ such watches do not require frequent lubrication, and the accuracy will not decrease over time.
— if something happens, they can only be repaired at an official service center.

XX jewels
What does this mean: The number of stones in the mechanism, which depends on the design features, the whims of the master and, contrary to popular belief, has virtually no effect on accuracy. Therefore, most manufacturers now do not write the number of stones.
+/- are subjective and not significant

Fly-back (Split) Chronograph, Moon Phase (Phase de Lune), GMT, Alarm, Perpetual Calendar, Equation of Time, Minute Repetition (Chime), Tourbillon
What this means: Your watch can do more than just show hours, minutes and seconds. Anything that goes beyond these limits is called complications by watchmakers.

Fly-back Chronograph is a chronograph that allows you to restart the time countdown by pressing one button. In a regular chronograph, this requires pressing the buttons three times: stop, reset and start. A split-seconds chronograph allows you to measure the duration of two processes simultaneously.
Moon Phase (Phase de Lune) - Moon phase indicator
GMT - indicator of a second or multiple time zones
Alarm - alarm clock
Perpetual Calendar - perpetual calendar indicating the date, day of the week, month, year Equation of Time - equation of time (true length of the day at different times of the year)
Chime (Sonnerie) – the clock chimes every 15 and 30 minutes, as well as every hour
Tourbillon - tourbillon
Minute Repetition - a minute repeater: you press a button, and the clock chimes to tell you what time it is. Comfortable in the dark
+ Owning a smart, fancy watch is inspiring
- The more complex the watch, the more delicate it is