Watchmaking Vocabulary

Name:

Date:

Instructions: It's time to test your knowledge of horology and the precise language of watchmakers.

1.
What is 'horology'?
A
The art and science of measuring time and making timepieces
B
A type of fortune telling
C
The study of the horizon
D
The study of horror films
2.
What is a 'complication' in watchmaking?
A
A difficult repair
B
Any function in a watch beyond basic timekeeping, such as a calendar or chronograph
C
A watch that is hard to read
D
A defect in the watch
3.
What does 'escapement' refer to in a mechanical watch?
A
The watch's winding stem
B
The mechanism that controls the release of energy from the mainspring at regular intervals
C
The way to escape from a watch case
D
An emergency stop function
4.
What is a 'mainspring'?
A
The largest spring in a clock tower
B
A spring used to attach the strap
C
The spring that holds the back case on
D
The coiled spring that stores energy and powers a mechanical watch
5.
What is a 'bezel' on a watch?
A
The watch's back cover
B
The button used to set the time
C
The watch face
D
The ring surrounding the watch crystal, sometimes rotatable with markings for timing or other functions
6.
What does 'chronograph' mean?
A
A very old clock
B
A watch with a built-in stopwatch function for measuring elapsed time
C
A watch that chimes the hour
D
A watch that writes
7.
What is a 'movement' in watchmaking?
A
The motion of the second hand
B
Shaking the watch to wind it
C
Transporting watches from the factory
D
The internal mechanism that drives the watch and its functions
8.
What does 'jewels' refer to in a watch mechanism?
A
Decorative stones on the strap
B
Diamonds on the watch face
C
Synthetic rubies or sapphires used as bearings to reduce friction in the movement
D
The sparkle of the watch crystal
9.
What is a 'tourbillon'?
A
A type of watch strap
B
A wind-up toy clock
C
A French word for a clock tower
D
A rotating cage mechanism that counteracts the effects of gravity on a watch's accuracy
10.
What does 'crown' refer to on a watch?
A
The highest point of the crystal
B
A royal watch brand
C
The knob on the side of the watch used for winding and setting the time
D
A decorative top piece
11.
What is a 'subdial'?
A
A secret phone number
B
The underside of a watch
C
A dial that is below standard quality
D
A smaller dial set within the main watch face, often for seconds or chronograph functions
12.
What does 'automatic' mean for a watch?
A
A battery-powered watch
B
A mechanical watch that winds itself using a rotor that moves with the wearer's arm motion
C
A watch with automatic light-up features
D
It sets itself to the correct time
13.
What is a 'crystal' on a watch?
A
A type of decorative gem
B
The transparent cover over the watch face, made of glass, mineral, or sapphire
C
A type of watch case material
D
A quartz timing element
14.
What does 'water resistance' rated in 'ATM' mean?
A
Atmospheres, a unit of pressure indicating how much water pressure the watch can withstand
B
At The Maximum
C
Automatic Testing Method
D
Aquatic Timer Mode
15.
What is a 'lug' on a watch?
A
A decorative knob
B
The projections on the watch case where the strap or bracelet attaches
C
A heavy watch design
D
A magnifying feature on the crystal

Answer Key

Question 1

A. The art and science of measuring time and making timepieces

Question 2

B. Any function in a watch beyond basic timekeeping, such as a calendar or chronograph

Question 3

B. The mechanism that controls the release of energy from the mainspring at regular intervals

Question 4

D. The coiled spring that stores energy and powers a mechanical watch

Question 5

D. The ring surrounding the watch crystal, sometimes rotatable with markings for timing or other functions

Question 6

B. A watch with a built-in stopwatch function for measuring elapsed time

Question 7

D. The internal mechanism that drives the watch and its functions

Question 8

C. Synthetic rubies or sapphires used as bearings to reduce friction in the movement

Question 9

D. A rotating cage mechanism that counteracts the effects of gravity on a watch's accuracy

Question 10

C. The knob on the side of the watch used for winding and setting the time

Question 11

D. A smaller dial set within the main watch face, often for seconds or chronograph functions

Question 12

B. A mechanical watch that winds itself using a rotor that moves with the wearer's arm motion

Question 13

B. The transparent cover over the watch face, made of glass, mineral, or sapphire

Question 14

A. Atmospheres, a unit of pressure indicating how much water pressure the watch can withstand

Question 15

B. The projections on the watch case where the strap or bracelet attaches

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