What are the Different Parts of a Wrist Watch?

Prior to the development of wrist watches, small portable clocks were used. These clocks, which first appeared in 15th century Europe, were spring-driven, and were carried around in one's pocket.

As we lose ourselves in the chaos and hustle-bustle of our busy everyday lives, what is it that helps us keep track of the time, and thus keep our daily activities in perspective?

While some of us may point to the wall clocks, cell phones, or even the lower right corner of our computer screens, most of us would invariably raise our left (or depending upon the fashion trend, the right) hand, and display the nifty little timekeeper tied to our wrists.

Known as the wrist watch, this highly useful gadget has been around for a long time. Even with all the recent technological advancements, and the subsequent flood of devices which are capable of keeping time, the wrist watch continues to remain as invaluable as ever.

Though it might appear to be a simple little device, it actually comprises a number of different parts, which intricately blend together to make it whole. In the following sections, with the help of diagrams, we shall look at the common parts of the wrist watch, and understand the significance of each one of them.

Note: The wrist watch has had a long history, and there are literally thousands of different types, each having its own unique set of parts and features. Here, we shall look at the common parts which nearly all wrist watches have. We shall first examine the main parts of an analog watch, and then explore the parts of its digital counterpart.

Dial
The dial is the face of the watch. It is where the hour marks, hour hand, minute hand, second hand, etc., are present.

● Brand Logo/Marking
The manufacturer's brand logo or marking is typically inscribed on the dial of the watch.

● Hour Marks
An analog watch typically has graduation lines marked on its face, representing the different hours of the day. These commonly comprise twelve lines (representing the twelve hours), or just four lines (representing 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 9 o'clock, and 12 o'clock).

● Second Hand
It is one of the 3 hands which are connected to the center of the dial. It moves around the dial indicating the seconds. In many modern watches, the second hand isn't used.

● Minute Hand
The minute hand too moves around the dial indicating the minutes. It moves a little every time the second hand completes one full rotation around the dial.

● Hour Hand
The hour hand moves around the dial of a watch indicating the different hours of the day. It moves a little every time the minute hand completes one full rotation around the dial.

● Calendar Window
The calendar window is a small opening (window) present on the dial of some watches. It is used to display the date, and sometimes even the day.

Case (band)
The side part of the watch case, known as the case band, is a part that encompasses the entire watch, excluding the strap. It provides structural integrity to the watch, and has the following parts on it:

● Crown
The crown projects out, usually from the 3 o'clock side of the case. It can be pulled out to various degrees to make adjustments to the time, day, and date displayed that is by the watch.

● Lug
The lugs are the four parts that protrude out of the side case from the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides. They are useful for attaching the bands to the case. Some metal watches don't have lugs, and instead have the metal straps integrated with the case itself.

● Lug Hole
Each of the four lugs has a hole drilled into it, which is required for the insertion of the spring bar.

● Spring Bar
The spring bar is a thin metal pin used for fixing the band to the lug.

Strap
The straps are parts attached to the lugs, which are used to tie the watch around the wrist. These can be made out of leather, plastic, cloth, metal, etc. Here are the different sub-parts of the straps:

● Loops
The loops are typically present on watches that have leather, plastic, or cloth straps. They are used for fastening the excess portion of the strap section that is attached to the six o'clock side. The loops can be of either of the 2 types:

Fixed loops: These are fixed to the strap, and do not move.

Free loops: These can slide freely on the strap.

● Buckle
Buckles are present at the ends of the strap of a watch. In case of metal straps, the buckles take the form of clasps that interlock with one another, tying the straps together, thus fixing the watch on the wrist.

In case of straps made from plastic, leather, etc., a single buckle is present on one of the straps. It is typically a metal loop through which the other strap can enter. This loop has a central metal tongue which inserts into one of the many adjustment holes in the other strap. This allows the wearer to adjust the tightness of the watch on his wrist.

Case
The main body of the watch is known as its case. It houses the main working mechanism of the watch.

● Case (body)
The body of the case is a compartment inside which the main working parts of the watch, including the battery, the crystal, the gears, etc., are present. It helps in providing protection to this delicate mechanism, by shielding it against external elements.

● Case (back)
The rear side of the case comprises a removable case cover, which can be opened to change the battery, or perform any repair or maintenance work on the mechanism of the watch.

LCD Panel
Instead of the typical dial, the digital watch uses an LCD panel to display the time, day, date, month, and other features. The LCD panel also has a back-light feature, which illuminates the display when activated, making it readable in the dark.

Panel Covers
Many digital watches have a panel cover over the LCD. It compartmentalizes the entire display section of the watch, and may even comprise indications and markings on it pertaining to the various compartments.

Push Buttons
These watches usually have a number of push buttons on either side of the case band. These buttons can be pushed multiple times, and even pushed and be held to activate a variety of features provided by the digital watch, such as a stop watch, calendar, back-light, etc.

Push buttons are also used to make time, date, day, and other adjustments. Thus, they take the place of the conventional crown that is there on analog watches.