Timepiece Education

From the beginning of recorded history, people have always searched for ways to accurately measure the time of day. Timepieces have evolved from complex time-keeping mechanisms to cherished heirlooms to expressions of status and style. Whether seeking a special collector’s timepiece for a watch enthusiast or a stylish addition to your fine jewelry wardrobe, our educated staff will guide you through the process and educate you about what you should know when shopping for a fine watch.

Types of Watches

Mechanical

As the traditional “wind-up” watch, the mechanical movement is powered when the wearer winds an internal mainspring by turning the crown on the side of the watch. The spring gradually unwinds and turns tiny interlocking wheels, which move the watch hands to measure seconds, minutes, and hours.

Quartz

A quartz watch uses a movement typically powered by a battery. The battery sends electronic impulses through a small bar of synthetic quartz crystal, which oscillates 32,768 times per second. A quartz watch should function properly for years, with a battery life of one to five years.

Quartz watches are more accurate than mechanical watches for two reasons. One mechanical watches have many additional moving parts, which results in more friction and less accuracy as the parts interact. Two, the consistency and speed of the vibrations of the quartz crystal allow for superior accuracy of the measurement of seconds. Quartz watches may also be powered by solar or kinetic energy, instead of batteries.

Analog

An analog watch displays time with traditional hands that move about the dial.

Digital

A digital watch displays the time through numerals, usually using LCD or LED technology, rather than with a dial and hand (analog) display. Digital watches have no moving parts.

Selecting the Right Watch

Selecting a watch, like selecting any piece of fine jewelry, should be based on personal taste. Men and women make a definite statement by the watch they choose – sporty, dressy, techie, tailored, or sophisticated. At J. F. Kruse, we’ll help you select the perfect watch for you based on your preferences and style.

Metals

The metal used in a timepiece will affect its wear and the price. Gold is softer than steel and may scratch in very rugged conditions. It is, however, a metal of choice for fine watchmaking as it offers old-world elegance. Platinum, too, is often used by prestige brands as it is the rarest of all precious metals. Stainless steel and titanium are durable metals that work well on sportier watches.

Variable Cost Considerations

The price of a watch isn’t always contingent strictly upon the materials used for the case, bracelet, or crystal. Mechanical or complicated timepieces offer additional functions and can have as many as 600 or more individual parts. Therefore, the price can be significantly higher due to the complexity of the movement.

Price also varies by a watch’s features, which can make it more valuable and thus more expensive. These include diamond bezels or gemstone markers, world-renowned brands that have established reputations over the centuries for elegance and quality, or fine watches designed and created by highly trained artisans that are works of art.

Special Features

Many watches have more to offer than just tracking the time of day, which can affect the timepiece’s price. Watches can act as stopwatches, calendars, alarms, and/or track multiple time zones. They can also offer fashion flair with gemstone touches or luxurious straps and bracelets.

Watch Terminology

Watches are technological wonders. They have so many working parts! Understanding the technology and the terminology will help you find the perfect watch for you.

Bezel

A bezel is the ring that surrounds the watch face, holding the clear covering, or crystal, in place. It can be stationary, rotating, or have special functions, such as indicating minutes on a diving watch.

Case

A case is the housing of the watch’s movement. Watch cases are made from a wide variety of materials, including gold, platinum, silver, brass, steel, titanium, ceramic, and durable plastic. With metal alloy cases, look for the identifying stamp on the case back.

Chronograph

A chronograph is a stopwatch that measures continuous or discontinuous intervals of time. The chronograph can be started, stopped, and reset at will by way of push buttons. When used in conjunction with specialized scales on the watch face, chronographs can perform many different functions like calculating speeds, distances, and altitudes.

Chronometer

A chronometer is a movement that has received a certificate after passing a series of stringent tests that prove it can measure time precisely under various conditions. The most renowned official testing organization for chronometer is the Swiss C.O.S.C., or Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres.

Crown

A crown is the knob outside of the case used to adjust time and to wind a mechanical watch.

Crystal

A crystal is the transparent covering that protects a watch’s face. Watch crystals are made of many different materials, with the most common being acrylic, mineral, and synthetic sapphire. Acrylic crystals are the least expensive and are composed of a lightweight hardened plastic. Mineral crystals are made from a variety of different minerals that are process to produce a very hard and clear material suitable for watches. The most expensive and durable crystal is made of synthetic sapphire. Grown in a laboratory, synthetic sapphire crystals are incredibly hard (9.0 on the Mohs Hardness Scale) and are shock-resistant and scratchproof. You’ll find synthetic sapphire crystal on the finest watches made today.

Guilloche

Guilloche is an engraving technique on the dial of a watch in which a very precise, intricate, repetitive pattern or design is mechanically etched into an underlying material with very fine detail.

Perpetual Calendar

A perpetual calendar in a watch automatically adjusts for the varying lengths of months (28, 29, 30, and 31 days) and for leap years.

Shock Resistance

A defined by U.S. government regulation, shock resistance in a watch’s ability to withstand an impact equal to that of being dropped onto a wooden floor from a height of three feet.

Tachometer/Tachymeter

A tachometer or tachymeter is a scale, usually located on or near the bezel of a watch, that measures the speed at which the wearer has traveled over a measured distance.

Water Resistance

Water resistance is a watch’s ability to withstand water pressure to a stated depth. Watches marked as “water resistant” without a depth indication are designed to withstand splashes of water only. Watches with high levels of water resistance will reflect this by stating the number of meters the watch is resistant to (usually between 50-200 meters) on the dial or back of the case. This resistance is indicated in ATM, or atmospheres, which is a unit of measure for pressure. One atmosphere is approximately equal to ten meters. To select the perfect watch for you, match your needs and personal wearing habits to the right level of water resistance.

Care and Cleaning

• Read the manufacturer’s instructions and warranty information carefully.
• Only an expert jeweler or watchmaker should be trusted to repair your watch.
• Oils from your skin can build up on a watch. If your watch is water-resistant, clean it with a damp cloth and a mixture of warm water and mild soap. For watches with non-metal straps, consult us at J. F. Kruse on how to clean it.
• Wind your watch in a clockwise direction about the same time each day. Remove from your wrist when winding.
• Although many watches are equipped with shock-resistant devices, it’s not wise to subject it to overly vigorous treatment.
• Replace broken or scratched crystals immediately. Even a hairline crack can threaten the timekeeping mechanism’s accuracy.
• Unless the degree of water resistance is clearly specified when you purchase your watch, do not expose it to water or moisture.
• Always ensure that locking crowns and cases are secure before immersing a water-resistant watch. Be sure to wash your watch off in freshwater immediately after exposing it to saltwater.
• Have the battery in a quartz watch replaced before it runs out. Dead batteries left in a watch can leak or corrode, ruining the timepiece.
• If you have any questions, feel free to stop in or call. At J. F. Kruse, we value you as a customer and are always happy to be of service to you.