Glossary
Watch Repairer Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential watch repairer terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key watch repairer vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in watch repairer training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Amplitude
- Balance swing angle.
- Automatic
- Self-winding mechanical watch.
- Balance wheel
- Regulates timing.
- Beat error
- Uneven ticks.
- Complication
- Extra function like a date.
- Crystal
- Watch glass.
- Escapement
- Releases energy in steps.
- Gasket
- Seal for water resistance.
- Horology
- Study of timekeeping.
- Jewel
- Synthetic ruby bearing.
- Mainspring
- Power source.
- Movement
- Watch mechanism.
- Quartz
- Battery-powered timing crystal.
- Regulation
- Adjusting accuracy.
- Service
- Full cleaning and oiling.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Watch Repairer practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Watch Repairer training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.