The steel and brass components of very fine watches have faceted edges (chamfering). Chamfers on the edge of the part should ideally form an angle of 45 degrees.

A mechanism used to make slight alterations in the position of the 'index finger (or adjuster). A large number of different constructions can be used to make fine adjustments in mechanical watch movements. The swan-neck fine adjustment is among the most unique of such mechanisms. A system that relies on an eccentric screw is much more common. A widespread but mistaken belief insists that a fine adjustment mechanism necessarily goes hand in hand with greater precision. Watches can be adjusted with a high degree of precision simply by carefully positioning the ordinary tail of the index finger, although this operation requires extreme care and dexterity.

For example, the neck of a swan with a finely threaded screw. The entire montage is attached to the balance cock, where it allows a watchmaker to shift the index position in minute increments.

The ratio of the weight of the precious metal (e. g. platinum, gold or silver) in an alloy to the total weight of the alloy. Nowadays fineness is expressed in thousandths or carats. Pure gold is 1,000 or 24 carats. The value of a carat is 1/24 of the total weight: 1,000 divided by 24 is 41,666. Fourteen carats therefore correspond to 585 / 1,000. Eighteen carats correspond to 750 / 1,000.

The final work of assembling the parts of a watch and putting its case into feature.

A special mechanism controls two chronograph seconds hands that are one above the other, thus enabling two or more events that start at the same time to be timed simultaneously (e.g. the individual finish times of sprinters who started a foot race at the same time). A complex additional switching mechanism couples the flyback hand with the chronograph seconds hand. A special pusher stops the flyback hand so that an intermediate time can be read while the chronograph seconds hand continues to move in the plane below the flyback hand. When this same pusher is pressed again, the flyback hand rejoins its companion. The original flyback chronographs debuted in 1883. Wristwatches with flyback chronographs were first sold in 1920. Due to the elaborate and thus very expensive technology inside them, such watches have always been very special objects.

Number of oscillations per unit of time, expressed in hertz ( Hz). Most stationary clocks rely primarily on a pendulum as the speed regulating organ. Portable clocks are generally equipped with a balance. Both organs oscillate at a particular frequency. The pendulum of a seconds pendulum clock takes exactly one second to complete the arc from one turning point to the next, so it has a frequency of 0.5 Hz or 1,800 beats per hour (A / h). Early balances increased the oscillation frequency to 7,200 or 9,000 beats per hour. The frequency of balances in pocket watches was first increased to 12,600 and later to the typical standard of 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz). In wristwatches, too, the latter frequency balance has become the norm. To improve accuracy, some watch manufacturers have further increased the frequency of the balance to 21, 600 A/h (3 Hz), 28,800 A/h (4 Hz) or even 36,000 A/h (5 Hz). However, balances oscillating at higher frequencies also require more energy than balances at slower rates. In addition, as rotational speeds and centrifugal forces increase, considerable lubrication problems arise. Modern quartz watches oscillate at a frequency of 32,768 Hz.

A complete calendar with displays by day, date and month. Manual resetting of the date and month display is necessary at the end of months that have less than 31 days. Some wristwatches with complete calendars automatically advance the month display to midnight on the day when the date display has reached '31'.