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WATCHESJEWELLERYACCESSORIES
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Customer Service Index Next: Affiliate Program

History

In 2002 Tofftech Limited which was later to become Watches2u International Limited was created. Several new companies have also now been created across the Toff Group (Watches2u's ultimate parent), we have launched several new businesses and have now started aquiring high street retail businesses. The group is also authorised UK distibutor's for several manufacturers within the UK as well as authorised sellers for all of the other brands we sell. Not only that, the group also creates, designs and manufacturer's it's own in house brands for worldwide distibution. Watches Shop a subsidiary of Watches2u International Limited is now the largest online authorised watch shop in the UK and is rapidly growing every single day.

We have now sold over 2 million watches online since 2003, so we know what you, our valued customers, expect and value the most when shopping online:- first class service with the added benefit of our low online prices.

Why Us

We stock the largest selection of the biggest designer name watches and jewellery brands available today: Black Dice, Diesel, Evisu, DKNY, Fat Face, Fossil, Guess, Kahuna, Karen Millen, Mango, Police, Rotary, Seksy, Swatch and Timberland to name just a few.

Watches Shop are authorised stockists for all the brands we have for sale, so you can shop in the knowledge that you will receive first class service from our dedicated, friendly and professional team. Not only do we offer fantastic service, we will also price match against any other authorised dealer; Lowest cost designer watches and first class service! Need we say more?

More Stock

Unlike many other online retailers, we hold over a staggering £1,000,000 of stock in our own warehouse's, which means we have over 6000+ different products and styles available for immediate shipment!

Exclusive Deals

We also work with the manufacturer's to bring you the widest possible choice from the latest ranges, some on a very exclusive basis due to our huge buying power.

You can buy with confidence

  • Authorised dealer watches and jewellery
  • Excellent customer service and aftercare
  • Amazon authorised seller
  • Ebay platinum seller
  • 100% 'Safe and secure' shopping basket
  • Free no quibble 14 day return period
  • Your privacy is kept private
  • FREE UK DELIVERY on everything
  • Products displayed as "In stock", are exactly that! - In stock and available for immediate delivery worldwide
  • Price match service on like for like products against any authorised dealers
  • Members of the British Jeweller's Association
  • Registered and assured by SafeBuy

Reassurance

We don't just take your money and then forget you when you need us the most, we are always on hand at every stage of your purchase and through the life of your product.

Contact

Do not hesitate to email us using the contact us form if you have any queries or concerns, or phone us on 0208 687 1642 (International +44 0208 687 1642 ) Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm; Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you.

Our Main Distribution Centre In Surrey

           

Just a few pictures of one of our units at our main Distribution Centre in Surrey.

Watches Shop now stocks over 6,000 separate lines worth over a staggering £1,000,000. All watches and jewellery displayed as "In stock", are exactly that! - In stock and available for immediate delivery worldwide.

Customer Service Index Next: Customer Feedback Previous: About Us

Watches Shop - The largest UK online authorized dealer of designer watches and jewellery, welcomes you to become our partner.

We stock over 6,000 seperate product lines, from over 50 of the biggest and most recognised designer fashion labels available today. All our stock is held centrally at our Distribution Centre in Surrey, some brands exclusively to us.

Our vast array of products are suitable for men, women and children of all ages, and all occassions.

With over 2 million sales since 2003, you can count on us, to provide not only cheap prices (up to 50% off), but great service from our dedicated, friendly and professional team.

The Watches Shop affiliate program at WebGains, offers you:

  • Commissions - 6% - 8.5% per confirmed sale, or better put £0.60 - £324 per product
  • Cookie - 365 Days
  • Datafeed - Automated, updated in real time
  • Affiliate approval - Automatic
  • Discount code - We have a generic discount code available, and exclusive ones on request
  • PPC Policy - Please do not bid on the term Watches Shop or miss-spellings, thank you

Sign Up Today

To sign up to our affiliate program please follow this link: Watches Shop Affiliate Program, and register as an affiliate.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, queries or suggestions regarding our affiliate scheme, please don't hesitate to contact us:

Email
Click here to send us a message.

Customer Service Index Next: Delivery Information Previous: Affiliate Program

We go out of our way to provide 100% customer satisfaction, we aim to get every order delivered to you on time and in excellent condition. We respond to all your enquiries within 24 hours during working hours, and we are always happy to give you help and advise when needed.

Below are just a few comments; but don't take our word for it, we have over 2,500 customer comments at Amazon.

Dean from Midlands says:

"Was very pleased with my choice when it came, it was well presented in a nice box and the watch itself looked and felt great quality."

Siraj from Coventry says:

"Excellent service, had to return the watch back as I did not like the style of the watch and within 48 hours the refund was actioned...really impressed."

Gemma from Glasgow says:

"I received my fiancees xmas gift today (a Police watch). Service was second to none, the watch was beautifully presented and as described, a bargain too so can't complain : )"

Jackie from Bristol says:

"Fat delivery, well packaged, unexpected useful bag instead of gift box - much more practical (and greener)."

Anne from Manchester says:

"Great seller, I received my item very fast indeed - more so given the time of year."

Russel from Kent says:

"Excellent delivery service, ordered on the 16th of Decemebr and it arrived on the 18th Decemeber."

Martin from Glasgow says:

"This is the 2nd time ordering from Watchesshop, brilliant service and price. Free delivery, yet still arrived next day!"

Toni from Cambridge says:

"Fast delivery, lovely merchandise and very pleased. I would buy from you again. Thanks very much."

Linda from Chichester says:

"Very happy, item arrived quikly and as described. Would use you again, thamks."

Gerald from Portsmouth says:

"Excellent service, very fast delivery and very well packaged. Highly recommended and would use you again."

Customer Service Index Next: Gift Vouchers Previous: Customer Feedback

United Kingdom (Mainland)

Orders are dispatched within 48 hours from order time during working hours, using either Royal Mail recorded or City Link Couriers. We do our best to dispatch all orders we receive before 2pm (GMT) Monday to Friday the same day, however we do manual fraud checks on each payment we receive to protect you the consumer and ourselves; inevitably this can sometimes delay orders when we are experiencing high order volumes. In most cases you can expect your order to be dispatched the same working day provided we receive it before 2pm (GMT).

Standard delivery - Please allow 1-5 working days for your order to arrive. In most cases it will arrive within 48 hours.

Next day delivery - We now offer a next business day delivery service using City Link Couriers which you can select at checkout (Excluding Rotary watches, see below).

Rotary watches - Take 24-48 hours to be dispatched from our overflow warehouse. Due to expansion we are running out of room in our main distribution centre, we are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Delivery Charges

Standard delivery - Free UK delivery on everything.

Next business day delivery - £5.99 (order before 2pm).

Please note - If your order is returned to us through the post marked 'undelivered', through no fault of our own. You will be responsible for the extra delivery charge to cover the second delivery attempt, before we can send your order back out to you.

Orders received on Fridays after 2:00pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays will be dispatched the next working day.

Northern Ireland, Ireland, Europe And None European Countries

Orders are dispatched within 48 hours from order time during working hours, using either SkyNet or 1st Class International Signed For Post for all overseas deliveries. We do our best to dispatch all orders we receive before 2pm (GMT) Monday to Friday the same day, however we do manual fraud checks on each payment we receive to protect you the consumer and ourselves; inevitably this can sometimes delay orders when we are experiencing high order volumes. In most cases you can expect your order to be dispatched the same working day provided we receive it before 2pm (GMT).

Please allow up to 10 working days for your order to arrive - in most cases it will arrive within 5 working days.

Rotary watches - Take 24-48 hours to be dispatched from our other warehouse, due to expantion we are running out of room in our main distribution centre, we are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Delivery Charges

Delivery charges are calculated based on country of destination, and will also vary from product to product. The Checkout will confirm the delivery amount before you process your payment.

Import Duties (if applicable)

For delivery outside of the European Union, you may be subject to import duties and taxes which are levied once the package reaches the destination country when ordering goods from watchesshop.com. Any additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by you; we have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be.

Customs policies vary widely from country to country, so you should contact your local customs office for further information. Additionally, please note that when ordering from watchesshop.com, you are considered the importer of record and must comply with all laws and regulations of the country in which you are receiving the goods.

Please note - If your order is returned to us through the post marked 'undelivered', through no fault of our own, you will be responsible for the extra delivery charge to cover the second delivery attempt, before we can send your order back out to you.

Orders received on Fridays after 2:00pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays will be dispatched the following working day.

Customer Service Index Next: Price Match Policy Previous: Delivery Information

Gift Voucher Policy

  • These conditions apply to Gift Vouchers which have been purchased from WatchesShop.com
  • Each Gift Voucher has a unique code with a combination of letters and numbers which can be redeemed at WatchesShop.com only
  • If the value of an order exceeds the value of the Gift Voucher, the balance must be paid with a credit or debit card
  • If the full amount of the Gift Voucher is not redeemed('Change'), we will credit your customer account with V.I.P points for the same difference; which you can then redeem against future purchases with us
  • Gift Vouchers can be redeemed against any orders placed on WatchesShop.com
  • Gift vouchers cannot be used to buy further gift vouchers
  • Gift Vouchers expire one year from the date of purchase of the original Gift Voucher
  • Only one gift voucher can be used per order
  • If your order is returned and refunded for whatever reason, we will re-issue you with a new Gift Voucher and refund any cash amount you paid via the method we received it. If you only partially used your Gift Voucher we will deduct the V.I.P points that were credited to your customer account with us for the difference before re-issuing the Gift Voucher to you. For full details please read our Returns & Exchanges Policy
  • Gift vouchers have a cash value of 0.001p and are not transferable or assignable.
Customer Service Index Next: Privacy Policy Previous: Gift Voucher Policy

We are happy to beat another retailer's price on like for like products, however restrictions apply as follows:

  • We will only price match against a UK authorised dealer
  • The product must be in stock and brand new at the retailer's website
  • We will not price match against EBay listings, websites that are not UK official dealers, clearance items or companies in liquidation
  • The product must be identical (please check the product code)

Please check prices before placing your order, as beating another retailers price after you have placed your order could delay it.

We (watchesshop.com) reserve the right to reject a price match request if we think it is fraudulent.

How To Get A Quote

By Phone

Please ring 0208 687 1642 (UK) or +44 0208 687 1642 (International) with the following information to hand:

  • Product name and model number, for example 'DKNY NY3078'
  • Price you have seen it for in pounds stirling
  • The url (website address) of the website you found it at, for example: 'www.isawithere.com'
  • Your email or contact number so we can get back to you

Buy using the Price Match button

Click the Price Match button on the product page you are interested in. This will take you to a small form, all you will need to do is fill in the information as stated above.

Customer Service Index Next: Prize Draw Policy Previous: Price Match Policy

When you visit, register, or order product(s) on this website, you will be asked to provide certain information about yourself, including your name and contact details. We may also collect information about your usage of the website, as well as information about you from emails and letters you send to us.

We will treat ALL your personal information as confidential. We do NOT sell, rent or transfer this information to third parties for their marketing purposes unless you agree otherwise. We will fully comply with all applicable UK Data Protection and consumer legislation Act, 1998. You agree that you do not object to us contacting you for any of the above purposes, whether by telephone, e-mail, or in writing, and you confirm that you do not, and will not, consider any of the above as being a breach of any of your rights under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. We do not send random marketing emails to personal email addresses (spam).

You should be aware, that if we are requested by the Police, or any other regulatory or government authority investigating suspected illegal activities, to provide your Personal Information and/or User Information, we are entitled do so.

"Cookies" are used on this website to keep track of the contents of your Shopping Cart, to store delivery addresses if the address book is used, and to store your details. They are also used after you have logged on as part of that process. You can turn off cookies within your browser by going to "Tools, Internet Options, Privacy", and selecting to "block cookies". If you turn off cookies, your information will not be retained on your computer for future orders with us.

You are entitled to see the information that we hold about you, and you may ask us to make any necessary changes to ensure that it is accurate and kept up to date. If you wish to do this, please contact us. We are entitled to charge a fee of ten pounds Stirling to meet our costs in providing you with details of the information we hold about you.

Customer Service Index Next: Product Reviews Policy Previous: Privacy Policy

These following terms apply to all of the Prize Draws we run on www.watchesshop.com.

  • Our Daily Giveaway is open to anyone from around the world over the age of 18
  • The daily prize draw winner will be picked at random on each day, Monday to Sunday and contacted by the email address provided; Watches Shops decision is final.
  • The prize draw winner agrees to provide a photo, and will allow us to display it on the Watches Shop website along with their first name and county of origin, on our 'Prize Draw Winners' page here.
  • If the winner does not claim the prize within 48 hours of receiving the winner notifification email sent from us or the winner does not wish to send a photo or be listed on our winners page, the prize draw for the day in question will become void.
  • Delivery costs: UK winners will get free delivery, European winners will be charged £12.50 and winners from outside of Europe will be charged £18.50.
  • By entering our daily prize draw you agree to receive our newsletter, you will of course have the option to remove yourself from our mailing list at anytime.
  • Employees of Watches Shop subsidiary of Watches2u International Limited, Watches2u International Limited and partners are not eligible to enter our daily prize draws.
Customer Service Index Next: Returns & Exchanges Policy Previous: Prize Draw Policy

Product reviews and ratings help other users make a more informed decision when purchasing products online. The product review star ratings provide an at a glance indication of the average rating given by other customers on a scale of 1-5 stars; 5 Stars being the best possible rating. Product reviews are only written by customers of watchesshop.com and can provide more detailed information about the positives and negatives of a given product.

How do you calculate the average rating of a product? If a product has three reviews with ratings of 3 stars, 4 stars and 5 stars, we add up all the stars which is 12 then divide that number by the number of reviews submitted for that product which in this case is 3; So the average customer review is 4 stars.

Please note: By submitting a review you agree that your use of product reviews and ratings are governed by the Product Review Policy and Watches Shop Terms & Conditions.

Guidelines For Submitting A Good Review

  • Let your fellow customers know if the product met your expectations
  • Is the product better than a previous similar product you have owned before?
  • Would you recommend the product to other users, friends and family?
  • Were there particular features that you did or did not like about the product?
  • Please keep all reviews on topic, the product review is for the product your reviewing and as such should be product focused
  • A good review is a short and to the point review with between 250 and 500 words

Product Reviews Policy

All product reviews are written by third parties and are for informational purposes only, when you submit a review it becomes the licensed property of www.watchesshop.com. www.watchesshop.com does not represent or warrant the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information provided. www.watchesshop.com excludes liability for any errors, omissions or delays in this information or for any losses or damages arising from its display or use, including for any offers or transactions for products and services resulting from this information.

All Product Reviews will be actively monitored by Watches Shop staff: Reviews should not harass, abuse, or threaten another's personal safety or property, make false statements, defame, impersonate someone else, contain profanity, sexually explicit, illegal or otherwise objectionable content, as determined by watchesshop.com in its sole discretion. If a review contains any of the aforementioned it will not be accepted and will not be displayed on Watchesshop.com, furthermore if a review seriously breeches our Terms & Conditions or our Product Reviews Policy we may close your Watches Shop account.

We strongly suggest you never include personal information when submitting a review. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts. Reviews should not include personal information like: Email address, mailing address, phone numbers or credit card numbers belonging to you or others. We will not be responsible if you submit a review with personal information that could be used by other users of our website, where possible we will block a review from being submitted if any such information is submitted within your review.

We will not accept multiple reviews for the same product or commercial reviews. Reviews should not include multiple posts by the same user for one product or reviews that have spam, commercial or advertising content or links.

You must not copy or otherwise infringe others' material, trademarks or other intellectual property. Reviews should include your own, original thoughts and experiences with the reviewed product.

You cannot upload HTML, viruses, or other malicious code. Reviews are for text only comments.

Reviews are for watchesshop.com customers only. Product Reviews are for customers to help other customers. Manufacturers are not allowed to post reviews or any promotional or advertising information on watchesshop.com.

Customer Service Index Next: Security & Payments Previous: Product Reviews Policy

We are certain that you will be delighted with your purchase. However in the event that you are not entirely happy with your order, you may return it. We aim to keep the process as simple as possible. These terms do not affect your statutory rights.

Unwanted Goods/Exchanges

If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, or even if you just changed your mind, don't worry! We offer you a 14 days return period in which you can send us back the product(s) you have purchased, providing the product(s) have been handled with reasonable care, upon receipt, we shall refund the full price of the product(s) and/or exchange the product(s) at your request. You will be responsible for the cost of returning the product(s) to us, unless the product shipment was in error on our part.

Please contact us by email, to inform us of your wish to return the product(s) or phone us on: 0208 687 1642 (Calls charged at standard rates from a BT landline other service providers prices may vary). We shall refund the full payment to you including the original delivery charge (if applicable), as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days of the date of return of the product(s). to you as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days of the date of return of the product(s).

Please note - Earrings cannot be returned unless they arrive faulty, due to hygiene reasons. We reserve the right to return to you any product(s) that are shipped back to us without prior notice.

Faulty Goods

All items are thoroughly inspected for defects before they are dispatched. Upon delivery, you must inspect the product(s) and notify us promptly of any dissatisfaction with your order. If the product(s) are faulty you must return them promptly to us and, upon receipt, we shall refund the Full Price of the product(s) and/or exchange the product(s) at your request. If you receive an item from us which is faulty, please contact us by email to inform us within 14 days of receipt. Thank you. We will advise you as to how to send us back the faulty product(s). In the event of you returning faulty product(s) to us, we will also refund to you the cost of the return postage.

Please note - Earrings cannot be returned unless they arrive faulty, due to hygiene reasons. We reserve the right to return to you any product(s) that are shipped back to us without prior notice.

Refunds

When receiving a refund back on to your credit or debit card, please remember that it can take up to 3 working days from the day the refund was given to show up on your statement.

Did you purchase a product(s) using a Gift Voucher or V.I.P points?

Gift Voucher Partially Used

If you redeemed a Gift Voucher against an order which cost less than the Gift Voucher was worth, we will have credited your customer account with V.I.P points equal to the difference at the time of order. In this case we will deduct the V.I.P points we credited to you from your account and re-issue you with a new Gift Voucher for the original amount.

Gift Voucher Fully Used

If you placed an order which cost more than your Gift Voucher was worth, we will re-issue you with a new Gift Voucher with equal value and refund your credit/debit card for the cash payment you made to us.

For full details please read our Gift Voucher Policy.

V.I.P Points

In the event that you redeemed V.I.P points towards your order we will first credit your customer account with the same amount of V.I.P points you used, then we will refund the cash amount you made to us via your credit or debit card.

Please note: If you earned V.I.P points for a purchase and then redeem those V.I.P points to make another purchase and then return the first purchase for a refund, your refund will be given minus the V.I.P points you redeemed against the second purchase. For full details please read our V.I.P Points Policy.

Returns Address/Instructions

Please be sure to contact us first before you send back your product(s). We ask that you send your product(s) back to us pre-paid and insured for the full purchase price, using Royal Mail Special delivery (UK residents) or similar service in your own country (We will not be responsible for items that have been lost or damaged during transit).

Please include a brief description of the fault and your order number with your returned product(s), this will help us deal with your problem quickly and efficiently.

Phone - 0208 687 1642 (UK) or +44 0208 687 1642 (International).

Address - Watchesshop.com, Unit D, Mill Green Business Park, Mill Green Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 4HT

Customer Service Index Next: See Us In Previous: Returns & Exchanges

Security

All sensitive data transfer is encrypted using the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) transport with a 256-bit encryption key at Watches Shop. Encrypted data is stored on physically and electronically protected servers with multiple layers of firewalls, network traffic filtering, virus scanning and intrusion detection systems, coupled with a strictly enforced security update policy to ensure the highest levels of security.

We do not see your debit/credit card details, once a transaction has been confirmed, we are simply instructed that your payment has been accepted.

Please note - We have an SSL certificate from Go Daddy which you can view by clicking the Go-Daddy logo, this will verify that watchesshop.com is secure. You can shop in the knowledge that your privacy and personel information is kept absolutely safe.

Shopping Online

Shopping with us could not be any easier. After having decided what you want to purchase, click the 'Buy Now' button. You will now be taken to your personal Shopping Cart, at this stage you can either continue shopping (by clicking the watches, jewellery or accessories link at the top of the page, or you can process checkout your order; before checking out you ahve the chance to enter a promo code or buy gift vouchers.

We accept all major credit/debit cards: Visa, Delta, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Euro Card, American Express, Switch, Maestro and Solo.

All prices include UK VAT at the current rate of 15% and free uk delivery.

You confirm that the credit or debit card that you use for payment is yours, and that you are over 18 years old. All credit/debit cardholders are subject to validation checks and authorisation by the card issuer. If the issuer of your payment card refuses to, or does not, for any reason, authorise payment to us, we will not be liable for any delay or non-delivery.

How To Place An Order

  • After having decided what you want to purchase, please click the 'BUY NOW' button.
  • Now you have the chance to enter a promo code if you have one or buy gift vouchers. Once you have finished simply click the 'CHECKOUT' button, this will take you to the next stage; if you have not already registered or logged in you will have the chance to do so now.
  • You will now be asked to select your billing and delivery address, redeem V.I.P points or a gift voucher code if applicable and enter your debit/credit card details.
  • Please read the Terms & Conditions and select the checkbox to say you have read and agree to them. Please double check all details at this stage, once you are happy that everything is correct click the 'CHECKOUT' button. Provided your payment is accepted your order will now be processed and order updates will be sent to you via the email address you provided.
Customer Service Index Next: V.I.P Points Previous: Security & Payments

Watches Shop is featured in many popular fashion magazines and newspapers from time to time, as shown below:

Loaded Magazine



Daily Mail Newspaper



Customer Service Index Next: Warranty Information Previous: See us in

It pays to shop at Watches Shop, once you have registered an account with us you will automatically earn V.I.P points for shopping with us and much more.

Ways you can earn V.I.P points and what you can do with them:

  • We will credit your account with 2% of your orders value in V.I.P points*, for example if you spend £95.00 we will credit your account with 190 V.I.P points (Worth £1.90)which you can redeem against future purchases with us
  • Earn 10 V.I.P points (10p) each time you review a product*
  • Earn 500 points (£5.00) for referring a friend who spends more than £50.00*
  • If you supply a date of birth we will also credit your account with 250 points (£2.50) on your birthday*

* All the above are subject to our V.I.P Points Policy as set out below.

How to redeem your V.I.P points

All you have to do is choose a product you wish to purchase and then click the 'Buy Now' button, this will take you to your shopping bag. You will need to login if you have not done so already, then you will see your V.I.P points balance in the V.I.P points section about halfway down the page. All you have to do is type in the amount of points you wish to redeem and carry on with your order.

Please note: Once you have made a purchase any V.I.P points you earned will not be in your account to use until your order has been accepted and is displayed in your customer account area as 'Printed' or 'Shipped'.

V.I.P Points Policy

  • 1 V.I.P point is equal to 1p
  • V.I.P points can only be earned and redeemed at Watches Shop
  • V.I.P points cannot be redeemed in conjunction with a promo/discount code
  • V.I.P points can be redeemed when placing orders in conjunction with a Gift Voucher and or credit/debit card payment
  • V.I.P points can only be earned for transactions, friend referrals, product reviews and birthdays
  • V.I.P points do not have an expiry date, but if the account is closed or the V.I.P points programme closes all V.I.P points will be lost
  • Only 1 account is allowed per person, if someone is using more than one account we will close all accounts associated with them
  • Once you have redeemed your points partially or in full your account will be deducted by the same amount of points you redeemed
  • V.I.P points have a cash value of 0.001p and are not transferable or assignable other than what is set out in our V.I.P points Policy
  • We may close an account down if we suspect fraud or a breach of our Terms & Conditions or V.I.P points policy at anytime

Product reviews: We will happily credit your account with 10 V.I.P points for each review given, however all reviews are subject to moderation. If a review does not get accepted by a member of the WatchesShop team no points will be credited to your account, please read our Reviews Policy for full details.

Purchases: 2% of the value of a purchase (excluding shipping if applicable) will be credited to you in V.I.P points. 1 V.I.P point is equal to 1p which will be redeemable against future purchases.

Friend referals: We will credit your account with 500 V.I.P points if you refer a friend who spends more than £50.00 with us, but only when the cooling off period for your friends order as expired (14 days from the date of purchase). If your friend's order is returned unsuitable and/or cancelled for whatever reason within the cooling off period; no points will be credited to your account.

Birthdays: We credit your account on your birthday with 250 V.I.P points, if you have entered your D.O.B in your account area or when registering for an account You must ensure your birth date is correct if you choose to enter it when registering with us, once entered it cannot be changed.

Refunds: If you place an order and redeem V.I.P points to pay towards the transaction and that order is later cancelled for whatever reason, we will credit your account with the V.I.P points you redeemed against it before refunding the cash amount. If you earned V.I.P points for a purchase and then redeem those V.I.P points to make another purchase and then return the first purchase for a refund, your refund will be given minus the V.I.P points you redeemed against the second purchase.

Liability: Our only liability in regard to our V.I.P points programme as set out in our V.I.P Points Policy are subject to English law. We will only be liable to you if you suffer a loss as a result of us breaching these Rules. If this should happen our sole liability will be to credit your customer account with any V.I.P Points which were wrongly deducted or were not credited to your account even though you were entitled to them. These Rules do not exclude or limit our liability as set out in our Terms & Conditions.

Customer Service Index Next: Watch Care Previous: V.I.P Points

Watches Shop are authorized dealers for every product we sell. All of our products arrive with a fully stamped and dated manufacturer's warranty, packaging and all documents.

Warranty Information

Watches

The manufacturer's warranty covers your watch against material and manufacturer defects that exist at the time of delivery.

In general, the manufacturer's warranty only covers the watch movement for the full warranty period, from the date of purchase. Stones/crystals, bracelets and straps are not covered under the manufacturer's warranty, unless your watch was damaged/faulty on arrival. Please check your watch fully when you receive it, if you find any problems; please contact us as soon as possible.

Please read the manufacturer's warranty booklet that arrived with your watch for full details.

Jewellery

The manufacturer's warranty covers your jewellery item against material and manufacturer defects that exist at the time of delivery. Please check your jewellery fully when you receive it, if you find any problems; please contact us as soon as possible.

Please read the manufacturer's warranty booklet that arrived with your jewellery for full details.

Has Your Item Developed A Fault?

Please read the manufacturer's warranty booklet that arrived with your item, provided your fault is covered by the manufacturer's warranty; please send your product back to the manufacturer directly. The return's address for the manufacturer's service centre can normally be found in the back of the warranty booklet. Alternatively please contact us, and we will advise you on what you should do next.

Tip - If you have a battery powered watch, it may be worth having the battery replaced by your local high street dealer. Most Quartz batteries will need to be replaced every 2-3 years. Depending on the gap between manufacture and the day it was sold, the battery could already be 6-12 months old.

Customer Service Index Next: Watch Glossary Previous: Warranty Information

We want your new watch to be reliable and long lasting, so to help here are a few guidelines to help you keep your sparkling new watch in pristine order; in appearance and workmanship for many years to come.

Watch Straps/Bracelets

Stainless steel bracelets:

It's good to clean your metal watch case and bracelet with a soft brush (old tooth brush works a treat) with cold water and liquid soap, then rinse it off with cold water afterwards. Human sweat is acidic and contains salt which can over time corrode and mark the underside of your metal watch, not to mention the build up of dead skin and debris from the air around us. Cleaning it every couple of months will help prolong the appearance of your new wristwatch.

Leather straps:

To prolong the life of your leather strap, avoid the following: Exposure to direct sunlight for long periods, submerging in water for long periods, contact with solvents, detergents and perfumes. As with metal straps human sweat will over time deteriorate your leather strap as well as normal wear and tear, however replacing a leather strap is easy and non-expensive. You can get a new leather strap fitted at your local jewellery shop or you can contact the manufacturer of your watch who may be able to send you the original strap for a small fee.

Rubber/Plastic straps:

Plastic and rubber straps should not be exposed to fragrance sprays, insecticides, chemicals, detergents and gasses. Try to avoid getting oily substances or paint on your watch as it will prove difficult to remove, like leather straps plastic and rubber will deteriorate over time and may harden and discolour after extensive use and wear and tear.

Watch movements

Quartz/Battery powered:

All quartz watches are powered by batteries (some models from Fossil use a mixture of quartz and automatic movements, please see your manual for full information). If your watch stops working you should send it to the service center (details of which can be found in your manual) to have the battery replaced as soon as possible. While they are replacing the battery it's a good idea to have your watch serviced especially if your watch is water resistant, any worn seals or gaskets will be replaced at the same time. Quartz movements contain both electronic and mechanical parts which will need periodic servicing every couple of years.

Most Quartz batteries last around two years; some watches do house batteries that last as long as 10 years, for full details please read your manual that came with your watch.

Please note: If you leave a dead battery in your watch for long periods of time it can leak and permanently damage your watch to the point it will be unrepairable.

Automatic/Mechanical:

Mechanical and automatic watches should be serviced by the manufacturers service center (details can be found in your manual) every 3 years to keep your watch accurate, they also require cleaning and servicing as the movement can be made up of hundreds of moving parts which can stop if even the smallest particle of dust or debris manages to get inside.

Automatic watches are powered by the wearer's movements; if the watch is left for a long period of time without being worn you will have to manually wind the watch.

Please note: You should keep your automatic/mechanical watch away from magnetic sources, leaving your automatic/mechanical watch near things like HifI/Cinema speakers, white goods or other sources which produce a magnetic field can damage the movement and stop it from working.

Water Proof Watches

Always adhere to the water resistance as stated on either the dial or case back (check the manual for full information).

To avoid extensive and sometimes irreversible damage to the movement, make sure the crown is screwed down properly to stop water entering into the case. If you see condensation building up on the inside of the watch lens, you should send it to the manufacturers service center as soon as possible. Avoiding hot water in a bath or shower is best avoided as the heat can expand the gaskets and seals that keep your watch water tight before shrinking again as it cools down.

All water resistant watches should be serviced regularly by the manufacturers service center, and any worn seals or gaskets replaced every 1-2 years depending on how much you use your watch in wet conditions. Even a hard knock can stop your watch from keeping water out, so as stated above if you see any condensation within the watch face have it serviced immediately.

The term water resistance refers to the watches ability to withstand water to certain pressures in laboratory conditions. If you dive into a pool, then the pressure will exceed that shown under laboratory conditions. See chart below for guidance on use of watches in water.

 

50m (5 ATM)

100m (10 ATM)

200m (20ATM)

300m (30ATM)

Accidental  Splashes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Shallow Swimming

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Snorkeling & Water Sports

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Scuba Diving

No

No

*

Yes

Professional Deep Sea Diving

No

No

No

Yes

 

* Only watches marked "Divers" on the dial should be used for diving, as they fully comply with the international standards for divers watches.

If you intend to go Scuba diving, then a specialist watch designed for this is strongly advised. Water resistant watches should be inspected every year by a qualified jeweller and any worn out seals replaced. The water seals should also be checked whenever the watch is opened - for instance when having a new battery fitted.

"Water resistant" should never be confused with "water proof".

Please note: Try not to use the crown or push buttons while the watch is submerged in water, as this could allow water to penetrate your watch.

Customer Service Index Next: WEEE Regulations Previous: Watch Care
A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   J   K   L   M   P   Q   R   S   T   U   W

A

Acrylic Crystal
An acrylic crystal is a plastic composite that is generally less expensive and less durable than a sapphire or a mineral crystal. The advantages of an acrylic crystal are that it flexes rather than shatters on impact. It also produces little glare under bright light and scratches can be polished out. They are also called Hesolite or Hardlex.

Alarm
>A function on the watch that makes a sound or vibrates at a preset time.

Altimeter
A function that provides altitude information by responding to changes in barometric pressure. This is a feature commonly found in pilots watches.

Analogue Watch/Display
A watch that displays the time with physical dials, hands and numbers or markers that present a total display of 12-hours or occasionally 24-hours depending on the model.

Analogue-Digital Display
A watch that shows the time by means of hands (analogue display) as well as by numbers (a digital display). The analogue display has a traditional dial with hour, minute and sometimes second hands. The digital display shows the time numerically or has some other functions with a liquid crystal display (LCD).

Annual Calendar
A watch showing the day, date, month and 24 hours, adjusting automatically for short and long months. The calendar needs setting only once a year - at the end of February to the 1st of March.

Atmosphere (ATM)
Unit of pressure used in watch making to indicate water resistance . (1 ATM = 10 metres).

Automatic Movement/Winding
This is a mechanical watch that is wound by the movement of the wearers wrist whilst being worn, as opposed to a manual mechanical. As the wearer moves their wrist, a weighted rotor turns and winds the watches mainspring. Most manufacturer's use a crystal skeleton case back to enable you to see this function in action. Automatic watches generally have up to 36 hours of power reserve. If an automatic watch is not worn for a period of a few days it will wind itself down and it will need to be wound by hand to get it started again.

Auto Repeat Countdown Timer
A countdown timer that resets itself as soon as the preset time has elapsed and starts the countdown again. It repeats the countdown continuously until the wearer pushes the stop button.

B

Band
This is a generic term used to refer to the type of band that holds the watch onto your wrist. The correct terms are bracelet (for metal types) and strap (for non-metal types).

Battery EOL Indicator
Battery End Of Life indicator. This function warns the wearer of impending battery failure in a quartz watch by means of the second hand jumping in two or sometimes four-second intervals.

Battery Life:
For quartz watches this is the approximate indication of the time that the battery will continue to provide power to run the watch. The battery life begins at the point when the factory initially installs the battery in the watch, so the battery level may vary depending on the watch you buy. Normally the manufacturer's warranty does not cover for battery life.

Battery-less Quartz
This is a term for quartz hybrid watches powered by a rotor inside the back of the mechanism. Electricity is generated from the rotors movement which is stored in a capacitor or rechargeable battery like a mechanical automatic watch, but with the accuracy of a quartz watch. Also known under various marketing names, including Kinetic (Seiko), Omega-matic (Omega) and Auto quartz (Invicta).

Bezel
Generally refers to the upper top part of the watch body around the dial. Specifically it refers to the metal ring around the outside of the crystal. On sports watches the bezel may have calibrated markings and the ability to rotate in one or two directions. On divers watches the bezel is usually calibrated into a period of 60 minutes.

Bracelet
A bracelet is the metal band that goes around the wearer's wrist. If made of flexible separate links then these can usually be removed to change the length of the bracelet (We suggest you go to a suitable watch repair shop where they will do this for a small charge). Bracelets can be made of stainless steel, sterling silver, gold, titanium or a combination of these (see also strap).

C

Calendar
The calendar function on a watch can refer to simply only showing the date in a cut-out window, through to a more complicated triple calendar showing the date, day and month. A combination of dial cut outs and pointer hands may be used. The most complicated calendar mechanisms may be mechanically programmed to show the year and months including those with less than 31 days; leap years can also be mechanically allowed for - this is referred to as a perpetual calendar.

Caliber
A term often used by Swiss watchmakers to denote a particular model type, eg Caliber 48 meaning model 48. More commonly, the term is used to indicate the movement's shape, layout or size.

Case
The outer metal housing that contains the internal parts of a watch. Stainless steel is the most common metal used, but titanium, gold, Stirling Silver and platinum can also be used.

Clasp
The clasp is the fastener on a watch bracelet, connecting and securing the two open ends. There are a few different styles of clasp depending on the bracelet and watch type, with certain models having extra security features such as fold over bars and/or push-button releases.

  • Butterfly Clasp - is when the bracelet ends and affectively tucks in under itself each end, folding up to leave a hidden extension underneath which unfolds when open. It is in effect a hidden deployment clasp.
  • Fold Over Clasp - is very similar to a butterfly clasp accept that the clasp unfolds on just one side and is not hidden from view when closed.
  • Deployment Clasp - is very similar to a Fold Over clasp, the bracelet is leather and the size can be adjusted by moving the position at which one of the ends connects to the fold over part of the clasp.
  • Hook Buckle Clasp - as the name suggests is when literally a hook (often with safety catch) is put through a loop or hole to connect the two ends. Jewellery Clasp: is very simple and is effectively a latch that snaps closed around a bar. As the name suggests, it is very often used on jewellery pieces.
  • Bolt Clasp - is where the two ends join and then a bolt from one is slid into a holding point of another and then swung round locking it in place, much like a conventional bolt design.
  • Tang Buckle Clasp - is the technical name for a conventional clasp and buckle, much like you find on a belt or leather strapped watch.
  • Toggle Clasp - is when a relatively large bar is put through a small ring on the other end of the bracelet. It is generally used more with jewellery rather than watches.
  • Velcro Clasp - is as the name suggests, literally just two ends which have the necessary Velcro components which when put together hold. Mostly used with sports and diving watches.

Butterfly clasp in operation

Butterfly Clasp

Fold over clasp in operation

Fold over Clasp

Deployment clasp in operation

Deployment Clasp

Chronograph
A multifunction sports watch with a stopwatch function. Most have two or three sub dials, or mini dials, for measuring minutes and hours. When used in conjunction with specialized scales on the watch dial it can perform many different functions, such as determining speed or distance ( see tachymeter). Some can time more than one event at a time (see flyback hand and split seconds hand).

This is not to be confused with "chronometer" watch which is a timepiece that has met certain high standards of accuracy set by an official watch institute of Switzerland(C.O.S.C).

Chronometer
This term refers to a precision watch that is tested in various temperatures and positions, thus meeting the accuracy standards set by C.O.S.C. in Switzerland . These watches are provided with a chronometer certificate with a unique test number detailing specific test results by the C.O.S.C.

Clasp
The attachment used to connect the two ends of the watch bracelet around the wrist.

Complication
In horology, the term complication refers to any feature beyond the simple display of hours, minutes, and seconds in a timepiece.

A timepiece indicating only hours, minutes, and seconds is otherwise known as a simple movement. Common additions such as day/date displays, chronographs and automatic winding mechanisms are usually not sufficient to permit a movement to be called complicated. Moreover, that a watch movement may be a Certified Chronometer does not itself count as a complication.

The more complications in a watch, the more difficult it is to design, create, assemble and repair. A typical date-display chronograph may have up to 250 parts, while a particularly complex watch may have a thousand or more parts. Watches with several complications are referred to as grandes complications.

Complication- Examples include:

  • 500 kHz
  • 2182 kHz
  • Flyback chronograph, can be reset while the timer is running
  • Date display
  • Day of the week display
  • Equation of time
  • Display of true local solar time
  • Display of sidereal time
  • Display of time zones (for the world traveler)
  • Time of sunset
  • Time of Sunrise
  • Easterdate calculators
  • Passing strike (chiming watch)
  • Month Display
  • Sign of the Zodiac
  • Display of leap cycle (year 1 to 4)
  • Mechanised star chart
  • Astrolabe dial
  • Annual calendar
  • Quickset date
  • Week of year

Timing complications

Astronomical complications

Striking complications

Simple chronograph

Simple calendar

Alarm

Counter chronograph

Perpetual calendar

Quarter repeater

Split-second flyback chronograph

Moon phases

Half-quarter repeater

Independent second hand chronograph

Equation of time

Five-minute repeater

Jumping second hand chronograph


Minute repeater



Passing strike

C.O.S.C.
Control Officile Suisse de Chronometers or Swiss Controle Officiel des Chronometers- the independent Swiss regulatory organization that rigorously tests and certifies (or fails) watch movements for chronometer status.

Countdown Timer
A function that lets the wearer keep track of how much of a preset period of time has elapsed. Some countdown timers sound a warning signal a few seconds before the time runs out.

Crown
The crown, sometimes referred to as the winding crown or winder is usually a round piece of metal on on the right hand side of the case. It is used for winding the watch in the case of a non-automatic, for setting the hands to the correct time and for setting the date in the case of calendar equipped watches. On diving/sports models the crown may be screw-down whereby it screws onto a threaded tube to ensure the watch provides higher levels of water resistance.

Crystal
The transparent cover over the watch dial is called the crystal. There are three types of crystals commonly used in watches:

Acrylic crystal is an inexpensive plastic that allows shallow scratches to be buffed out.

Mineral crystal is composed of several elements that are heat-treated to create an unusual hardness that aids in resisting scratches.

Sapphire crystal is the most expensive and durable, approximately three times harder than mineral crystals and 20 times harder than acrylic crystals. A non-reflective coating on some models prevents glare in bright conditions.

Crystal Skeleton Case back
This watch will feature a case back made of a transparent material such as hardened mineral crystal or sapphire crystal that allows you to view the intricate movement of the watch from the back.

Cyclops Lens/Window
A small window or lens in the crystal that is added to magnify the date 2 1/2 times.

D

Day/Date Watch
A watch that indicates the date as well as the day of the week.

Deployment Clasp A three-folding locking clasp that secures the two ends of the bracelet. This prevents the bracelet accidentally opening whilst being worn.

Depth Alarm
An alarm on a divers watch that sounds to warn the wearer when it exceeds a preset depth.

Dial
The dial, also referred to as the face, is the visible area of the watch that tells the time. It is usually marked with numbers or indices to which the hands point in order for the wearer to tell the correct time. In luxury watches, the hour markers and any surface details are hand-applied as separate elements. A technique known as Guilloche can be applied to the dial whereby a pattern is etched into the dial. Enamel is applied to the dial in several stages. Less expensive watches will have the numerals or indices printed onto them.

Digital
The display of time in numbers instead of hands on the dial. The numbers can appear in an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), which shows a continuous reading or an LED (Light-Emitting Diode), which shows the time at the push of a button.

Display
Indication of time or other data, either by means of hands moving over a dial (analogue display) or by means of numerals appearing in one or more windows (digital or numerical display); these numerals may be completed by alphabetical indications (alphanumerical display) or by signs of any other kind. Example: 12.05 MO 12.3 = 12 hours, 5 minutes, Monday 12th March. Such displays can be obtained by mechanical or electronic means.

Display back/Skeleton back
A caseback that is transparent so that movement may be viewed.

Divers Watch
Divers watches usually feature a graduated rotating bezel to indicate remaining oxygen levels, a screw down winding crown, and must be water resistant to at least 200m or 660 feet.

Dual Time/Second Time Zone GMT Function
A watch which can be used to display a separate time zone distinct from that shown on the main dial. Usually the second time zone will be indicated as a 24 hour clock.

E

EOL indicator
Battery End of Life Indicator. In quartzbattery movement, the end of battery life is indicated by the seconds hand, which starts to jump every four seconds.

ETA
One of the leading manufacturers of watch movements based in Switzerland. ETA movements are used by many major Swiss watch brands.

F

Face The visible side of the watch or the dial containing the numerals, indices, sub-dials, etc.

Fly back
An additional hand  on a chronograph  which moves with the second hand but, can be stopped independently to measure an interval which can then "fly back" to catch up with the other hand. This is useful for capturing lap times without losing the ability to capture the finish time.

G

Gasket
A rubber or plastic ring that seals the internal works of the watch against dust, moisture and water.

It is important to have the gaskets checked at least every two years to maintain the water resistance of the watch. If your watch is used under water frequently, then a annual water resistance check is recommended.

Gold Plating
An application of 18k gold over the surface of the watch case (watches with gold-plating will usually be made of stainless steel).

Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, and White Gold:
The only natural form of gold is yellow gold. Since pure 24k gold is too soft to make jewellery, it is normally made into an alloy by mixing it with other metals. The portion of pure gold to other metals determines the Karat rating. 24K is pure gold whilst 18K is 75% pure. The exact nature of the other metals used determines the color. A moderate amount of copper in the alloy creates Rose Gold. A moderate amount of palladium and nickel creates white gold.

Guilloche
A method of engraving in which precise, intricate patterns or designs are mechanically etched by engine-turned lathe and then covered with translucent enamel so that the engraving can be seen through the enamel.

H

Hand
An indicator (usually hours, minutes or seconds), usually made of a thin, light piece of metal, which moves over a graduated dial or scale.

Hand winding (Manual Mechanical)
A watch with a manual mechanical movement which needs to be wound daily using the winding crown. This winds the mainspring up which then releases its energy to power the watch.

Helium escape valve
Before re-surfacing from diving at great depths in a pressurised enclosure, such as a diving bell, toxic gases that have been formed in the enclosure are removed, and helium is mixed into the air. The helium molecules are much smaller than air and can seep into the internals of the watch. When the pressurised enclosure surfaces and is depressurised, any helium that is built up inside the case can cause the crystal on the watch to pop out of the case due to the internal pressure that has built up. This can be avoided by opening the Helium Escape Valve on the watch whilst resurfacing.

J

Jewels
This refers to the synthetic rubies which act as bearings, end stones or pallets that are used for reducing friction within the movement of a watch. It is also important to understand that more jewels does not necessarily make a better or more accurate watch.

K

Karat or K
An indication of the purity of the metal used, expressed in the number of 1/24th of the pure metal used in the alloy. Metals such as gold  are too soft in their pure state for use in jewellery, so they are typically made into an alloy with other metals for strength. 24K (equal to 24/24ths) is pure metal. 18K is 18 parts pure metal mixed with 6 parts of other metals. That translates to 18/24=0.750, which is 75% pure, or 750 parts per thousand.

Kinetic
Refers to the Seiko line of Kinetic watches. This innovative technology has a quartz hybrid movement that uses a battery that recharges itself using the motion of the wearers wrist. Movement of the wearers wrist charges a very efficient capacitor which powers the quartz movement. Once the capacitor is fully charged the gents models will store energy for 7-14 days without being worn. Ladies models store energy for 3-7 days. The watch alerts you of low battery status when the seconds hand starts to move in two second intervals.

L

Lap Timer
A chronograph  function that lets the wearer time segments of a race. At the end of a lap, the wearer stops the timer, which then returns to zero to begin timing the next lap.

LCD Display (Liquid Crystal Display)
A digital  watch display that shows the time electronically by means of a liquid held in a thin layer between two transparent plates. LCD displays evolved from the earlier LED or Light Emitting Diode display of the first quartz digital watches. The LCD was preferred as it used vastly less power than the LED, thus the time could be shown constantly as opposed to having to press a button for time display.

Limited Edition Watch
A watch manufactured in limited numbers, often individually numbered and available only in limited quantities worldwide. Limited editions are available from most fine watch manufacturer's, and often come with special packaging.

Lugs
Extensions on both sides of the case where the bracelet or strap is attached.

M

Manual Winding
Refers to a watch with a manual mechanical movement, which needs to be wound daily by the wearer using the winding crown. This winds the mainspring up which then releases its energy to power the watch.

Mechanical Movement
A movement based on a mainspring, which when wound slowly, unwinds the spring in an even motion to provide accurate timekeeping. This watch contains many high-precision parts

Meteo
Found on the Tissot T-Touch series, this calculates the atmospheric pressure, which is indicated in the digital display in hPa (hektoPascal). The position of the hands indicates a barometric trend: Minutes before the hour mean that there is a drop in pressure, minutes after the hour indicate an increase. This trend is calculated from barometric pressure readings over the past eight hours which the T-Touch performs automatically.

Mineral Crystal
Watch crystal  made from what is essentially a form of glass. More scratch resistant than acrylic, a mineral crystal will however scratch and is extremely difficult to polish out.

Minute Repeater
A complication on a watch that can strike the time in hours, quarters, or seconds by means of a push piece.

Moon Phase
A complication on a watch which indicates the phases of the moon. A regular rotation of the moon is once around the earth every 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. Once set, the moon phase indicator accurately displays the phase of the moon.

Mother-of-Pearl dial
The iridescent milky interior shell of the freshwater mollusc that is sliced thin and used on watch dials. Most will have a milky white lustre but other colours such as silvery grey, grey blue, pink and black are available.

Movement
The means by which a watch keeps time or performs its functions. There are four types of movement:

A watch with mechanical movement uses a spinning balance wheel powered by a tightly wound spring. The watch must be wound daily using the crown.

All mechanical watches that are powered by the movement of the wearers wrist during normal usage are called automatic movement.

A watch with quartz  movement measures the vibrations in a piece of quartz and is powered by a battery.

New hybrid watches with a non-replaceable capacitor/battery that use the movement of the wearers wrist to recharge itself are called battery less quartz. An example of this technology is used in the Seiko Kinetic series watches.

P

Perpetual Calendar
A calendar complication that adjusts automatically to account for different lengths of the month (28, 30 or 31 days) and leap years. Perpetual calendars can be powered by quartz or mechanical movements and are programmed to be accurate until the year 2100 (including leap years).

Platinum
This is one of the most precious metals in the world. Platinum also is one of the strongest and heaviest, making it a popular choice for setting gemstone jewellery and high value luxury watches. Platinum is also hypoallergenic and tarnish resistant.

Power Reserve Indicator
A function that shows how much battery power is left in a quartz watch, or in the case of an automatic watch, the power left in the main-spring.

Push-Piece:
A Button that is pressed to work a function on the watch. Push-pieces are commonly found on chronographs and alarms. Caution must be advised not to push any buttons underwater as they are not usually designed to operate underwater, as doing so may let water into the internals of the watch.

Q

Quartz
This is a type of movement that uses the vibrations of a tiny quartz crystal to maintain timing accuracy. The power comes from a battery that must be replaced about every 2-3 years in standard quartz watches.

R

Ratchet Bezel
A type of bezel ring that can either turn one way (unidirectional) or both ways (bi-directional) and clicks whilst rotating.

Rattrapante

See Split Second.

Register
Another name for a subdial. This is usually a dial within the main dial of a watch. The best example is possibly a chronograph , where there may be registers for the chronograph minutes and hours. Some watches have registers with pointers showing the day and date.

Repeater

A repeater is a Complication in a Mechanical watch that audibly chimes the hours and sometimes the minutes at the press of a button.

Retrograde
Used to describe a pointer hand on a watch dial (often a subdial), which returns to zero at the end of a prescribed period. For example a watch may have retrograde date - in this case the hand moves up a scale a day at a time, pointing to the current date - when it reaches 31 it will spring back to 1.

Rose (or pink) Gold
A red-hued gold that contains yellow gold but with a mix of copper in the alloy.

Rotating Bezel
A bezel that can be turned in one or two directions.

Rotor
The part of a self-winding watch that winds the movement's mainspring in an automatic watch or quartz-hyrbid watch. It is a flat piece of metal, usually shaped like a semicircle, which swivels on a pivot with the motion of the wearers arm.

S

Sapphire Crystal
A synthetic sapphire formed for use as the crystal of a watch. This type of crystal is extremely scratch resistant (9 on the Moh scale).

Screw-Down Crown
A type of crown  that is screwed into a threaded barrel that aids the water resistance of a watch.

Self-Winding
This term refers to a movement wound by the motion of the wearers wrist rather than through turning the winding stem (manual mechanical). In response to this motion, a rotor turns and winds the watch's mainspring. Most automatic watches have up to 36 hours of power reserve. If an automatic mechanical watch is not worn for a day or two, it will wind down and need to be wound by hand to get it started again.

Shock Resistance
A watches ability to withstand an impact from varying levels of height.

Skeleton back/Display back

A case back that is transparent so that the movement may be viewed.

Sliderule
A device (usually the bezel), consisting of logarithmic or other scale on the outer edge of the watch face, that can be used to do mathematical calculations.

Split Second
A feature on a chronograph that actually is two hands, one a fly back, the other a regular hand. To time laps or different finishing times, the wearer can stop the fly backhand independently while the regular hand keeps moving.

Stainless Steel
An extremely durable metal alloy that is virtually immune to rust, discoloration and corrosion.

Stopwatch
A watch with a seconds hand that measures intervals of time. When a stopwatch is incorporated into a watch,the timepiece is referred to as a "Chronograph" watch.

Strap
A watch band made of canvas, rubber, leather or other non-metal material.

Sub dial
A smaller dial  used for functions such as keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours on a chronograph, or indicating the date.

Swiss A.O.S.C. (Certificate of Origin)
A mark identifying a watch that is assembled in Switzerland with components of Swiss origin.

T

Tachometre (Tachymetre)
A function for measuring average speed or units. In watch making, a timer or chronograph with a graduated dial on which speed can be read off in kilometers per hour or some other unit.

Titanium
A hard metal having a silver-grey appearance similar to stainless steel but 30 percent stronger and nearly 50 percent lighter than steel. It has high resistance to salt water corrosion which makes it particularly useful in diver's watches, titanium is also hypoallergenic.

Tourbillon

A tourbillon regulator, or more simply a tourbillon, is a mechanical device consisting essentially of a rotating cage carrying at least the balance and the escapement.

In the tourbillon, every time the balance receives an impulse, the cage undergoes a slight rotating movement with all the elements it contains. While the watch is immobile, the oscillator on the other hand changes its position continuously. In the vertical positions of the watch, exclusively, where the residual defect of equilibrium of the organ causes perturbations, this constant rotation of the oscillator keeps up a continual agitation of the rating results. Successive day by day observations in different vertical positions, do not reveal marked differences of rate. One deduces that the tourbillon compensates the effects of gravity as the inventor Breguet had anticipated.

Twenty four (24) hour analog dial

Watches with a 24-hour analog dial have an hour hand that makes one complete revolution, 360 degrees, in a day (24 hours per revolution). The more familiar 12-hour analog dial has an hour hand that makes two complete revolutions in a day (12 hours per revolution).

Twenty-four-hour analog watches are used today by pilots, scientists, and the military, and are sometimes preferred because of the unambiguous representation of a whole day at a time.

U

Unidirectional Rotating Bezel
This is a type of elapsed time rotating bezel, often found on divers watches, that moves only in a counterclockwise direction. This is a safety feature for a diver, so that if they accidentally move the bezel off its original position they cannot underestimate their remaining air supply. They can be ratcheted so that they lock into place for greater safety.

W

Water Resistance
The term water resistance refers to the watches ability to withstand water to certain pressures in laboratory conditions. If you dive into a pool, then the pressure will exceed that shown under laboratory conditions. See chart below for guidance on use of watches in water.

 

50m (5 ATM)

100m (10 ATM)

200m (20ATM)

300m (30ATM)

Accidental  Splashes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Shallow Swimming

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Snorkeling & Water Sports

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Scuba Diving

No

No

*

Yes

Professional Deep Sea Diving

No

No

No

Yes

* Only watches marked "Divers" on the dial should be used for diving, as they fully comply with the international standards for divers watches.

If you intend to go Scuba diving, then a specialist watch designed for this is strongly advised. Water resistant watches should be inspected every year by a qualified jeweller and any worn out seals replaced. The water seals should also be checked whenever the watch is opened - for instance when having a new battery fitted.

"Water resistant" should never be confused with "water proof".

Always avoid wearing your watch in the bath or shower; as the hot water can expand/shrink the internal gaskets that keep your watch water resistant.

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The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is now UK law. The legislation aims to make producers pay for the collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical equipment. The regulations also mean that suppliers of equipment like high street shops and internet retailers must allow customers to return their waste equipment free of charge.

The amount of WEEE we throw away is increasing by around 5% each year, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.

Much of the UK's WEEE ends up in a landfill, where the lead and other toxins it contains can cause soil and water contamination. This can have harmful effect on natural habitat, wildlife and also human health.

Many electrical items that we throw away can be repaired or recycled. Recycling items helps to save our natural finite resources and also reduces the environmental and health risks associated with sending electrical goods to landfill.

Distributors of new Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE) have a part to play in reducing the amount of WEEE going into landfill sites.

Watches Shop are obliged under these regulations to offer our customers free take-back of their WEEE on a like-for-like basis when you buy from us a new Electrical or Electronic product.

For Example, if a customer bought a new EEE item from us we would accept their old WEEE item and prevent it going into a landfill site by disposing of it safely. Customers must return their WEEE item to us within 28 days of purchasing their new item.

Under the WEEE Regulations, all new electrical goods should now be marked with the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol shown below.

Goods marked with the above symbol were produced after the 13th August 2005, and should be disposed of separately from normal household waste so they can be recycled.