S

• Sapphire

  Sapphire is a mineral, found naturally as gemstones.  Although blue is considered the normal colour for sapphire, it is found in the full range of spectral colours as well as brown, colourless, grey and black. Any sapphire other than blue or fully saturated red is considered a fancy colour sapphire.

• Sapphire Crystal

  A crystal made of synthetic sapphire which is transparent, shatter-resistant and scratch-resistant.  Sapphire crystal is often used to shield the dial of a watch.

• Screw-lock Crown

  A crown that can be screwed into the case to make the watch watertight.  Watches that are water resistant for 100m and above have screw down crowns to prevent moisture entering the case.

• Second

  The basic unit of time; 1/60th of one minute, so 60 seconds is equal to 1 minute.

• Skeleton

  A watch in which the case and various parts of the movement are of transparent material, enabling the main parts of the watch to be seen.

• Sliding Rule

  A device, consisting of logarithmic or other scales on the outer edge of the watch face, that can be used to do mathematical calcuations. 

• Solar-powered

  A watch that uses solar entery (from any light source) to power the quartz movement.

• Spessartine

  The mineral stone Spessarine, previously named spessartite, is a form of garnet - usually yellowish orange to reddish orange.

• Spring bar

  A metal pin, telescopic in design that is used on most straps to fasten them to the watch case.  The spring bar slots into the lugs of a watch case. 

• Stepping Motor

  The part of a quartz movement that moves the gear train, which in turn moves the watch's hands.

• Sterling Silver

  Contains at least 92.5% pure silver. 

• Stop watch

  A watch with a seconds hand that measures intervals of time.  When a stopwatch is incorporated into a standard watch, both the stopwatch function and the timepiece are referred to as a chronograph.

• Stainless Steel

  A dense, extremely durable and rust-resistant metal which does not require electroplating.  It can be given either a matt or a polished finish or a combination of the two.

• Strap

  A band that holds the watch to the wrist. 

• Sub-dial

  A small dial on a watch face used for any of several purposes, such as keeping track of elapsed minutes or hours on a chronograph or indicating the date. 

• Sun/ Moon indicator

  A wheel on a watch partially visible through a cut-out window indicating a sun and moon on a 24-hour basis. 

• Swizz made

  In order to qualify as 'Swiss Made' a watch must have been assembled, adjusted and subjected to oficial tests in Switzerland.  At least 50% value of all parts, and its movement must have been made in Switzerland.