Calibrario/Guides

Guides

What every figure on a spec sheet means, explained with examples from the catalogue. No needless jargon and no hands-on opinions.

How to choose an automatic watchFive decisions, in this order: how much to spend, which movement, what size, which crystal and how much water it has to handle.Read the guide

Caseback of an automatic watch showing the rotor

Power reserveThe hours the watch keeps running after you take it off. It is the figure that decides whether it is still on time on Monday.Read the guide

All guides

Sapphire, Hardlex or mineralGuide

The differences between sapphire crystal, Seiko’s Hardlex and mineral glass: scratches, knocks and replacement cost.

How to measure your wristGuide

How to measure your wrist circumference and work out which diameter and lug-to-lug suit you, with a calculator for every watch.

Water resistance: what the metres meanGuide

What a watch’s water-resistance rating means, what you can do with 30, 100 and 200 m, and what the ISO 6425 standard is.

Hacking seconds and hand windingGuide

What hacking seconds and hand winding are on an automatic watch, what they are for and which watches lack them.

A watch’s beat rateGuide

What a movement’s beat rate in beats per hour is, what changes between 21,600 and 28,800, and why it does not guarantee accuracy.

How an automatic watch worksGuide

What is inside an automatic watch: rotor, mainspring, escapement and balance wheel. And how it differs from a quartz watch and a hand-wound one.

Why does my automatic watch stop?Guide

The most common reasons an automatic watch stops overnight or in a drawer, how to wind it by hand and when it might be a fault.

How to set an automatic watchGuide

Step by step: setting an automatic watch to the second, changing the date and day, and avoiding the hours when you should not touch the calendar.

Automatic watch accuracyGuide

How much an automatic watch gains or loses depending on its movement, the tolerances Seiko, Miyota and COSC publish, and what to do if yours drifts too much.

What a GMT watch is and how to use itGuide

What the 24-hour hand on a GMT watch is for, the difference between a travel GMT and an office GMT, how to use the bezel and which automatic GMTs cost under €1,500.

Pilot watches: type A and type BGuide

The history of the German observation watch, the difference between type A and type B dials, other pilot styles and the automatic pilot watches in the catalogue.

Caring for and servicing an automatic watchGuide

How often to service an automatic watch, what to do about water, magnetism and knocks, and how to clean the bracelet and strap.

GlossaryReference

Every term on the spec sheets, from calibre to ISO 6425, on one page.