G Q : How to buy a watch..a lesson in etiquette with GQ

Five watch terms that will make you sound like an industry pro

1. Complication
Any function of a watch that goes beyond simple timekeeping. Could be an annual or lunar calendar, could be something as basic as a stopwatch.

2. Movement
All those bits and pieces inside that run the thing.

3. Quartz
A movement powered by a battery and regulated by the oscillations of a quartz crystal. It’s way more accurate than other watch types—which isn’t to say we necessarily recommend you buy one.

Five watch terms that will make you sound like an industry pro

4. Self-winding
A type of mechanical watch, containing a rotor on a pivot, that’s wound by the day-to-day movements of the wearer’s wrist. It’s also referred to as automatic.

5. Water-resistant
Just because a watch says it’s water-resistant doesn’t mean you should swim or shower with it on. To be safe, only do so if it’s water-resistant up to one hundred meters.