Bezel – What is a bezel on a watch?

Anyone who delves into the world of luxury watches will inevitably come across the term "bezel." It is a classic design element but also comes with various functionalities. Over the past decades, manufacturers have developed diver’s bezels, count-up bezels, bezels with a tachymeter scale, or bezels for different time zones.

What is a bezel on a watch?

When the term is reduced to a minimum, a bezel is a ring that secures the watch glass on the watch. Manufacturers of luxury watches quickly realized that such a ring can enhance the watch by adding functions or color.

Diver’s bezel as the most well-known form of bezel

The diver’s bezel established itself quite early. Most diver’s watches feature a bezel with a 60-minute scale. The first 15 minutes are marked in one-minute increments, while the remaining 45 minutes are divided into five-minute intervals. A diver’s bezel rotates unidirectionally counterclockwise. This is an important safety measure to prevent accidental misadjustment. This diver’s bezel was used to determine how long a diver has been underwater. This type of bezel is also called a count-up bezel.

Chronograph bezels with tachymeter scale

The bezel is used very versatilely in Chronographs. Equipped with a tachymeter scale, various units per hour can be measured. The most common application is speed measurement, as Chronographs have a stopwatch function. The combination of bezel and time measurement allows for quite precise speed determination. The two most famous luxury watches with a Chronograph bezel are the Omega Speedmaster Professional and the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, which enjoy enduring popularity.

Bezel for two time zones on GMT watches

This type of bezel is mainly used on GMT watches, originally designed for pilots. With the 24-hour scale on the bezel and an additional hand on the Dial, the time in a second time zone can be read, and in some models even a third. Rolex is considered a pioneer, as in 1995 the GMT-Master was launched and caused great excitement. The GMT-Master became the official chronometer of the Pan American World Airways. Nowadays, these watches and, of course, the bezels for multiple time zones are available from several luxury watch manufacturers.

Bezels: colors and materials

Bezels are usually made from the same material as the case. There are versions and models where the bezel is highlighted in color. A prime example is the Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” with the typical brand colors red and blue. In Women’s watches, there are models where the bezel is additionally enriched with precious diamonds. The round bezel naturally dominates the shape, but there are also interesting variations like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, where it stands out as an octagon.

The bezel is a wonderful example of how a watch can gain a distinctive design with high recognition value simply through its outer frame.