If you are a watch enthusiast, you would have noticed that many watches have the terms such as 17 Jewels, 21 Jewels, etc., engraved on their back. This number indicates the number of jewels used in the Watch, and they can give you an idea about how complex the Watch is.
If you are interested in knowing more about these numbers, this guide is for you. In this WearToTrack Guide, I’ll answer the following questions: Which Watch has the most Jewels? Are more Jewels in a watch make it better?
How many jewels does a good watch have? And many more. Let’s get started.
Also, make sure to check out my related post – What Are The Jewels In A Watch Made Of?
Table of Contents
Which Watch Has The Most Jewels?
If we look at the modern watches, we notice that most of them come with 17 Jewels, and it’s the standard, but it doesn’t mean that a watch can’t have more Jewels.
In the early 20th century, many watchmakers raced to make watches with a high number of Jewels, and it led to placing jewels in unnecessary areas where they were not needed. However, in 1974, ISO 1112 was introduced, which barred watchmakers from including excess jewels in their Ads.
Now let’s back to our main question: Which Watch has the most Jewels? The Watch with the most is the one by Vacheron Constantin, a Swiss luxury watch company that has been making watches since 1755.
The Watch’s reference number is 57260, and it comes with whopping 242 Jewels. The reason why the manufacturer used too many Jewels is that it’s a complicated watch, and it comes with 2800 components and 57 complications.
With this Watch, you get a variety of features. For starters, it comes with 6 functions for time, 8 Hebrew calendar functions, 9 Astronomical calendar functions, 4 chronograph functions, 7 alarms, 7 perpetual calendar functions, 1 lunar calendar function, and many other advanced features which you normally won’t find in a single watch.
As the Watch is unique, it also comes with a high price tag. If you are interested in 57260 from Vacheron Constantin, it will cost you a whopping 5 million USD, which can be justified based on the complexity.
Now you must be wondering what makes the 57260 from Vacheron Constantin so expensive? Is it because of the number of Jewels in the Watch? The answer is no. The Watch comes with artificial jewels, which means that they don’t possess any real value.
The real value of the Watch lies in its complexity and craftsmanship. If you look at the Watch, you will notice that it’s pretty small, yet it comes with tons of features that you won’t find in many watches out there.
Vacheron Constantin is known for luxury watches, and 57260 is the epitome of craftsmanship that the company offers. So, it’s the complexity and craftsmanship of Vacheron Constantin which makes the 57260 so expensive.
Are More Jewels In The Watch Make It Better?
Watchmakers use the Jewels as bearings which help the Watch’s components with movement, and their main purpose is to reduce the friction.
Now the number of Jewels can vary depending on the functions of the Watch. For example, a simple watch would need around 17 jewels, but if a watch has more functions such as a stopwatch, calendar, etc., the number of Jewels can go up.
In Short, the number of Jewels in Watches doesn’t make the Watch better. It only indicates the complexity and more features in the Watch.
How Many Jewels Does A Good Watch Have?
The number of Jewels in a good watch can vary depending on the features and complexity. However, a watch with 17 jewels is considered a fully Jeweled movement.
Similarly, some watches come with 21 Jewels which means that watchmakers have placed additional jewels at critical points to make the Watch more accurate. Normally, you will find 21 Jewels in high-end watches out there.
Do Quartz Watches Have Jewels?
Yes, like other watches, Quartz Watches also comes with Jewels. As we know that Quartz Watches come with few moving parts, and many people believe that there are no Jewels in them, but in reality, they do have Jewels.
However, the number of Jewels is less than conventional watches. An average Quartz watch comes with 5 to 10 Jewels which varies depending on the company and the complications it has.
Do Rolex Watches Have Jewels?
Rolex is a well-known luxury brand that has a collection of some of the most expensive watches in the world.
Like other watches, Rolex also comes with Jewels, and their number varies depending on the model. For example, Rolex Daytona comes with 44 Jewels, and IWC II Destriero Scafusia comes with over 76 Jewels.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
For your further inquiry, you may check out this section of the article. Here, we will answer the most common questions regarding Which Watch Has The Most Jewels In It?
Are There Diamonds In Rolex?
No, the company doesn’t use diamonds as Jewel Bearings in its watches, but some of its watches come with Diamonds on the dial and the case. Rolex has a dedicated team that selects the best quality melee diamonds for its watches.
What Do 23 Jewels In A Watch Mean?
Number 23 shows the number of Jewels in the Watch. Normally watches come with 17 Jewels and some high-end watches come with 21 Jewels. However, some manufacturers use a Jeweled mainspring barrel arbor which bumps the number of jewels to 23.
What Do 25 Jewels In A Watch Mean?
Like 17, 21, and 23 Jewels, 25 Jewels also shows the number of Jewels used as bearings in a watch. Manufacturers sometimes use additional Jewels in their watches to reduce friction and increase the accuracy of their watches.
What Does A Jeweled Movement Mean?
Most quality watches these days use jewels as bearings that allow them to have low friction, resulting in better accuracy. If a watch has Jeweled movement, it means that it uses Jewels in its component.
Conclusion
The number of Jewels in a watch doesn’t increase its value, but it surely reduces the friction between components and increases the accuracy of a Watch.
If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments.
Also, check this guide where I have shared the COSC Certified watches under $500, $1000, and $2000.
As a professional trainer and a gadget lover, I’ve spent a lot of money and time buying wearable activity trackers, smartwatches, and gadgets, and checking them out. My site is focused on helping you with your activity tracking and smart technology journey. I try to provide the most helpful updated content on this subject. Hopefully, you will love my blogs and be a regular around here.
