Abbreviations / Acronyms Horology Words
AD : Authorized Dealer (of Rolex or another watchmaker).
a/H : Alternations per hour (back-and fro movement of the balance).
AK : Air King.
AkA : As known as….designed as terms of many sellers’ name on forums
AR : Anti-reflective.
ASAP : As soon As Possible : military terms for hurry persons
BART SIMPSON : Collectors terms. Made for a short period in the 1960s (most seem to have been made in 1966), these Submariners were the last to feature gilt (gold) printing and they had a very distinctive coronet on the dial. The points of the coronet were relatively flat and stubby, not unlike Bart Simpson’s hair. While some may say the Bart coronet is a far cry from what some may call a more regal coronet found on the previous gilt Subs
bpH : Beats per hour.
B&P : Box and Papers
BNIB : Brand New In Box
BTT : Back to Top, returning an ad to the top of the list
Bump : returning an ad to the top of the list – ‘bumping it up’
BTW : By The Way
BUSA : Breitling USA, US distributor / service centre for Breitling
CONUS : Contiguous US, usually an indication that a watch will only be shipped to the lower 48 states
Cal. : Calibre (watch movement).
CCC: Credit Card Certificate (plastic card certificate instead of paper). Credit: Space-Dweller
CLV : Ceramic bezel insert Submariner Date LV
COSC : “Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres" (Independent chronometer testing institute).
CS : Chrono-Shop, worldwide specialist of Rolex vintages parts, accessories, parts & goodies.
DD : Day-Date.
DRSD : Double Red Sea Dweller ref 1665
DJ : DateJust.
FAT FONT : Fat numbers on Rolex inserts from 60-70's than service inlays ( exists in Mk I, II, III, IV)
FS : For Sale
FSOT : For Sale or Trade
FT : For Trade
FRECCIONE : italians words " Frecce" = arrow and "Arancione"=orange = "FRECCIONE", legendary terms & watch. Steve Mcqueen never worn this watch.
FRANKENWATCH : Watch created himself with personal touch
GILT :Gold written on Rolex dials from 60’s on sports models (submariner, Explorer & GMT)
GST : Gold Stainless Steel
GMD : Grey Market Dealer (credit: "MAINEZX10" / Jermaine)
GMT : Greenwich Mean Time.
GMT IIc : GMTII with ceramic bezel insert.
GV : Glace Verte (green-edged crystal on the Milgauss)
GO : Glashütte Original
LEMRICH : Suppliers of Rolex for dials range, well known for Rolex Submariner Dials Date and especially 1680 Mk I rich typography.
LNIB : Like New In Box - used but in mint condition, like it was brand new
HAGWE : Forums terms means : Have A Great Week End
HEV : Helium Escape Valve (on SD and DSSD/SDDS)
LE : Limited Edition – a watch produced in a limited production run of a fixed number of units
LEC : Laser Etched Coronet (on Rolex crystals from about 2001 and onwards)
LN : Lunette Noire ( black bezel insert of the GMT II – French terms )
LNIB : Like New In Box
LV : Lunette Verte ( 16610 green bezel insert on the 50th. anniversary Submariner Date).
LVC : Ceramic bezel insert Submariner Date LV
Mk : Marks, Mark I, II, III, IV, V, Vi… registered collectors code for design years product
MSRP : Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price – the manufacturer’s list or published price for the watch
MOP : Mother Of Pearl
NIB : New in Box
NSFW : Not Safe For Work - See Sticky "Posting Pictures"!
NOS : New Old OF Stock : Item provides from past new and unworn, rare
Oyster Steel : Rolex Stainless steel 904L
OBO : Or Best Offer
OEM : Original Equipment Manufacturer - generally refers to bezels or straps when watch related and means that the strap or bezel was produced by the watch manufacturer, not aftermarket
OHPF : On Hold Pending Funds
ONO : Or Nearest Offer or Or Near Offer
OVNO : Or Very Near Offer
Panda : Ref to vintage Rolex cosmographes Daytona 6263 for black & white color sub dials
( collectors words )
PAM : Panerai Model (abbreviation also officially used by Panerai; for instance "PAM00233")
PCL's : Polished Centre Links
PN : "Paul Newman" ( popular name for a special Daytona dial from collectors )
PR : Power Reserve.
PT: Platinum
PVD : Physical Vapour Deposition – a coating used to cover watches with a coloured coating. PVD is not as resilient as DLC and is seen as an inferior coating which flakes easily with age
QP : Quantieme Perpetuel – a perpetual watch that can adjust for the number of days in each month without manual intervention, including February 29th.
Radium : "Radius" meaning Ray: Historically, a mixture of radium and copper-doped zinc sulfide was used to paint dials giving a greenish glow. Currently, luminescent radium-based paint is no longer used because of the danger posed by radiation to the people making these dials. Radioactive material.
Random : means serial number of rolex watches after 2010. Numbers are now without pre-serial number years.
Ratty : Rattrapante complication, also known as split second chronograph, a complication that allows for timing of split times by having two chrono seconds hands which both start when the chronograph is started, but where one stops and one continues to allow for split timing
RBR : Rolex Branded Rehaut ("ROLEXROLEX" on the rehaut, i.e.: the angled edge running around the dial of some Rolex watches).
RMSD : Royal Mail Special Delivery – shipping method from the UK
RRP : Recommended Retail Price, same as MSRP
RSC : Rolex Service Center
RG : Rose Gold or Red Gold
SD : Sea-Dweller.
SDDS : Sea-Dweller Deepsea.
SEL : Solid End Link (referring to bracelet attachment onto case).
SKD : Sky-Dweller (credit: Vincent65)
SL : Super-LumiNova.
SS : Stainless Steel.
ToG : Turn-O-Graph
TTT : To The Top, returning an ad to the top of the list
WHY : What Have You (Got), asking potential traders / sellers to identify items that meet stated criteria
TT : TuTone ( for bracelet and watches bicolor versions metal )
TPD : Turns Per Day, refers to the number of turns required by an automatic watch on a watchwinder to keep it fully wound
UTC : Coordinated Universal Time, in Breitling speak a quartz analog module available to be attached to some models between the 6 o'clock lugs to show a second timezone. Now discontinued and replaced with the digital co-pilot module
VPH : Vibrations per hour.
WG : White Gold
WTB : Want to Buy
WTS : Want to Sell
WTT : Want to Trade
YG : Yellow Gold
YM : Yacht Master
904L : quality steel used by Rolex since 1985 (it was the first). Stronger steel, better protected, different alloy 316L. particularly corrosion resistant superalloy which acquires exceptional shine when p oli.More corrosion resistant but softer more sensitive to shocks, etc...
316L : Steel uses 98% of manufactures.best compromise hardness / "inoxidabilité" / corrosion resistance.