I’m not talking about iced-out watches with diamonds on the dials and straps, but take a simple Rolex, for example. I watched a restoration video recently, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why there were several tiny gemstones inside, along with all the gears and the springs. What mechanical purpose do these stones serve?
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The jewels are rubies or sapphires (or a synthetic version of them), and they act as a bearing surface for the moving parts. The aluminum oxide the jewels are made of is a very hard surface but can be polished to have very low friction, so it doesn’t degrade or cause wear and friction to the watch movement.
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