A chapter ring is the circle of markers that sits around a hand or pointer on a dial. On a watch, it is usually the outer band that holds the minute and seconds divisions. It gives the hands a scale to point to.
Where it comes from
The name comes from clockmaking. On antique clocks, the ring that carried the hour numerals was called the chapter, and hour marks were once known as chapters. A dictionary still defines the chapter ring as a ring-shaped band on a clock dial that carries the hour numerals or hour symbols. A London lantern clock by Richard Ames, dated about 1650 to 1660 and held by the V&A, shows the idea plainly. It has a prominent chapter ring of large Roman numerals, read by a single hour hand. The French name, tour d’heures, is little used today.
Not to be confused with
The rehaut, also called the flange, is a separate part. It is an angled inner ring between the edge of the dial and the crystal. The two are often mixed up because a chapter ring is sometimes printed on the rehaut or inner bezel. Style matters too. A ring of numerals or markers is often called a chapter ring, but one that looks like a railroad is called a track.
Do subdials have chapter rings?
Usually, yes. Subdials tend to have their own chapter rings. These are often more plainly decorated than the main ring. On the main dial, indices can also be set around the chapter ring. These are the marks that divide the dial into hours and minutes. A pocket watch glossary places the ring at the outer edge of the dial, marking hours and minutes. On a watch dial, the same outer band also carries the seconds divisions.
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