Watch jewels are typically synthetic ruby or sapphire. On some watches you will see the occasional diamond chip used, in a prominent place such as the cap jewel on the balance cock, just as a way to add some distinction.
These tiny donuts shaped parts support the moving parts in the watch. The extreme hardness of the jewel and the hardened steel pivots of the wheels form a very precise and long-lived bearing.
As an aside, I occasionally hear talk of how unscrupulous watchmakers sometimes steal the jewels from a watch. This is one of those persistent mechanical watch myths that just never seem to go away. First of all the jewels in a watch are not valuable. Ans secondly, their function is completely practical, and not decorative. The watch will not run without them!
Find out more about watch jewels here:
http://www.rdrop.com/~jsexton/watches/museum/kyp/jewels.html
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