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Index settings hairspring: aligned in the middle after a service?

ecarpino
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Hello,

I have a question for the watchmakers of the forum. Recently I stumbled upon the topic of hairspring length regulation. The common view is that if a watch comes back from service and the index is aligned in the middle (between A and R), this means that the watchmaker did a good service because the hairspring is of the right length and, if replaced, it has been correctly repinned.

omega-321-chronograph-balance.jpeg


(The picture above is only for illustration purposes)

My question is: do watchmakers always replace hairsprings when they see the index are not aligned or it is something they do not put great attention into? As far as I know, even if the watch is serviced, if the hairspring is not correctly pinned or suffered aging, the index will never be aligned and there will always be a regulation needed.

I am very curious to hear about your opinion, as I will soon start the one year watchmaking course at WOSTEP in Neuchatel, and I am sure this topic will come up for discussion during the lectures.
Edited:
 
noless
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I am still in watchmaking school atm, but depending on the movement often you directly move the regulating arm, and this can move independent of the fine adjustment arm. My teacher said its a sign of a bad watchmaker if you didn't have the fine adjust more or less in the middle.

The movement in your photo looks like this isnt possible so perhaps rough timing is done by the weights on the balance wheel? but for that particular watch im not sure.
 
ecarpino
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noless noless
I am still in watchmaking school atm, but depending on the movement often you directly move the regulating arm, and this can move independent of the fine adjustment arm. My teacher said its a sign of a bad watchmaker if you didn't have the fine adjust more or less in the middle.

The movement in your photo looks like this isnt possible so perhaps rough timing is done by the weights on the balance wheel? but for that particular watch im not sure.

Hi noless, thanks for your answer! I will point out in the post that the picture is only for illustration purposes and that there is nothing wrong with that hairspring (as far as I know 馃榾)

My discussion was more in general with the topic of index settings, and it seems like it is commonly perceived as a bad sign if a watch comes back from service with the adjustment not aligned..
 
Canuck
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Many modern watches are made with the balance wheel rim containing no screws. Very often, these watches have an adjustable, two-piece regulator. The index can be placed in the middle of the scale on the balance cock, and regulation is done by adjusting the rate at the curb pins. On older watches with one piece regulator and balance screws, adjustments can be made by adding or removing timing washers from the screws on the balance wheel, with the index in the middle of the scale. Replace the hairspring, or re-pin it? Who鈥檇 do either?
 
Archer
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ecarpino ecarpino
My question is: do watchmakers always replace hairsprings when they see the index are not aligned or it is something they do not put great attention into?

The premise of the question is way off. Replacing a balance spring is not a common task I would say, and I doubt anyone would do it just to have the regulator centered.

As others have noted, the centering of the regulator is very easy on most modern watches with a two piece regulator. If it has a fixed or one piece regulator, it's likely an old enough watch to have an adjustable mass balance, which means weight can be added or removed easily to center the regulator.

The balance spring really isn't the issue with this, unless the spring has broken at the stud or something like that - not a routine everyday situation though.
 
ecarpino
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Archer Archer
The premise of the question is way off. Replacing a balance spring is not a common task I would say, and I doubt anyone would do it just to have the regulator centered.

As others have noted, the centering of the regulator is very easy on most modern watches with a two piece regulator. If it has a fixed or one piece regulator, it's likely an old enough watch to have an adjustable mass balance, which means weight can be added or removed easily to center the regulator.

The balance spring really isn't the issue with this, unless the spring has broken at the stud or something like that - not a routine everyday situation though.
Thank you, very clear! And sorry for the rookie mistake but I鈥檓 very early in the game and hopefully I鈥檒l learn a lot in the following months 馃榾
 
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