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  1. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 13, 2018

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    Just finished servicing a recent acquisition. It's all stripped, cleaned, lubricated and put back together.

    IMG_3219.JPG

    I'll give it a couple of days to settle in and then check accuracy and power reserve.

    IMG_3221.JPG

    So, that's all ticking away, I'm off for a coffee.

    :coffee:
     
  2. Professor Nov 13, 2018

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    I've been using the NIST online clock for this purpose and I'm not so sure that its always correct. The internet server lag time may be a problem in this area.
     
  3. TDBK Nov 13, 2018

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    http://time.is runs an algorithm in Javascript which measures and adjusts for latency to the time server, so it can give you not only its best guess of what time it is, but also tell you how accurate the synchronization is. (In my case here, ±0.005 seconds, although due to screen refresh latencies, etc., I wouldn't rely on it actually displaying time with any more accuracy than about a tenth of a second; still enough for setting a watch.)
     
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  4. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 13, 2018

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    I have a timegrapher, but thought I'd just do it this way for a change. My "master watch" is a GPS synchronised Citizen airwave.

    EB8FA84B-A127-4919-8A91-7771C7F9F6BA.jpeg

    I use it to set all of my watches when they need to be accurate, but I haven't synced it for a week or so and there's too much cloud to get a good signal today, so it may be a second or two off ;).
     
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  5. Professor Nov 13, 2018

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    I think my problem may be due to the stud arm having shifted very slightly on some of my watches. I understand this can cause a watch to read dead on one day and plus or minus a few seconds the next.
    I've also noticed a couple of my watches will read dead on time when using the upper quadrants of the dial and a few seconds off either way when using the lower quadrants. I try to always use only the minute markers between the 12 to 2 positions .
    Movements with stationary studs seem much easier to regulate.
     
  6. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 13, 2018

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    If the stud arm is in a static position the spring rate shouldn't vary.
    Wouldn't it be more likely that one of the wheels has an issue? Do you have a timegrapher to get a trace?
     
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  7. Professor Nov 14, 2018

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    On a couple of my watches the stud arm was loose enough that it visibly moved when I moved the regulator arm. Luckily i had seller's photos of the case with back removed showing the movement and position of the arm so I was able to put it back where it was. But that's no guarantee that it hadn't shifted at some time long before the seller got it.
    A modern low cost Chinese watch was impossible to regulate until I saw that the stud arm was moving with the regulator. I found a video online showing a similar movement and used that as a guide and low and behold on the first try I got it down from minutes a day to only a few seconds off in 24 hours and very consistent. I let well enough alone at that point but may try to get it a hair better later on.

    The problems I mentioned were due to the arms binding each other while being a bit loose and too easily moved.

    My Benrus having a stationary stud was so easy to regulate that on the first try I got it accurate to within 15 seconds in 7 days.
    Same with my Pobeda though not quite so quickly because the regulator moved far too easily so over compensation was a problem.

    I expect that a movable stud arm would allow adjustment for wear and tear on the balance spring over the years and variations in manufacture, but with a new and very high quality spring the stationary stud would be more reliable.
     
  8. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 14, 2018

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    With fixed studs, the adjustment of beat error becomes a major task as you usually have to rotate the balance wheel on the staff to get the watch in perfect beat. With the adjustable stud arms it's a bit easier to do that.

    Get a big old pocket watch movement to play with. You can actually see the position of the roller jewel between the banking pins so getting the idea of what's happening is a bit easier.
     
  9. S.H. Nov 14, 2018

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    Don't you rotate the hairspring? Rotating the balance on the staff, hmm... :eek:

    (it may be a translation problem on my end, but I thought I was OK with the English terms)
     
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  10. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 14, 2018

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    :oops:

    Yes, quite right. I wasn't quite accurate there, what an idiot :mad:.

    I should have remembered adjusting the hairspring collet on the staff, I had to do it often enough (only on pocket watch movements though).

    And your understanding of English seems to be quite fine :thumbsup:.
     
  11. S.H. Nov 14, 2018

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    Thanks! :thumbsup:

    It is easier on pocket watches because of the size, on smaller movement it can be hairy. I must admit I do not always try to correct the beat error perfectly when the timekeeping is OK: when there are no spares available, I live much better with some beat error than with a bent breguet, or worse. I take enough risks as it is with pocket cylinder watches and the various trash i get to repair.
     
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  12. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Nov 14, 2018

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    Check the centering of the dial.