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PWMC Watch Tool Starter Kit

REGULATING YOUR WATCHES: one of the fascinating options the PMWC Watch Tool Starter Kit will offer you!

* Important Note regarding regulating watches:
To regulate a watch to better accuracy, you have two options: You buy an expensive watch timing machine and are able to perform those steps like a watchmaker. But that will cost you between USD 500 (for a second hand vibrograph) to USD 4'000 for a new e.g. WITSCHI Expert.
But there is a less expensive way: a case opener, a screwdriver and a bit of trial and error and patience! Do it like this:

• Open the watch using the PMWC Watch Tool Kit Opener for screwed case backs

• First and this is really important: identify the regulator of your watch. Never - repeat, never - touch the so called spring stud. The spring stud is the little part that connects the outer end of the hair spring or balance spring to the balance cock or balance bridge. If you move the spring stud, you will influence the length of the "tick" and the "tock" of the oscillation of your balance wheel. If you managed to move the spring stud, you will have to see your watchmaker. He will be using a watch timing machine in order to set the stud back to its original position achieving so called "isochronism" or "ticks" and "tocks" of equal length.

• You found the regulator: there are many regulators out there. The most common is the one depicted below (from an Orient Automatic movement, a very similar regulator is also found on the most common ETA 2824, SEIKO 7S26 and Miyota 82xx, the three movements that power ca. 80% of all less expensive automatic wrist watches today)
  
  Click for a bigger picture please

• Press the regulator's end carefully (do not touch or bend the hairspring!) into the direction of the light green arrow. The watch will run faster. Press it in the opposite direction and its tip will move towards the minus (-) sign on the scale and the watch will slow down. If you are regulating a 7S26 like in the picture above, then you will have to slow it down most likely as they come most of the time +10 to +25 seconds fast from the factory. If you do not have a timing machine to measure the effect of your regulation, then there is the iterative way (trial and error). Close the case back and observe the watch while you wear it. If you are not happy with the change, open the case back again and regulate again. I have many times managed very good results with this method.

• Regulation in a nutshell: Longer hairpring length = slower oscillation, watch slower, shorter hairspring = faster oscillation, watch runs faster The simple physics behind watch regulation: The spring stud (marked red above, the part with the big brass "dot") marks the end of the hairspring (the other end is at the center of the balance wheel, the big oscillating wheel normally made of brass). The regulator's arm is in most cases easy to identify by its two brass dots. All the regulator does, is to either increase the total length of the hairpring resulting in slower oscillation, watch runs slower or it decreases the length of the hairspring which means the watch is running faster. And once more: do not move the index stud, unless you have a timing machine. Because if you move the index stud, you might change the isochronisms of your watch, the tic-toc might become an imbalanced tiiiiic-toc-tiiiiiic-toc meaning that the angles of the oscillation to the right and to the left are not the same any more.