Why Regulation is Needed

Regulating an automatic watch is essential to maintain its precision and accuracy over time. Mechanical watches, especially automatic ones, rely on intricate movements and components that can be affected by various factors, leading to deviations in timekeeping. Regulation involves fine-tuning the watch’s movement to ensure it keeps accurate time within acceptable standards. This process is crucial for watch enthusiasts and collectors who value precision in their timepieces.

What Causes a Watch to Become Less Accurate?

Several factors can cause an automatic watch to lose its accuracy, necessitating regulation:

1. Wear and Tear: Over time, the components of a watch, such as the escapement and balance wheel, can experience wear, affecting their performance.

2. Magnetism: Exposure to magnetic fields can magnetize parts of the movement, disrupting the delicate balance of the escapement. Usually causing the watch to run faster, degaussing the movement usually solves the issues caused by magnetism.

3. Temperature Changes: Extreme temperatures can expand or contract metal parts, altering the watch’s accuracy.

4. Shock and Vibration: Physical shocks or vibrations can shift components slightly out of alignment, impacting precision.

5. Lubrication: The oils and lubricants used in the movement can degrade, becomes sticky, or dry out, increasing friction and affecting performance and timekeeping.

The Process of Regulation

Regulating a watch involves several precise adjustments to ensure optimal performance:

1. Checking the Timing: Before making any adjustments, the watchmaker checks the watch’s current accuracy using a timegrapher, a device that measures the rate, amplitude, and beat error of the movement. A low amplitude may mean the watch isn't wound, or if it is wound, might be an indication of needing a service.

2. Adjusting the Balance Wheel: The primary adjustment is made to the balance wheel. This involves changing the position of the regulating pins or moving the regulator index to alter the tension on the hairspring.

3. Fine-Tuning the Hairspring: The hairspring’s length and position are adjusted to fine-tune the watch’s rate. This can involve bending the outer coil of the hairspring slightly.

4. Beat Error Correction: Adjustments are made to correct any beat error, which is the asymmetry in the tick-tock sound of the watch.

5. Rechecking the Timing: After adjustments, the watch is retested on the timegrapher to ensure the desired accuracy is achieved.

What is Beat Error?

Beat error refers to the asymmetry between the ticks and tocks of a watch's escapement, indicating a lack of balance in the oscillations. Beat error can be caused by the misalignment of the balance wheel, incorrect positioning of the hairspring, physical impact, and manufacturing tolerances. Beat error can be measured using a timegrapher, with 0 ms being ideal. It is adjusted by adjusting the hairspring or regulating pins and should be done by a professional watchmaker. It is important to correct the beat error to improve accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of the watch.

Positions and Their Importance

Regulating a watch in multiple positions is crucial because the watch's accuracy can vary depending on its orientation. The six standard positions are:

1. Dial Up

2. Dial Down

3. Crown Up

4. Crown Down

5. Crown Left

6. Crown Right

Each position can affect the movement differently due to gravity’s impact on the balance wheel and hairspring. By regulating the watch in all six positions, a watchmaker ensures that it keeps accurate time regardless of how it is worn.

The longevity of a watch’s regulation depends on several factors:

1. Quality of the Movement: High-quality movements typically maintain their regulation longer than lower-quality ones.

2. Usage: Frequent wear and exposure to adverse conditions can necessitate more frequent regulation.

3. Maintenance: Regular servicing, including cleaning and lubrication, can help maintain the watch’s accuracy.

Typically, a well-regulated watch should maintain its accuracy for several years, but it is recommended to have it checked and serviced every 3-5 years to ensure optimal performance.

Additional Considerations

1. Professional Regulation: It is advisable to have a professional watchmaker perform regulation, as the process requires specialized tools and expertise.

2. Temperature Compensation: Some high-end watches feature temperature-compensated balance wheels or hairsprings, which help maintain accuracy across temperature variations.

3. ISO Standards: Watches can be regulated to meet specific standards, such as ISO 3159 for chronometers, which ensures high precision.

Regulating an automatic watch is a meticulous process that ensures the timepiece maintains its precision and accuracy. Understanding the causes of timekeeping deviations and the importance of regulating in multiple positions helps appreciate the complexity and craftsmanship involved. With proper regulation and regular maintenance, an automatic watch can provide reliable and precise timekeeping for years to come, embodying the pinnacle of horological engineering.

All Barger watches undergo an exacting multi-point inspection process after being assembled in Texas. Explore all of our Barger watches by clicking here.