Watch Timing machine – what does it mean?

[jpewslgl]

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

I finally got a watch timing machine, but I can’t seem to find any good explainations about what the graphs mean. It’s a basic Timegrapher 1000 and it shows the beat angle, beats, amplitude, error.

I understand that the graph is supposed to be two lines that are parallel and basically centered, which shows a watch that has even amplitude and beats. I assume one line is for each direction the balance moves and therefore each pallet as it strikes the escape wheel.

What I can’t figure out is what to do if the graph shows something other than two nice lines. I placed a Rolex on the tester and it showed a nice graph, as I expected. Then I placed a Seiko automatic that is in need of cleaning and it showed spots all over the place. That’s great to know that it needs adjustment, however, WHAT adjustment does it need? It’s keeping pretty good time, so I am assuming that there is something else going on. Maybe the pallet or escape teeth out of adjustment?

Any good places to get a better explaination of what I’m looking at?

Thanks for all your help!!
Jimmy

[peterclare]

Hi Jimmy, try this url:

mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?94941-Reading-a-Timing-Machine

has a good download of a manual, need to register though (free).

Regards

Peter

[jpewslgl]

Wonderful information! Thank you very much for the reply.

[Author]

Posts