Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to bring customers and readers “behind the curtain.” We’re going to show you how things work, why they work and why we do the things we do while repairing watches.
This week, we are going to look at how to put a watch in beat.
With the power released, if the watch is in beat the pallet fork will be centered between the banking pins on the main plate. It is usually fairly easy to see if the pallet fork is centered.
It is put in beat by turning the hairspring collett on the balance staff.
On some watches, it is difficult to see the pallet since it is sometimes covered up by the hairspring or pallet bridge. On this Hamilton 992b, the pallet is fairly easy to see.
You can also adjust this before putting the watch together –with only the balance installed, the jewel must sit on a line between the escape and balance jewels (and pallet pivot jewels), and if you can see through, exactly between the banking pins when looking down this line.
Getting the beat correct makes a large difference in the way the watch runs. It will start instantly when wound, and keep time in positions much better, have better balance rotation.
Movable stud
On more modern watches, they are made with an adjustable stud — quite easy to put into beat as you just move the regulator arm.
Mark Sirianni Watch Repair
25 Fraley Street
Kane, Pa. 16735
814-837-9435
814-558-4818 (cell)
watchdoctorpa@gmail.com
CHARLEY PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Charley is just chillin’.
16 Comments
Len (UK)
Very helpfull information.
At reassembly time, I usually fit the balance first, then adjust the collet to get the pallet centred between the banking pins.
However, once completed, I find it quite common to see some ‘beat error’ displayed on the timegrapher. Even with the luxury of the movable stud, I find that getting the watch in ‘beat’ can take some time and, indeed, it’s still not always possible to achieve, so ‘near enough’ has to suffice.
Melvyn Schuman
Extremely helpful and concise.
Glenn Bevin
Amazing the complexity, and the skill required to have a precision timepiece!
Bill Berkan
Amazing stuff. Who’d a thunk it? I am constantly being surprised by the tiny nuances a skilled watchmaker runs into everyday. Thanks so much for sharing.
JAN
Very interesting. You do amazing work. No doubt Charlie’s the best watch dog around!
David
Thanks for sharing a little magic behind the curtain, always informative.
Johnny
Thanks again Mark for the great info, and Poor Charley has such a hard life, ha-ha.
Dick
Very interesting and unusual, really never see the inner workings of a time piece.
Robert Sundman
In the 1950’s my grandparents, knowing I liked to fix mechanical things, gave me a pocket watch that didn’t work. Willing to please, I took it apart and found the hair spring was bent – I tries to straighten it but made it worst. So I took it to Canal street in NYC where there was many watch repair shops. I pick one that didn’t look too busy and saw many crowded work stations. I pick one and said I need a hair spring for this watch. I was asked a lot of question about the hair spring I needed and I had no idea what he was talking about. He asked for the watch, took it apart and cleaned and fix it while I watch including a new hair spring. He gave it back to me and charged $1.25 and smiles at me saying that watch repair requires special tools and talent that takes a long time to learn.
When I got back home I gave it back to my grandparents and told them the story. When asked about the watch they always told them the story of how I had the watch repaired.
That was my one and only experience with watch repairs but still like working on vintage clocks.
I always read your blogs and it reminds me of my one watch repair experience. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge and keeping my watch running.
Jim
“Doctor” Mark,
What you do is truely a skilled trade. Something that is being lost. Everytime I look inside my Grandfather’s Hamilton 950B, that you overhauled for me, I am amazed. Someone had the skill to build the watch and then someone like you that has the skill to work on them.
Glad to see that your son is interested in the trade to continue doing what you do.
Oh, and aren’t dogs great?
JAN
Very interesting. You do amazing work. No doubt Charlie’s the best watch dog around!
Patrick Bissell
Great pocket watch information. Keep it coming.
Jack Hegner
How did they time a watch back before electronics?
Hal Woodruff
Why is +6 sec/day desirable and as “good as it gets”. My Rolex has always run +6 sec/day before and after multiple cleanings. Why not shoot for +0 sec/day?
Ken
Very interesting, Mark. On a Rolex, is there a way to tell which of the four screws on the balance wheel to adjust based on whether the pallet fork is off center toward the right or left banking pin?
Hertha Jane Welborn
You are so insightful. No pun intended. I find these tidbits so interesting. Thanks