Just received a Seiko SRPG27 with the (NH36) 4R36 caliber. It's my first Seiko automatic.
How does someone adjust the gain or loss of time?
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Adjustment is beyond the ability of a non-watchmaker. Adjustment involves the modification of watch parts and how they interact. For example, you would have to regrind and polish balance wheel pivots. Adjustment is performed to make a movement run with the smallest possible daily error in 5 or 6 positions (face up, face, down, crown down, crown up, crown left, crown right) and possibly even under different temperatures. Most watch movements are unadjusted and you will often find the term 'unadjusted' on the movement or in the movement description.
Regulation is the fine-tuning of timekeeping on a watch movement and can be done by anyone with a little bit of practice and understanding of what's going on. You need a few tools and supplies:
- caseback opener
- something like a properly-sized watchmaker's screwdriver to manipulate the regulator and possibly the stud carrier
- new oaseback o-ring
- 0-ring lubricant
- Rodico cleaning gum to pick up debris and to clean O-ring/caseback/case interface.
- you may need a magnifier of some sort depending on your closeup vision.
- timegrapher device or timegrapher app and microphone
Things you need to know about the movement so you can set up the timegrapher:
Beat rate: The frequency of the movement, commonly between 18,000 (2.5 Hz) and 36,000 beats (5Hz), Timegraphers usually detect the beat rate automatically.
Lift Angle: The angle is a number stated in a movement's spec sheet and is required to measure the amplitude of the movement. The amplitude is the arc the balance wheel travels and indicates if the power delivery is strong. A low amplitude can indicate high friction (cleaning/service needed) an and overly high amplitude can indicate magnetization. Contrary to popular belief, magnetized watch movements run fast not slow.
A watch with a lever escapement, the most common type of escapement, makes a ticking sound. That's due to its time-keeping mechanism which is made up of the balance wheel that oscillates rapidly back and forth. An anchor-looking device, called a balance fork is attached to the balance wheel and turns this bi-directional motion into a unidirectional motion that drives the escape wheel.You can check this out on Wikipedia. They have a nice drawing and animation
right here. You may also check out
this link.
When the two impulse jewels of the pallet engage and release the escape wheel they create the typical ticking sound a watch makes. A timegrapher listens to this ticking sound and measures the time between them.
Regulating a watch:
The two things you measure and regulate with a timegrapher are
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Rate = deviation in sec/day. This is manipulated on the
regulator pin or on a screw that commonly has a graduated scale marked with + and -. There are fancier ways of regulation directly on the balance wheel that require very complex tools. By moving the regulator pin you shorten or lengthen the hairspring of the balance wheel. Depending on the movement and your patience you should be able to regulate the watch to within a couple of seconds of =-0 sec/day error. However, unless you know how to adjust a watch, you will be stuck with regulating your watch in one or two unadjusted positions and finding a happy medium. For example, I regulate my watches in two: face up, and crown down. It is also useful to figure out in which positions your watch runs fastest and slowest. You can use that knowledge to let your watch speed up or slow down overnight on your nightstand.
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Beat error = difference in the back and forth rotation of the balance wheel. Unless the beat error is extreme it does not affect how accurately and precisely the watch is running but it does affect wear and should be minimized. Beat error is adjusted with the regulator pin on the mobile stud carrier. Be warned, adjusting the beat error will greatly affect the rate.
