Re: Small regulator adjustment?

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:05:45 -0400, "Jack Denver"
<nunuvyer@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>I have an Invicta with a Miyota movement which was running quite well. When
>I first got it a couple of years ago I regulated it to a very good rate
>after a few tries (by trial and error - no Vibrograph). Recently I decided
>that it was running a little slow so I decide to give it a teeensy shove to
>the + side. This set the watch maybe 10 or 15 secs fast/day. I then shoved
>it back - now 10 or 15 secs/slow. And back again, now too fast, then back,
>now too slow, etc. I'm moving the regulator as little as I can. Is there
>some trick to moving the regulator an ultra-tiny amount?
>
If it's like the modern regulators with no tail on the balance bridge,
it is not easy. "shove" is not encouraging either. :)
One way is to just tap it with one of the larger screwdrivers.
No Jack, put the 2 feet long Stanley square blade down.. the 1.5mm
watch screwdriver will do fine. With that you have enough weight to
simply drop the screwdriver, or rather let it slide between your
fingers onto the regulator at an angle, from about a quarter of an
inch distance. That will shift the regulator ever so slightly.
Aim at the end of the regulator at an angle pointing away from the
balance, for obvious reasons.
You do not necessarily have to see the regulator move. Sometimes you
just have to believe that it must have, since you did push it.

>I'm beginning to love the ETA micro-regulator more and more. It also
>surprises me that the pocket watches of the 19th century had "patent
>regulators" but that watches that were built yesterday don't have this
>useful refinement.
>
With a Vibrograph this is not an issue. At worst, with very sensitive
hairsprings, we may spend 2-3 minutes getting it right instead of 1
minute. Finding a micro regulator in a watch is not going to make me
go and do a thanks giving dance around the fire.

--

Regards, Frank
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Small regulator adjustment?
    ... Figure with my ham hands and big thumbs it'll do less damage than a screwdriver. ... I had been pushing w/screwdriver in contact w/ regulator & using steady pressure until I saw a little movement, so I was wrong on 2 counts. ... Would not have occured to me to "tap" instead of "shove" as I assumed that tapping in this way would (not that it would make any difference on a watch of this quality) scratch the regulator. ...
    (alt.horology)
  • Re: Small regulator adjustment?
    ... in this way would (not that it would make any difference on a watch of this ... etc. I'm moving the regulator as little as I can. ... > watch screwdriver will do fine. ... >>surprises me that the pocket watches of the 19th century had "patent ...
    (alt.horology)
  • Small regulator adjustment?
    ... I have an Invicta with a Miyota movement which was running quite well. ... etc. I'm moving the regulator as little as I can. ... surprises me that the pocket watches of the 19th century had "patent ...
    (alt.horology)