How to Regulate a Mechanical Clock?

 Regulating a mechanical clock is a relatively easy task that requires few skills and a lot of trying and wanting. Most mechanical watches are classic pieces produced before 1970. Although many watches produced now are quartz models powered by batteries, mechanical watches remain in production. A small machine running with springs, called "Mechanical Watch Movement", energizes the mechanical clock. A mechanical watch in good working condition can win or lose between five and eight seconds per day. Many of the losses or gains of time may require a small adjustment of the regulator.

Instructions

1. Wind your mechanical watch and leave it unmoved for 24 hours to determine how much time you are losing. Put it on time together with a quartz watch. If the clock loses or gains more than eight seconds in 24 hours do not bother to regulate it. If you win or lose several minutes, there is something wrong with the Japan Mechanical Watch Movement and regulating it will not solve the problem. Take it to a watchmaker for repair.

2. Place the clock on the table before you decide to open it for adjustment. Gravity and posture play an important role in the accuracy of the movement. According to Rolex, the watch can earn a few seconds if you leave it up and running for 24 hours. It will lose a few seconds if the watch is placed sideways with the crown (knob) facing down. You will lose more seconds if the watch is placed sideways with the crown facing up.

3. Use a knife to open the back cover of the mechanical clock if your position experiment does not work. Use a watchmaker's rubber ball, a ball of masking tape or a rubber bottle opener to turn it counterclockwise and unscrew the back cover with a precision screwdriver for watch

4. Place the watch face down on a flat, clean surface. Use watch loupes or a magnifying lens to find the regulator. The regulator will be a notch next to the balance wheel marked with a "+" and "-" on each side. Many clocks have a thin bar between "+" and "-". Many luxury watches do not have regulators and have to be checked by a watchmaker with the watch repair kit.

5. Use a toothpick or similar to clean and move the bar a small fraction towards the "+", to make the movement win time or towards "-". Use a precision screwdriver if the regulator is a notch.

6. Set the clock aside for two hours and set it to the time again to determine the second's loss/gain. Replace the back cover. Record the loss/gain and multiply it by 12 to determine how many seconds were won or lost in 24 hours. Continue making adjustments little by little until the loss/gain is less than eight seconds. Your final adjustment should be made only within 60 or 120 seconds.