The manufacturers of some watches do not supply mean time screws with the balances and the repairer is obliged to depend entirely upon timing washers for fast corrections, for it is, of course, not to be expected that repair shops will carry an assortment of all different kinds of screws such as the factories are able to maintain.
Occasionally a jeweler or watchmaker will be found who has strenuous objections to the use of timing washers in any sense, but unless they are supplied with a large assortment of the various makes and weights of screws and are willing to use the extra time required for properly changing the screws it is difficult to see just what legitimate alternative they can adopt. Investigation of this point disclosed the fact that the method employed by some watchmakers was to spread the regulator pins, which would of course make the mean time slower but would certainly destroy the adjustment to positions and make it practically impossible to obtain results from the regulator.
It is admittedly poor workmanship to use ill-fitting washers and poor taste to use brass washers on high grade gold screw balances, but the fact should not be overlooked that the manufacturers of many fine watches use washers to a limited extent, even when an abundance of balance screws are available and very fine Swiss models are often supplied with a pair of thin platinum washers which are not easily detected. The regulator should not be moved from the center of the index in correcting the mean time but should be used for minor final regulation only. The length of the hairspring should also not be disturbed in correcting the mean time of an adjusted watch and while a slow rate can be corrected by reducing the weight of a pair of balance screws it is necessary to use either heavier screws or washers for correcting a fast rate.
[76.]Importance of Properly Fitted Regulator.
Final regulation of watches is necessary after making repairs regardless as to whether they have been adjusted to positions or not. Position rating does not necessarily suggest that the timing has been completed as the object is only to limit the variations from one position to any other and a test of three or four days should always be made in one position after the position rating has been completed. This additional timing has for its purpose the close regulation of the watch either in the pendant up position or in the position it is carried. The last column on the rate card is reserved for this purpose. In this respect the repairer who comes in contact with the customer may gain considerable advantage by noting in which pocket the watch is usually carried and then being guided in the final regulation by this knowledge. The method of doing this regulating consists generally of moving the regulator which requires certain attention to be effective when it is moved.
The regulator should be carefully fitted around the dome and all attachments in connection should be tightly fitted to the plate or bridge so that they will remain rigid when regulation takes place.
The tension around the dome should be even and if a tension spring is used in connection it should be strong enough to keep the regulator against the screw constantly without sticking at any point as the screw is moved forward and backward.
It should also be closely examined to see that there is no shake. This can be determined by lightly taking hold of the segment holding the regulator pins and moving it up and down and side ways before the tension spring is fitted. This should be examined with a glass and a correction made if any looseness is noted.
[77.]Effect of the Middle Temperature Error.
In the final regulation of watches it is important that the middle temperature error receive due consideration. This error is always a few seconds fast as explained in temperature adjusting Chapter V, No. 21, and is of some consequence in the larger number of complaints regarding losing rates in the pocket, compared to complaints of gaining rates.