also what is acceptable beat error..also to fix beat error,lets say the watch is perfect other than being out of beat. would be put the watch in beat..is that correct because that is the way i understood,fixing beat error..
Unfortunately no mechanical watch is perfectly isochronous, and in a perfect world beat error would be zero in all positions. At the Authorized repiar centre, a modern watch would have an acceptable beat error of .3 ms or less. This would include a beat error of 0.0 in the dial down or up position.
In order to keep good time and to approach isochronism, a balance must be painstakingly poised, the terminal coil must be exactly in the middle of the regulating pins (if present) , the balance, at rest under no power, and horizontal, to be in beat, must have its impulse or roller pin exactly in the middle of the arc of the pallet fork; the hairspring must be exactly centred around the collet and staff, the coils must be concentric, and flat, with no oil, dirt or magnetism affecting them.
So perfect is a word I never use.
A vintage watch usually has a host of issues. The fact that putting the watch in beat is more difficult in the older watches means that it is rarely done, unless fully overhauled by a watchmaker. If the watch has a movable stud carrier, this is adjusted to bring the watch into beat. If not, and this is the case with most vintage watches, the balance must be removed, and the collet rotated with a special tool, the balance replaced, the beat checked, and the whole process repeated until the watch is more or less in beat, according to a watch timing machine, which is the only way to see the error.
A watch that has been serviced after many years may never run well without replacement of key components. Watches that have been run without regular service are worn, and may have damage to pivots, teeth, jewels, arbors, springs, and plate surfaces. Interiors of barrels can become ridged from lack of lubricant, and even a new mainspring will not function properly in these. It is extremely rare that I can service a vintage watch and get a good result simply by cleaning and lubricating. Usually a lot of problems must be rectified, and parts replaced.
thanks, i bought a timing machine so now i can see if a watch has a problem and what it is...since at this time i am unable to mill new parts,putting the watch in beat would be the best way to reduce beat error? i understand these watches have problems and by perfect i meant that the watch didn't have anyother problems...i have been getting my watches to run in with 3+ 3- a day, i had a 10an running alittle better than that like around 1+ 2- but the beat error was around 1.2 or something...