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Balance Screw Washers

All watch adjusters and expert repairers time their watches by the balance screws, without unpinning the hairspring, and have their regulator in the center. After the curve of the hairspring is once correct, it should never be let out or taken up. The portion of the spring where it is pinned is naturally stiffer and often abruptly bent to make the first coil conform to the stud and regulator. In unpinning the spring this curve is necessarily altered and the spring thrown out of the center, the heat and cold adjustment is altered and the isochronal adjustment often entirely destroyed.

When a watch has timing or quarter screws and they move in or out friction tight, you can very soon bring your watch to time without molesting the spring and have the regulator in the center, and also poise by these screws. Very often some of these timing screws are so tight that there is danger of twisting them off. You will also find that two-thirds of the watches of the best makes do not have timing screws. In this case time by a pair of screws opposite the balance arms. If it runs too slow lighten an opposite pair of screws (just mentioned) in a split chuck or file in the slot with slotting file. If it runs too fast put a pair of washers under the screws near the balance arms, or four at right angles or more under other screws. Whatever may be required in poising put the required amount on the light side of the balance rim. Do not tamper with an adjusted hair-spring or any other. If you are anxious to do your work quickly and accurately, compare your seconds hand with that of the regulator. See Poising the Balance.