Learning Center
Why a Flat Hairspring Never Lines Up With the Line of Centers
A viewer sent in a question that was so good it deserved its own blog post as it references two hundred years of adjusting theory. Here it is in his own words. "I've always wondered about the line of eccentricity, the eccentric linear direction of breathing, on a flat...
What’s changing and why?
Hey everyone. There are some exciting changes are coming to the course! You're all here learning watch repair, and meanwhile I've been doing my own learning too. I've been figuring out the most effective ways to actually teach this stuff, and it turns out that...
How to Fit a Watch Stem-Step by Step
https://vimeo.com/1192053020?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci By Alex | Watch Repair Tutorials Introduction Fitting a new watch stem is a bit like the Goldilocks story: it can't be too long, it can't be too short, it has to be just right. Get it wrong in either...
Troubleshooting a Non-Runner
https://vimeo.com/1187884585/4b58856d7e?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci Diagnosing a Non-Runner: The Four-Step Process A movement lands on your bench and doesn't run. Or it runs, but so poorly you'd call it the same thing. The usual first move is to start poking around...
Repivoting a Watch Wheel Without Annealing the Steel
In restoration work, there is no skill more important for a watchmaker to learn than how to repivot a wheel. Repivoting restores the arbor by installing a new pivot when it is broken or worn to a level that is not repairable. Traditionally, watchmakers would anneal...
Adjusting the Keyless Works on a South Bend 16s Grade 209
Purpose of the Arrow-Marked Screw on the Barrel Bridge Your South Bend 16-size Model 2 (Grade 209) has a unique arrow-marked screw on the mainspring/barrel bridge. This isn’t just a regular screw – it’s a winding/setting lockout mechanism present on all...
Does Your Automatic Watch Work Properly? Here’s How to Check It.
Evaluating an Automatic Watch’s Winding System Automatic watches rely on a rotor that turns with wrist motion to wind the mainspring. To ensure an automatic winding system is functioning correctly, one must consider the watch’s specific winding requirements,...
Problem: Shallow Lock on Both Pallets with Excess Entry-Side Slide
Understanding the Issue In a detached lever escapement, drop lock (the initial locking depth when an escape wheel tooth lands on a pallet jewel) is too shallow on both the entry and exit pallets. Yet the drops (the free motion of the escape wheel after unlocking) are...