Answers to Common Watch Faults

 

 

1. Question: Why is the balance wheel performance poor, and why is there a "gritty" sound during operation?

     Answer: A "gritty" sound generally occurs in the following situations: the balance staff is rough, worn, or bent; the upper or lower balance jewels are dirty or cracked; the double roller is not perfectly round, causing it to rub against the pallet fork pin at a certain angle during rotation; the double roller is positioned too low, rubbing against the main plate or the shock-absorber seat; the roller pin is cracked, loose, or improperly installed; or the hairspring stud is too high or has debris on top, causing it to rub against the balance bridge.

 

2. Question: Why is the performance poor when the balance wheel is facing downwards?

      Answer: If the balance jewel has developed a groove, the balance wheel will perform poorly.

 

3. Question: Why does the balance wheel lack power?

      Answer: If oil stains are not removed or if lubrication is performed improperly, it will cause the balance wheel to lack power.

 

4. Question: Why does the balance wheel's performance fluctuate significantly, with the amplitude noticeably reduced or the watch stopping? Why is there poor performance and a slight rubbing sound when the dial is facing up? Why are there knocking sounds in severe cases?

      Answer: This is because the balance wheel is rubbing against the centre wheel, the bridge, or the outer regulator pins. These phenomena may occur if the balance wheel jewels are not installed level, the tips of the balance staff are severely worn, or the balance staff was machined with incorrect positioning; severe cases of this will cause the watch to stop. If the balance wheel itself is not level, the amplitude will be significantly reduced, and high mainspring torque can also cause it to stop due to friction. If the centre wheel is not level, it can cause periodic rubbing that affects the amplitude. In some models, the distance between the barrel teeth and the balance wheel is small, and wear in the barrel arbor hole can cause the barrel teeth to rub against the balance wheel. Sometimes, balance wheel screws loosen or washers are too large or thick, causing them to rub against surrounding bridges or parts, or the pallet bridge screw may be too thick and rub against the balance wheel; in these instances, you will hear a rubbing or knocking sound.

 

5. Question: Why does the balance wheel wobble, and why is the positional error significant?

     Answer: This is caused by the balance wheel not being level, not being round, or having uneven weight distribution.

 

6. Question: Why is the balance wheel amplitude low, and why is the beat uneven?

     Answer: This is caused by the hairspring stud being loose or incorrectly positioned.

 

7. Question: Why does the balance wheel amplitude decrease, and why is the beat faster than usual?

     Answer: This is because the hairspring is not level, causing it to wave during expansion and contraction; it may be rubbing against the balance bridge, the balance beam, or the centre wheel; the overcoil hairspring may have its upper and lower layers rubbing against each other; or when the excess tail of the hairspring rubs against the balance wheel or the hairspring itself, a slight rubbing sound will occur.

 

8. Question: Why is the balance wheel performance unstable, severely affecting the amplitude?

     Answer: This is because the hairspring stud pins are loose.

 

9. Question: Why is the performance poor when the dial is facing up? Or why is there a slight "gritty" sound?

      Answer: This is because the upper shock absorber has loosened slightly, causing the balance wheel assembly to rub against other parts. Compression-style upper shock absorber seats can sometimes loosen due to the movement of the hairspring stud and regulator pins. Sometimes, the hairspring stud or the outer regulator pin rubs against the balance wheel.

 

10. Question: Why does the shock absorber seat loosen or shift, and why is the performance poor when the dial is facing down?

       Answer: Because the lower shock absorber fixing screw is loose or the snap-on shock absorber seating is loose and displaced (the straight-tube snap-on seating may be pushed inward), rubbing against the pallet pin or causing the balance wheel assembly to rub against other parts. After eliminating the above faults, the balance wheel should be able to oscillate freely. To confirm, you can also remove the pallet fork, reinstall the balance wheel assembly and let it swing empty to see if it rotates freely.

 

11, Question: Why does having the dial facing downwards affect the balance wheel's oscillation, accompanied by a slight frictional sound?

       Answer: Because the pallet horns are too high and rub against the roller table. If there is a drastic difference in the height of the pallet horns, and the pallet pin and small roller lose control, it will also cause reverse banking. Alternatively, because the pallet horns are too low and rub against the small roller, the above phenomenon also occurs when the pallet pin rubs against the main plate or safety roller.

 

12, Question: Why does it stop running when banked in reverse, and run intermittently when out of beat?

       Answer: Because the pallet pin is too short or the balance staff is too thin, causing reverse banking or out-of-beat running.

 

13, Question: Why is the amplitude of the balance wheel small, even worse in the vertical position, and accompanied by abnormal noise?

       Answer: Because the pallet pin is too long or rough and rubs against the small roller.

 

14, Question: Why is the amplitude of the balance wheel unstable, and the sound fluctuates?

       Answer: Because the banking pins are set too close together, causing the pallet stones to occasionally top the escape teeth.

 

15, Question: Why is the performance of the escapement and regulating mechanism poor, especially noticeable in the vertical position?

       Answer: Because the banking pins are set too far apart, causing excessive sliding and requiring more energy for release.

 

16, Question: Why is the amplitude of the balance wheel small and unstable, with abnormal noise?

       Answer: Because the banking pins are loose or stained with sticky oil.  

 

17, Question: Why won't the balance wheel start, the beating sound is weak, the amplitude is unstable, and there is sometimes a clicking noise? Or does the beating sound fluctuate?

       Answer: Because the pallet arbor is thin, bent, rough, or stained with oil; the pallet jewels are uneven or cracked, and the pallet fork clearance is improper; the pallet stones are loose, cracked, or grooved; the depth or angle is incorrect, resulting in toppling or slipping teeth.