PSA: Practice at-home regulation

[amh]

Worried about your brand new watch keeping time? Well... just regulate it!

My 6yr old Seadweller still keeps excellent time, about 1s deviation per month. My new CHNR is similar.

How is this possible? Just like this:


Instead of cherry-picking the worst position and becoming overly concerned about it, try some different position where the watch tends to track in the opposite direction. If it's losing time, use the night time to make it gain the difference (or opposite, if needed.) You may be shocked how accurate a Rolex can be! I can easily beat all the household/vehicle quartz clocks with this approach.

[Robf52]

I agree. Mine are not as accurate as quartz, but they are within +-2s and I'm very happy.

[padi56]

Afraid today many of the more modern Rolex dont apply to this old self regulation positional chart if they do it might be a second or so. Myself have never been anal in checking my Rolex watches to to exact second, and have been wearing them for over 50 years. Yet without all this constant checking to the exact second daily, never been late for any appointments, or missed a train bus or plane, because my watch was not correct to the exact second.

[Watchsprings]

Thanks for this, I have used this in the past and it works with my 32 movements.

[Kevin of Larchmont]

I did this with my 3235 DJ, effectively keeping it at +/-0 for months at a time. It was remarkable, I’d never seen anything like it before or since. The fluted bezel and Jubilee were too much for my casual lifestyle but man she was a runner.

[Roddypeepa]

Originally Posted by padi56

Afraid today many of the more modern Rolex dont apply to this old self regulation positional chart if they do it might be a second or so. Myself have never been anal in checking my Rolex watches to to exact second, and have been wearing them for over 50 years. Yet without all this constant checking to the exact second daily, never been late for any appointments, or missed a train bus or plane, because my watch was not correct to the exact second.

This. They are much less sensitive to position than older movements. They are remarkably accurate for a mechanical watch even if +6 spd.


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[THC]

PSA is an entirely different thing to me at my age… lol

[Jonny8]

Used this on many watches and it works better on some than others. I’ve found it does work on modern Rolex, but as stated above with less tolerances.

[geoach]

that was used with Rolex slower beat movements......if your 32 movements work like that something is wrong....my 3055 does not deviant at all no matter how its rested....sign of a healthy movement

[996marty]

I maybe need to give that a try

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by geoach

that was used with Rolex slower beat movements......if your 32 movements work like that something is wrong....my 3055 does not deviant at all no matter how its rested....sign of a healthy movement

Whilst a watch not deviating in any position would be exceptionally “healthy”, there is still very much an acceptable tolerance for positional error on modern high beat calibres - generally around 10-15 seconds delta (difference between highest and lowest timing results).

So to be clear, a healthy movement can and does deviate depending on the position of the movement.

[watchmaker]

Regarding the instruction card; the information is outdated insofar as there is no rhyme or reason to which position will gain more or less, and the deviation is lower on modern calibres than it was on lower frequency balances, but there is still some self correction possible by trialing different storage position if your specific watch and noting if it gains or loses etc..

[Talon]

works on both my Polar and Sub - 2023 models

[brandrea]

I need to self regulate

[Annan]

Originally Posted by THC

PSA is an entirely different thing to me at my age… lol

Me too. Wonder if changing my resting position will have any effect on my PSA.

[Oystersteel92]

Originally Posted by Jonny8

Used this on many watches and it works better on some than others. I’ve found it does work on modern Rolex, but as stated above with less tolerances.

Agreed. Works great on my 3235 powered 126603 and I'm able to pretty much stay right on my reference radio sync clock. My 116500ln doesn't positionally regulate at all.

My Tudor Black Bay chronograph may actually be the most accurate of them all.

My personal preference is that a watch stays within 30 seconds of true for 10 days before having to be reset and that it's consistent. I had a Breitling with a 7750 movement that was +3 per day no matter how worn. I'd set it 30 seconds behind and then reset it every 20 days so I was always within 30 seconds of reference time.

[Calatrava r]

So, should I sleep on my side or my back?

[Old Expat Beast]

I find the old Rolex positioning advice works well with ETA movements. Mine are very accurate anyway, but can be kept on exact time with overnight positioning, even after ten years.

[rohada]

Depending on 31XX or 32XX, the OP info works for me, though it could be opposite sides of the watch to get the desired result. Regardless, I can get it down to +/- 1 to 2 seconds routinely on all three of my watches, if I try. For me, wearing them speeds them up and the position I rest them in at night slows them back to the proper time. It's a good system for me. YMMV.

[amh]

Originally Posted by rohada

Depending on 31XX or 32XX, the OP info works for me, though it could be opposite sides of the watch to get the desired result. Regardless, I can get it down to +/- 1 to 2 seconds routinely on all three of my watches, if I try. For me, wearing them speeds them up and the position I rest them in at night slows them back to the proper time. It's a good system for me. YMMV.

Indeed. The effect on 32xx may not be per the postcard but certainly some other positions will likely work in a similar fashion.