Haute Horlogerie — Federal Diploma

1. The Manual Winding Movement

Watchmaking Expertise Course — Regulation & Display

FR EN DE

Module 01: Regulation, Display & Winding Mechanism

✍️ Course Notes & Diagrams

10. The Balance-Spring: Shaping & Regulation Methods

Balance-Spring

Profiles: Flat Balance-Spring vs Breguet Balance-Spring (overcoil).
Geometric comparison of the terminal curve for optimizing the isochronism of oscillations.

Regulation Methods: 1° By Regulator, 2° By Variable Inertia (Microstella/Gyromax).

Technical Focus: The Swan-Neck Regulator

Mechanical Principle: The regulator is held in constant contact against a micrometric screw by a swan-neck shaped elastic blade.
Fine Adjustment: By turning the screw, the regulator is moved with extreme gradualness, modifying the active length of the balance spring without risk of slipping.
Security: Guarantees superior adjustment precision and firmly holds the regulator against daily shocks.

11. Display & Motion-Works Mechanism

Seconds hand press-fitted onto the seconds wheel.
Minutes hand press-fitted onto the cannon pinion (friction fit).
Hours hand press-fitted onto the hour wheel.

12. The Winding Crown & Setting-Lever Kinematics

WINDING Position: Sliding pinion ➔ crown wheel ➔ crown ➔ ratchet wheel.
SETTING Position: Setting lever / yoke ➔ sliding pinion ➔ motion works.

🏁 End of Module 01: The foundations are laid, but the true exploration is only just beginning.

The watchmaking universe is infinite... Let's continue the discussion!

This manual brings together the fundamental principles of the manual-winding movement, but it would be impossible to summarize the full richness of this field in a few chapters. I encourage you to pursue your own research. If during your learning journey you have questions, doubts, or simply want to share a discovery, my door is wide open. Write to me at swisstime.expert@gmail.com.

✉️ Contact the Expert

📋 Return to Index Proceed to Module 02: The Automatic Watch ➔