Power Generator – Barrel: The mainspring in the barrel is wound by turning the crown or by the rotation of the oscillating weight in self winding (automatic) watches.

Regulator: Balance/Hairspring: This part is very important to the accuracy of a mechanical watch. The balance spring keeps the unwinding speed of the mainspring constant with the reciprocating rotational motion of the balance.

Escapement: Escape wheel/Pallet Fork: An escape wheel and a pallet fork are located between the balance and an adjoining wheel. They control the speed of the wheels along with the reciprocating motion of the balance and transmit the power that moves the balance.

A mechanical watch does not require battery replacement and so it is eco-friendly. It is totally different from a quartz watch powered by a battery that sends an electric current to the quartz crystal oscillator which results in a much higher accuracy than a mechanical watch.

The Accuracy of a mechanical watch is affected by various aspects like the ‘Condition of the Main Spring’, ‘Temperature’, ‘Position of the watch’, ‘Shock’, ‘Proximity with Magnetic Products’ etc. In short, the accuracy of mechanical watches varies depending on the conditions of the user environment. So, it is important to check the average of the accuracy over a week to 10 days and make required corrections.

 Each of the above aspects that could influence the accuracy of mechanical watch is elaborated below.

Condition of the Main Spring: Sufficient energy in the mainspring is very essential for the accuracy of a mechanical watch for better time keeping. Winding the main spring at a fixed time every day helps very much for its stability. We recommend to charge automatic winding type watches with manual winding mechanism by turning the crown clock wise about 20 times every day before wearing it. Please move the crown slowly and softly to avoid the pressure that could damage the winding mechanism. Winding the main spring too much is not advisable.  To charge automatic watches fully, please hold the watch with the face side up and shake the watch from side to side (about 10 cm) 2 times/second for about 10 minutes. Here again, shaking the watch too hard may affect the accuracy.

 Temperature: Mechanical watch parts are metal and slightly expand and contract with changes in temperature, and this influences accuracy. Normally, under high temperatures a watch tends to lose time, and under low temperatures it tends to gain time.

Position of the watch: The accuracy of mechanical watches varies slightly depending on the positions they are put in. This is because gravity affects the operation of the inside mechanism of the watch.

Shock: We recommend that you remove your watch before playing any sport that involves strong impacts. Any direct impact to your wrists can affect the very small parts inside the watch and cause malfunction. Be careful to avoid strong shocks such as dropping the watch or hitting at surfaces.

Proximity with Magnetic Products: This can cause the watch parts become magnetized affecting the accuracy of the watch. We recommend keeping your watch more than 10-15 cm away from magnetic daily use products like mobile phones, laptops, headphones, audio video systems, televisions, electric shavers, hair dryers, magnetic bracelets etc.

Periodic Overhaul: Once in 3 years (Recommended)

A mechanical watch consists of 200 to 300 parts where as a Spring Drive watch has more than 400 parts. Some watch parts with high momentum perform hundreds of thousands of reciprocal rotational motions per day. To prevent the parts from wearing out, various lubricating oils are used. All lubricant oils deteriorate after years of use and may cause malfunction of the watch. A periodic check, cleaning, lubrication and adjustments once in three years ensures proper functioning and extend the life of your watch.

                                                                                                                                                           

Structure of a Mechanical Watch Mechanism