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I'm a watch DIYer, having serviced two watches myself, partially using tools of my own making. One thing I've been working on over the last few months is my own PC based timing machine. I've finally got something working reliably, and thought I'd preview it here. My plan is to eventually write up a detailed article on my web site describing how to build the hardware, and providing a download for the software. I may also produce a "pro" version of the software with more features, to be sold for a reasonable fee. Here's the hardware, all home made of course: The next picture shows the timing trace from my "Black Lagoon", a modified Invicta 8926OB with a Seiko NH35A movement (yes, the amplitude is quite low and tends to fluctuate, topping out around 220 degrees - apparently this is par for the course for Seiko movements): In this picture, the software is in scope mode, showing directly the ticks and tocks. Notice how with this movement, they alternate in loudness. Since the scope mode was run after the timing mode, the scope also shows the threshold that was used by the timing mode to detect the start of each tick. And this is the settings window: Here's a brief list of features so far (I have to resist creeping featuritis): Numerical display of daily rate error, balance amplitude, and beat error. Horizontal "paper tape" mode with sub-pixel vertical resolution that can show fluctuations that are too small to see on a typical stand-alone timing machine. User selectable averaging period. Rate determination using linear least squares, which gives a more meaningful reading than just naively averaging the rate. Automatic signal and noise level determination. There's nothing to adjust. Aggressive noise filtering in the software to keep the hardware simple. Automatic rate detection for common rates. Simple, uncluttered, fixed-size display (1024x600). Scope mode to aid in diagnosis of various watch faults.

Plate fitted. Working well now.

Problem solved. I removed and cleaned the hairspring in naphtha for 3minutes gently agitating the coils by moving the stub about with tweezers. Blot dried on watch tissue. Checked and set beat by ensuring the roller was as close to mid banking as possible when at rest. Slightly tweaked the stud end of the hair spring to ensure the coils were nice and concentric when the stud was assembled in the cock. Reassembled watch taking time not to make stupid mistakes. And bingo, with a very small adjustment to the regulator (advance) the watch is running as good as expected. I’ll monitor accuracy over 24 hours and make final regulations. Time to go to bed! Thanks for all your suggestions and help. I really must get a timegrapher [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Be careful about Timex watches, as they tend to multiple and take up more and more space! Not that I would know anything about that!

It's not missing in thats sense - I still have all the pieces . The suddent acceleration when the mainspring unstuck was a little too much for it. To get it going I'm going to need a regulator, hairspring and balance staff jewels. I need to keep an eye out of ebay for spares for that movement I guess.

So I couldn't wait, it's fully assembled and running like a charm, I'll install the alloy spring when it gets here. I polished all the screw heads with my new jig (pictures in the tool section), all but the crown and ratchet wheel screws but they have to come back off anyway later this week. There's also still a bit too much end shake in the balance but I'm not surprised with having to replace both jewels, the top jewel shoulder needs thinned down a hair, or a couple hundredths of a millimeter lol.

Nice sharpener. Apparently, watching paint dry can be a productive use of our time.

"Shine in the dark" describes well the fashion ambitions of these watches typical buyer.

Usually it's a black dial, easy to read numerals/indexes. Perhaps good lume if we're talking modern ones. Even better a black or PVD coated case so that it wouldn't shine in the dark and give away one's position.