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A timegrapher is a device that listens to a mechanical watch's ticks and tells you, in about a minute, how fast or slow it is running per day, how strongly its balance wheel is swinging and how evenly it ticks. Those three numbers are rate, amplitude and beat error. Together they tell you far more about a watch's health than a week of checking it against your phone.
You do not need one to own an automatic. But if you collect, buy vintage or want to understand why a watch is gaining time, a timegrapher is the most useful tool you can put on a desk. Here is how it works and how to read it.
How a timegrapher works
A mechanical watch keeps time with a balance wheel that swings back and forth at a fixed frequency. Each swing releases the escapement, which makes the tick you hear. A timegrapher has a microphone, usually built into a clamp or stand, that picks up those ticks. Its electronics compare them with a precise quartz reference and calculate the results.
Because it measures in real time, a timegrapher can show you in a minute what would take days of manual checking, and it can do it in each position the watch sits in.
The four numbers on the screen
| Reading | Unit | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | Seconds per day (s/d) | How much the watch would gain (+) or lose (-) over 24 hours at this moment |
| Amplitude | Degrees | How far the balance wheel swings from rest; a sign of power and movement health |
| Beat error | Milliseconds (ms) | How unequal the balance's swing is in each direction |
| Beat rate | Beats per hour (bph) | The movement's frequency, set or detected by the machine |
Rate
Rate is the number most people care about. A reading of +8 s/d means the watch is running 8 seconds a day fast at that moment, in that position. Compare it with your movement's published range. Seiko lists its 6R20 at -15 to +25 seconds per day, retailer spec sheets list the budget 4R36 at +45 to -35, and the COSC chronometer standard requires an average of -4 to +6 seconds per day over its tests. Our guide on how accurate automatic watches are explains those ranges.
Amplitude
Amplitude is how far the balance swings, in degrees. A healthy, fully wound watch swings strongly; a watch with old oil, low power or a fault swings less. Hobbyist guidance often treats roughly 270 to 310 degrees dial-up on a fully wound modern watch as healthy, and low readings across every position as a sign the movement needs service. Treat those as rules of thumb, not a standard, and note that amplitude depends on the lift angle setting.
Beat error
The balance should swing the same distance and time either side of its center. Beat error measures the difference in milliseconds. Lower is better: a high beat error makes a watch harder to regulate and more sensitive to position. Watchmakers adjust it during regulation.
Beat rate
Most timegraphers detect the beat rate automatically, or let you set it. Common frequencies include 21,600 bph (3 Hz), which Orient lists for its F6724, and 28,800 bph (4 Hz), which Seiko lists for its 6R20. Omega lists its 8800 at 3.5 Hz. If the machine guesses wrong, the rate reading will be nonsense, so set it manually if your watch's frequency is published.
Lift angle: the setting that confuses everyone
Lift angle is the arc, in degrees, over which the balance is in contact with the escapement. It depends on the movement's design. The timegrapher uses it to calculate amplitude from the timing of the tick sounds.
- It does not affect the rate reading. Rate is just timing.
- A wrong lift angle skews amplitude. Hobbyist sources say the error can be on the order of 10 to 20 percent.
- Use the value from the movement's technical documentation when you can find it.
- If you cannot, leave the default and compare amplitude only on the same watch over time.
How to use a timegrapher, step by step
- Wind the watch fully. Amplitude and rate change as the mainspring runs down, so start from full wind. Wear it for a while or wind it through the crown if the movement allows.
- Set the beat rate and lift angle, or let the machine detect the beat rate.
- Clamp the watch in the microphone stand, dial up. Make sure the clamp grips the case, not the crown.
- Wait 30 to 60 seconds for the readings to settle.
- Note rate, amplitude and beat error for dial up.
- Repeat in other positions: dial down, crown down, crown up and crown left (or the positions your stand allows). COSC tests in five positions for a reason.
- Compare the results. The difference between the best and worst rate across positions is called positional variation.
- Retest at the end of the power reserve if you want to see how the watch behaves when nearly unwound.
Keep the watch away from phones and speakers during testing, and work in a quiet room. Background noise confuses the microphone.
How to read your results
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Rate inside spec in all positions, good amplitude | Healthy, well-regulated watch | Nothing |
| Rate consistently fast or slow in all positions | Out of regulation | Ask a watchmaker to regulate it |
| Rate gains hundreds of s/d suddenly | Likely magnetized | Demagnetize and retest |
| Low amplitude in every position | Low power, old oil or wear | Wind fully; if still low, plan a service |
| Large difference between dial-up and crown positions | Positional error | Regulation; or rest the watch in a helpful position at night |
| High beat error | Balance out of beat | Watchmaker adjustment |
| Erratic, jumping trace | Noise, a loose clamp or a fault | Retest in a quiet room; if it persists, see a watchmaker |
If the readings point to magnetism, our guide on how to demagnetize a watch shows how to check and fix it. For a watch that runs fast or slow in daily wear, see automatic watch running fast (or losing time).
Timegrapher apps vs bench timegraphers
Phone apps use the phone's microphone to listen to the watch. They are fine for a rough rate check, especially if you press the watch against the phone near the microphone in a quiet room. The weaknesses are sensitivity and noise: amplitude and beat error readings from a phone are less steady.
Bench timegraphers have a dedicated microphone in a clamp and stand that holds the watch in each position. That is what makes positional testing practical. The common hobbyist models are sold under model numbers such as No.1000 and No.1900, often rebranded by different sellers. When comparing them, check:
- Beat rates supported, including the frequency of your watches.
- Adjustable lift angle.
- A stand that rotates to test several positions.
- The display, including whether it shows a trace you can read.
- Power (adapter or battery) and size.
TICFROG sells the No.1000 on Amazon under its own name. Check the points above against the listing before you buy, since rebranded units vary by seller.
Do you need a timegrapher?
You can measure daily rate without one: set the watch to your phone's clock, check it at the same time each day for a week and divide the total gain or loss by the number of days. That tells you whether the watch is inside spec.
A timegrapher earns its place if you:
- Own several mechanical watches and want to check them quickly.
- Buy vintage or pre-owned and want to judge a watch's health before or after buying.
- Regulate your own watches, or want to see whether a service improved amplitude.
- Want to choose the best resting position at night to offset daily error.
Low amplitude across positions is one of the clearest signs a watch is due for service; our how often to service an automatic watch guide covers intervals.
Common mistakes
- Testing a watch that is nearly unwound. Readings drop as the reserve runs down.
- Trusting amplitude with the wrong lift angle.
- Testing in one position only. A watch can look perfect dial-up and run badly on the wrist.
- Testing in a noisy room or next to a phone.
- Opening the caseback to "help" the microphone. Leave that to a watchmaker; it risks dust and moisture.
FAQ
What does a timegrapher measure?
It listens to the ticks of a mechanical watch through a microphone and calculates three things: rate (seconds gained or lost per day), amplitude (how far the balance wheel swings, in degrees) and beat error (how unevenly the balance swings each way, in milliseconds).
What is a good timegrapher reading?
A rate inside your movement's published range, consistent readings across positions, a low beat error and a healthy amplitude. Hobbyist guidance often treats roughly 270 to 310 degrees dial-up on a fully wound modern watch as healthy, but that is a rule of thumb, not a standard.
What lift angle should I set on a timegrapher?
The one specified for your movement in its technical documentation. Lift angle does not change the rate reading, but a wrong value skews the amplitude reading. If you cannot find it, leave the machine's default and use amplitude only for comparisons on the same watch.
Are timegrapher apps accurate?
They are useful for rate, especially for a rough check, but phone microphones pick up background noise and are less sensitive than a dedicated clamp-and-microphone stand. For amplitude and beat error, a bench timegrapher gives steadier readings.
Do I need a timegrapher?
Not to own an automatic. You can measure daily rate against your phone's clock over a week. A timegrapher is worth it if you own several mechanical watches, buy vintage, or want to see how a watch behaves in different positions in minutes rather than days. To learn what is ticking inside, read what jewels in a watch are.