Odd Sound On Swiss Movements

[James Wrobel]

I have a pocket watch (Baylor) with a 17j Heuer movement. It is an inexpensive watch, but it runs well. When it ticks, I hear a "twang" sort of sound, once per tick, which is odd to me. I thought it was a unique condition, but recently, I bought a Minerva stopwatch (also a Swiss movement), and it makes the same sort of "twang" sound.

Has anyone ever heard a sound like this, or am I crazy?

Thanks,
jjw

 

[Dr. Jon]

It's a mystery to me but a guess is that these are pin levers and just may sound different.

 

[James Wrobel]

Neither of the watches is serialized, but here are pictures:



Next time I open the stopwatch, I'll try to compare the escapements.

jjw

 

[James Wrobel]

Even with my unaided senior ears, the noise is quite noticeable, but I don't think it's the hairspring, either.

On the Baylor, I found that slight pressure on the regulator arm stops the noise. I haven't looked at the stopwatch.

Thanks for the make on the Baylor. I wasn't 100% sure. I got it somewhere in the 1970s.

jjw

 

[Dr. Jon]

I should have paid more attention 17 jewel watches have jeweled levers, as hte picture shows.

 

[James Wrobel]

I'm attaching clips. Hopefully you can hear them.
Thanks,
jjw

 

[gmorse]

Hi James,

In both your examples, the ringing sound is only on every other beat, in other words, it's just on one pallet. The attached file has been amplified and slowed down to quarter speed. It could possibly be the free end of the balance spring vibrating, but I'm not sure why it should be on only one pallet.

Regards,

Graham

 

[James Wrobel]

Graham;
Thanks for taking the time to investigate.

The hairspring does move inside the regulator pins. I don't know how much play is called for, but it's very little. The sound happens as the coil is compressing, if that's any clue. I made a video clip of the spinning balance, hoping to catch some evidence of the hairspring touching something and snapping. I found nothing.

I'm don't think I will do anything about this, but it's just weird.

Thanks to all,
jjw

 

[Les harland]

Sounds like the same hairspring noise I hear on many watches.

I have noticed that cylinder movements make a scraping sound that appears unique to them