DUW regulation system

The balance spring of a mechanical caliber is designed so that it can adjusted for a certain range of time loss or gain. Therefore, the caliber needs a mechanism that makes it possible to influence the rate and adjust it according to a given time standard. For this reason, watchmakers have always built adjustment options into the caliber in order to be able to regulate the rate.

There are basically two ways to regulate a mechanical caliber: Either the length of the balance spring is adjusted using a key and a regulator, or the balance’s moment of inertia is influenced—with adjustment screws on the balance wheel, for example. The shorter the balance spring and the faster the balance wheel oscillates, the faster the watch ticks.

We use swan neck fine adjustment for our Atelier calibers, DUW 1001 and DUW 2002, which are found in the Lambda and Lux models. For other movements we use the Triovis fine adjustment system and increasingly, our own DUW regulation system.

What are the characteristic features of the Triovis fine adjustment system?
Here, a steel spring bent around the regulator hand exerts pressure on the regulator itself, which can be changed in very fine steps using an adjustment screw.
How does swan neck fine adjustment work?
In this system, an adjustment screw with a micro-thread influences the external gearing of the regulator disc, which enables precise fine adjustment.
What is the DUW regulation system?
The DUW regulation system from NOMOS Glashütte does not require an adjustment screw and also offers two options to adjust the balance spring. In this system, the regulator and stud carrier are mounted on rings on the balance bridge. The balance spring key is attached to the regulator. This key consists of two tiny pins with the balance spring running through the middle. The stud carrier, as the name suggests, carries the stud that is attached to the end of the balance spring. The regulator and stud carrier, mounted on their rings, can be adjusted with spiral pliers to make the balance spring move faster or slower. Furthermore, the key and stud can both be adjusted on their respective axes. This means that the range of motion of the balance spring in the key can be changed and the spring can be positioned centrally.

The Triovis fine adjustment system is based on an adjusting screw, which can only be influenced by a watchmaker applying a screwdriver from the outside. Since NOMOS movements are very thin (the hand-wound Alpha caliber is only 2.6 millimeters in height, while the automatic DUW 3001 caliber is only 3.2 millimeters high), fine adjustment can quickly lead to damaging the balance. The DUW regulation system is designed so that adjustments can be made comfortably and safely from above.