I'm a fan of Watch Tracker. Intuitive and easy to use. [emoji106]

 

I use WatchCheck.

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I also use WatchCheck. I have found with these accuracy apps however, that they are super fun for about a week per watch, but then the novelty wears off and unless I actually notice some deviation that would require it's use again, I forget about it. Just me though.

 

I use WatchCheck.

 

I simply compare to time.gov around the same time each day, I guess if I was really curious I’d create a spreadsheet but I don’t often wear the same watch two days in a row.

 

I simply compare to time.gov around the same time each day, I guess if I was really curious I'd create a spreadsheet but I don't often wear the same watch two days in a row.

Same here. I do that pretty much every day when I'm wearing my automatic.

 

Total watch sync nerd here.
All of my watches are synched to the second and I lay them specifically to counteract worn deviations etc.
I use ToolWatch.

 

I use WatchTracker as well.


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I use WatchCheck.

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Atomic Clock & Watch Accuracy Tool (google play) simple enough has worked fine for me. Upgrade for $5 I think to track more than one watch.

 

Cannot find WatchCheck in the Apple App Store.

 

I've Android, so I don't know, can't help you.

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I have been using Twixt for a while now.


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I use WatchTracker with my iPhone. The accuracy of the app depends on how long your timing run is. With positional and temperature variations, your watch might gain or lose time at different rates during the day, or whether it's on or off your wrist. To me, the most useful feature of these apps is being able to tell the rate difference between on- and off-wrist, and then over long term wearing. If your watch runs slow or fast on the wrist, there are positions to place the watch off-wrist that can compensate and keep your total offset to a minimum. I have a Citizen Courageous that's -0.02 spd. It doesn't do radio sync or GPS sync. My Sinn 857 UTC VFR is running about -0.8 spd. Pretty good for a non-COSC ETA movement.

 

Does anyone know of a really good app / hardware (clip) combo where you can measure mechanically? I know of the Frederique Constant Analytics, but I have seen mixed reviews on that one.

 

A legitimate software replacement for a timegrapher would be amazing.

 

I use Time Is: I check every morning at the same time.

 

WatchCheck available for both apple and android

 

Thanks. I just checked the Apple App Store and did not see it. I did see it for Android.

 

I know this is a late reply, but:
all, the mentioned apps are simply comparing to local/remote time signals over long periods (days, weeks?).
Why not check the mechanical movement directly via acoustic pickup by microphone, in real time? To obtain results within one to two minutes instead of days? Only then an adjustment or regulation of the mechanism can be done efficiently.
"TickoPrint" (Android) clocks the mechanical noise in real time, shows envelopes, angles, calculates the daily drift, and plots all like the professional tools seen in watch repair shops.
I am using this software for many years now, adjust my mechanical watches with it if needed and achieve good results. I own about 100 wrist watches, from old 18000bphs up to 28.8kbphs, all are recognized automatically by the software.
To improve the functionality I constructed a little wooden bench, with a built-in microphone directly underneath.
This way I can place the watch horizontally and vertically, face up/down to check the regulation. But directly placing the watch on the device's microphone or a connected headset-mic will work as well.

An alternative, yet less intuitive and more complicated, app for frequency counting and spectral analysis is "WildSpectra Mobile". It is not intended for watch movement control, but can be tweaked to do so. One needs to carefully adjust the settings to obtain useful results and graphics..
All these apps are very accurate, dely on the device's high GHz clock frequency as reference,
Here are screenshots of both apps I am relying on.

Personally I do not see any sense in using the other 'time server' apps; atomic clock signals can be obtained directly from GPS, radio and TV stations. And Android devices can be automatically synced to the NNTP signal any time, for direct and immediate comparison of any other clock or watch in the private home.

TICKOPRINT:

WILDSPECTRA:

 

Interesting--how about showing some pictures of your microphone box/bench?

 

There’s value in both. Using a Timegrapher or a home-cooked equivalent only shows you the rate your watch is doing at that exact moment, in that exact position, in that exact state of wind. We don’t wear watches on a wooden stand at 90 degrees for five or 10 minutes at a time.

Timegraphers are good for diagnosing issues, but at the end of the day—literally—data on net daily rate is necessary as part of the diagnosis.

 

I usually adjust my watches real-time first, checking their accuracy in different positions.
Typically they run faster in one or the other orientation (v/h, up/down). Cheap ones have significant differences in one or the other position. If possible I adjust these watches so they run FASTER than normal in one, and SLOWER in another orientation. Needs some fiddling, but can be perfectly 'watched' (ha!) in these two apps I mentioned. This is almost impossible to achieve with the long-during 'remote' methods of time reference comparisons. After all watches need to be worn and not placed upside down for 5 days to check their performance in that position.
After this balancing I can control the longterm accuracy easily: if the radio (GPS) signal shows a drift towards 'fast' I simply place them in their 'slow' orientation on my nightstand when not wearing them.
My record was a Nesun 9081 24hr 'semi' tourbillon, keeping time over several month without any need to correct the time setting! One night on its side after a week of wearing it and all was good for another one - perfect!

Watches with a less prominent location dependence I will simply wear for a few days after their first real-time regulation.
It the results are still too far off; I advance/reduce their actual speed based on the offset I discover, using the real-time method again.

Unfortunately some watch designs make it hard to measure their 'heart beat': I have a couple of watches with TWO escapements (uncoupled, both beats interfere!), and a few ones that are 'dead silent', cannot be heard by ear nor microphone - bummer. And on my tourbillons I do not have the guts to disassemble the case and access the balance control lever in the rotating cage - this is clearly above my amateur skills

If I find time I will show my simple 10min project 'test bed' bench, made out of leftover wood parts I had on my workdesk.

 

Here a few quick photos of my little setup, as promised:
I added two TRRS plugs to the external microphone (a $2 item from AliExpress), so I can connect it to any smartphone, tablet, PC etc, One is wired as CTIA, the other as OMTP. A shame that there are two different pin layouts for the same 4 pin connector type. I think we have to thank Steve Jobs for this dilemma?

On my little wooden bench a neat ETA 7751 I bought as N.O.S.a few years ago. I care more for my watches than for neat woodwork
It is amazing how much can be precisely tested and measured fpr little money at home these days, thanks to the development of technology:

 

I do both "watchcheck" app (log accuracy over time) and "watch accuracy meter" to pick up on the accuracy on the spot. The phone/app is able to pick up the ticking if i place the mic on phone right on the watch.

 

I've been using this app on my mechs, seems ok.

 

This is good; (for Android)

Watch Accuracy Meter – Apps on Google Play

Estimate the accuracy of mechanical watches using the phone microphone

play.google.com

 

I was not aware of this 'Watch Accuracy Meter' as another acoustic alternative. Definitely worth a try, thanks for showing!

 

What's really nice about the latest version is how you can use it to show positional variation visually by using the "previous screen" feature. I measure dial up, then crown down and hit the previous screen button. The dial up shows up as the gray trace and crown down as red. I added the text myself to a screenshot. A yet there is no storage function.
Also you can see beat error as the gap between two traces when it is present but it doesn't assign it a number.

 

Watch accuracy meter, very accurate.

 

+1

 

I use this for regulation

And this for daily checks over several days of wearing

but to be honest the novelty of the app has kinda worn off and I figure I use it less and less