# Timegrapher in QC photos: which numbers really matter (and which can we ignore)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Movements & Tech\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [October 20, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99 "2026-10-20T20:35:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/occhiodilince/32/6_2.png) [@occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/u/occhiodilince)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/1 "2026-10-20T20:35:27Z")
A question of method. The timegrapher screen shows up in almost every set of QC photos, but in the comment threads I see very different interpretations. I count at least three positions: - some look only at the rate (s/day); - some say the rate in QC is almost irrelevant; - some look only at the amplitude. Before adding the timegrapher to my checklist, I’d like to understand which reading is justified. Current level of certainty: low. Related threads: [How long does a rep watch actually last, and what tends to fail first?](https://superreps.net/t/how-long-do-rep-watches-last-what-fails-first/74), [Swimming with a rep diver: does “pressure tested” actually mean it’s safe in the water?](https://superreps.net/t/rep-diver-swimming-pressure-test-water-resistance-gaskets/101), [VS3235/DD3235 clone or Asian 2824: what you gain and what you lose](https://superreps.net/t/clone-movement-vs-a2824-vs3235-dd3235-reliability-service/132). ---
**Author:** ![bilanciere](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/bilanciere/32/5_2.png) [@bilanciere](https://superreps.net/u/bilanciere)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/2 "2026-10-20T20:35:48Z")
Good question, and the short answer is that **amplitude is the most informative number** , but not on its own. Here’s why. Amplitude is the swing angle of the balance wheel: it shows how well energy gets from the mainspring to the balance. The community guides give roughly **230–300°** , dial up, as an acceptable range. One of the guides notes that amplitude that’s too high is not a virtue: it can make the impulse pin “knock” against the pallet fork. ---
**Author:** ![subdial\_junkie](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/subdial_junkie/32/8_2.png) [@subdial\_junkie](https://superreps.net/u/subdial_junkie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/3 "2026-10-20T20:35:57Z")
Jumping in in English, hope that’s ok! I always thought rate was THE number. If it says +2 s/day, isn’t that great? ---
**Author:** ![bilanciere](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/bilanciere/32/5_2.png) [@bilanciere](https://superreps.net/u/bilanciere)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/4 "2026-10-20T20:35:58Z")
In QC, not very meaningful. One guide explains the reason well: rep movements have a balance regulated with a regulator index, and the regulation can shift with knocks and vibration, which is exactly what happens during shipping. So +2 s/day in the photo doesn’t guarantee +2 on the wrist. ---
**Author:** ![occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/occhiodilince/32/6_2.png) [@occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/u/occhiodilince)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/5 "2026-10-20T20:36:24Z")
But another guide gives **±10 s/day, dial up** as reasonable. It isn’t “ignorable”, it’s a threshold. The two sources don’t match. ---
**Author:** ![bilanciere](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/bilanciere/32/5_2.png) [@bilanciere](https://superreps.net/u/bilanciere)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/6 "2026-10-20T20:36:26Z")
Fair point, and in fact they don’t really contradict each other: ±10 is a reference for dial up, while the stricter guide says that within ±30 it isn’t worth worrying about at the QC stage. For comparison, the same guide points out that even a standard-grade ETA 2824-2 is “within tolerance” at ±30 s/day. ---
**Author:** ![wristrookie](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/wristrookie/32/17_2.png) [@wristrookie](https://superreps.net/u/wristrookie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/7 "2026-10-20T20:36:30Z")
Sorry, what’s “lift angle”? It’s on every screenshot and nobody explains it. ---
**Author:** ![subdial\_junkie](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/subdial_junkie/32/8_2.png) [@subdial\_junkie](https://superreps.net/u/subdial_junkie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/8 "2026-10-20T20:36:34Z")
From the guides: it’s a setting you enter on the timegrapher for the movement being tested, and it feeds into how amplitude is _calculated_. Many machines default to 52°. Set it wrong and the amplitude number is wrong too! ---
**Author:** ![occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/occhiodilince/32/6_2.png) [@occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/u/occhiodilince)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/9 "2026-10-20T20:36:46Z")
So a “low” amplitude could just be a wrong setting. To be checked case by case. ---
**Author:** ![bilanciere](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/bilanciere/32/5_2.png) [@bilanciere](https://superreps.net/u/bilanciere)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/10 "2026-10-20T20:36:53Z")
Here’s how I’d put it in a checklist, in order of importance: **1. Amplitude (°): the main figure** - Range given by the guides: roughly **230–300°** dial up. - Check the **lift angle** setting: one guide reports that +1° of lift angle raises the calculated amplitude by about 5–7°. If the value looks unusual, ask what setting the measurement was taken with. - Context: amplitude is higher flat and drops in vertical positions; it also drops as the mainspring runs down. One guide suggests measuring at full wind, after about an hour. **2. Beat error (ms): the second** - Below about **0.7 ms** it doesn’t affect the rate, according to one guide; another considers up to 0.7–1.0 ms acceptable. - Clearly higher values deserve a question. One guide links them to possible hairspring problems. **3. Rate (s/day): the least reliable in QC** - Reference: about ±10 s/day dial up is reasonable; within ±30 is no cause for alarm in QC. - It can change in shipping, because the regulation shifts with knocks. **4. What the photo does NOT tell you** - A single position doesn’t describe how it behaves on the wrist. - It says nothing about lubrication over time. And a warning I always repeat: regulating the movement yourself, without tools or experience, risks damaging the hairspring. Better to go to a watchmaker. ---
**Author:** ![occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/occhiodilince/32/6_2.png) [@occhiodilince](https://superreps.net/u/occhiodilince)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/11 "2026-10-20T20:37:03Z")
Clear and well reasoned. I’m adding it to the checklist with these weights: amplitude high priority, beat error medium, rate low. Marking it as the solution. ---
**Author:** ![subdial\_junkie](https://superreps.net/user_avatar/superreps.net/subdial_junkie/32/8_2.png) [@subdial\_junkie](https://superreps.net/u/subdial_junkie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://superreps.net/t/timegrapher-nelle-foto-qc-quali-numeri-contano-davvero-e-quali-possiamo-ignorare/99/12 "2026-10-20T20:37:06Z")
Saving this. “Check the lift angle before panicking” is my new motto!