20 years of woodpecker neck fine regulation

For our nautical wristwatches, we need a very shock-resistant fine regulation. It should not only enable sensitive regulation, but also make a Mühle movement more resistant. So we further developed the conventional fine adjustment system in Glashütte. The result: the shock-resistant woodpecker neck fine regulation. We applied for a patent for it on June 7, 2003. In the meantime, it has been in use at our company for 20 years and soon turnes into state of the art – as they say in patent law.

A stronger vibration can cause the regulation arm between the regulation screw and the counter-pressure spring to jump upwards in conventional fine regulations. This can change the regulation of the watch.

Our specially shaped woodpecker neck spring (2) prevents the regulation hand (3) from moving upwards. To do this, it engages in a semi-circular recess in the regulation hand. In this way, it reliably holds it in position on the balance cock (1). The fine regulation screw (4) is also fixed by a clamping screw (5) to prevent it from turning.

The name of the woodpecker neck fine regulation comes from the characteristically shaped counterpressure spring. This is because its shape resembles the head of a woodpecker. At the same time, it fits well with the name of the conventional Glashütte swan-neck fine regulation, of which it is a further development.