My mechanical or automatic watch is off a few seconds per day, how can get better accuracy?

Keep in mind that because of gravity, a mechanical watch runs a little differently in different positions. Also remember that each time you open a diver's watch or other watch with water-resistance, you have to have the whole thing pressure tested again to make sure the water-resistant seals were put back right. So it is best to avoid unnecessary opening of the case to have a watchmaker regulate the watch!

If your watch is a Chronometer and is off by over 10 seconds per day, it may be is worth having a watchmaker adjust it. But if your watch is only off by a few seconds per day, try the following method of compensating for it.

Before you go to bed, check the accuracy of your watch against a reliable time source. Write the information down, then place your watch on the nightstand and go to sleep. When you wake up, measure the accuracy again, write it down, and put the watch on. For the next several days, keep doing the same thing except put the watch in a different position each night. Try face up, face down, crown up, crown down, 12 o'clock high, and 6 o'clock high.

After you have tried all the positions, you will have a list showing exactly how much your watch gets off during the day AND how much it gains or loses in each possible position at night. Find the position to keep it at night that does the most to cancel out the variation the watch experiences during the day.

For example: If your watch loses 5 seconds while being worn during the day, try to find a position in which the watch gains about 5 seconds overnight. That way, by simply knowing which position to put your watch in on the nightstand while you sleep--you may be able to cancel out the daily variations and have a very accurate watch!