As you move through the day, your watch sits dial up on a desk, crown down on your wrist and every way in between, and gravity acts on its balance differently in each. A six-position test measures the rate in each orientation to show how evenly the movement keeps time.
The six positions
- Dial up
- Dial down
- Crown down
- Crown up
- Crown left
- Crown right
A single reading with the watch dial up is a quick check. Six positions repeats it in every orientation: turn the watch as shown, hold your iPhone against it, tap the button and keep still.
Reading the result
The delta is the difference between the fastest and the slowest position. Horology also looks at how much the amplitude changes from one position to another.
| Result | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Delta up to 6 s/d, amplitude within 40° | Superb positional consistency: the movement is well adjusted |
| Delta up to 12 s/d | Good consistency (a delta under 6 s/d is chronometer territory) |
| Delta over 12 s/d | Large positional variation: worth mentioning to your watchmaker at the next service |
For what rate, amplitude and beat error mean, see the timegrapher's three numbers.