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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Glossary · Regulation

Temperature compensation

Design features that reduce rate variation caused by thermal expansion and elastic modulus change.

Explanation

Temperature compensation counteracts the way heat weakens a hairspring and expands a balance, which would otherwise make a watch lose in the heat. The classic solution is the cut bimetallic balance with timing screws; the modern one is the self-compensating alloy hairspring (Nivarox type) with a monometallic balance. Pendulum clocks use gridiron, mercury or wood-rod compensation instead.

In the object catalogue

Catalogued objects whose own source record mentions “Temperature compensation”. The quoted line shows where; it is the seller’s or museum’s wording, not independent verification.