A mechanical watch can lose accuracy on a keyboard yet seem to recover while resting flat. The watch does not keep one universal rate; it runs differently in each position and under each disturbance.
At a computer, the case often sits crown‑up or crown‑down, where gravity pulls unevenly on the balance wheel and hairspring. This positional error shifts the center of gravity of the balance, changing its moment of inertia and disturbing isochronism. Constant wrist movements, low‑level shocks from typing and subtle changes in amplitude of the balance oscillation push the regulating organs in and out of their ideal operating window, so the escapement releases energy less consistently.
Another factor is magnetism from laptop lids, speakers and chargers, which can magnetize the hairspring, reducing its active length and causing persistent rate deviation. Temperature variation around the desk can alter metal expansion and lubricants’ viscosity, further disturbing the oscillation. When the watch lies flat at night, the balance pivots sit in a more symmetric orientation, gravity acts in a stable direction and amplitude often rises slightly, creating a calmer regime in which many small errors partially average out. The watch does not truly heal itself; it merely spends those quiet hours in the position where its mechanical compromises are most favorable.
