WatchLab

An engineer’s toolbox
for the watch bench.

Start with a timing trace. Dig into the signal behind it. WatchLab is being built for people who want to understand what they’re seeing—and keep investigating.

Explore the workspace Ask about WatchLab

Waveform inspectionSession contextCapture comparison

Inside the workspace

Go beyond the first reading.

Explore six WatchLab views to follow timing traces, inspect acoustic events, study waveforms, and compare individual beats.

01 / BENCH

Start at the bench.

See the timing paperstrip alongside Beat A, Beat B, and full-cycle waveforms. Set the nominal beat rate, lift angle, and watch position, then freeze or record the signal for a closer look.

WatchLab Bench overview with experimental rate, amplitude and beat error, timing paperstrip, and beat waveforms — WatchLab software screenshot. Select to open full size in a new tab.

02 / INVESTIGATE

Follow a reading back to the signal.

Review the last three minutes of rate and beat-error estimates, select a reading, beat, or interval, and inspect the associated waveforms. The conventional / advanced comparison is labeled as using identical PCM audio.

WatchLab Investigate view with recent rate and beat-error trends, selectable beats and waveform panels — WatchLab software screenshot. Select to open full size in a new tab.

03 / OSCILLOSCOPE

Look closely at the acoustic waveform.

Explore the microphone signal with live, scroll, capture, and freeze controls. Adjust the timebase, zoom, and gain; use trigger and cursor tools to inspect an event or save a finding.

WatchLab oscilloscope with triggered acoustic waveform and timebase, zoom and gain controls — WatchLab software screenshot. Select to open full size in a new tab.

04 / TIMING

Keep the timing trace in context.

Bring rate and beat-error trends, the timing paperstrip, and candidate waveform pairs into one layout. Follow the latest pair or move through retained candidates while inspecting the full-cycle recording.

WatchLab Timing workspace combining rate and beat-error trends, timing paperstrip and paired candidate waveforms — WatchLab software screenshot. Select to open full size in a new tab.

05 / ESCAPEMENT ANALYSIS

Compare candidate beats side by side.

Inspect Parity A and Parity B waveforms with linked zoom and pan, plus their spacing in the full-cycle recording. Move between individual waveforms and the full-cycle recording to examine their timing and shape.

WatchLab Escapement Analysis with Parity A and Parity B waveforms and a full-cycle view — WatchLab software screenshot. Select to open full size in a new tab.

06 / ACOUSTIC DIAGNOSTICS

Connect the trace to the event.

The Diagnostics layout brings together measurement readouts, recent trends, a timing paperstrip, and a detailed scope view. Inspect an acoustic event while keeping the broader recording in view.

WatchLab Acoustic Diagnostics layout with measurement trends, timing paperstrip and detailed acoustic scope — WatchLab software screenshot. Select to open full size in a new tab.

The approach

Built around
the investigation.

My experience diagnosing complex systems and working with diagnostic software across different fields shapes this approach. At the watch bench, the purpose is practical: keep the source evidence available, preserve the context, and give you the tools to examine a problem beyond the first reading.