SAWTA 4 Prep: Speed Training

Our final SAWTA exam is just two weeks away, so we're doubling down on prep work to get ready.

SAWTA 4 is a 14-hour exam that will include a full ETA 7750 chronograph service, complete with all necessary adjustments, as well as a full case and bracelet refinish. The time is ours to split up as we see fit, but it's expected that we have a 70-30% split between service and refinishing.

Last week we had a 4-hour refinishing test, and today we're trying to bang out the 7750 in 8 hours. If we can do both successfully, it will mean that we'll have 2 hours to "spare" on the real exam—though during SAWTA tests, time seems to speed up, so it's more of a safety buffer than anything else.

In addition to the 7750's required chronograph adjustments, these watches also have "introduced problems" in the automatic, calendar, geartrain and escapement for us to puzzle through. Time is rapidly running out before the big test, so we'll take all the practice we can get!