游丝是一种很细的弹簧。通常以钢作为材质，盘绕在摆轮周围。游丝有效长度的变化决定了摆轮的惯性力矩与振幅周期。游丝是影响走时准确的因素之一。

游丝的材料通常使用锡青铜或者磷青铜或者恒弹性合金来制造，在指针式电流表中，游丝起到平衡电磁力矩的作用，从而实现对电流的测量。在钟表里面，游丝起到控制钟摆的振动周期的作用，因此游丝的材料必须使用恒弹性合金，以保持在不同的温度条件下，机械式钟表的精确计时。

A balance spring, or hairspring, is a spring attached to the balance wheel in mechanical timepieces. It causes the balance wheel to oscillate with a resonant frequency when the timepiece is running, which controls the speed at which the wheels of the timepiece turn, and thus the rate of movement of the hands. A regulator lever is often fitted, which can be used to alter the free length of the spring and thereby adjust the rate of the timepiece.