[microjim]

Do hands release from the line they're on at the point of the next time increment being reached (meaning, by the time they hit the next line, they'll be late) or does it kindly release earlier, affording time for the hand to travel to and arrive at the next line in time for it to represent the current time?

[ColinWright]

Just by observing it, when the machine clock clicked to 14:20 (UK time) the second hand snapped to the vertical and the minute hand snapped to the 4 (the 20 minute mark).

Does that answer your question? I don't know what I can do that you couldn't do for yourself, so maybe I'm not understanding your question.

[throwaway744678]

I believe GP's question was: does the hand get released at 14:20 or 100ms before 14:20 to have it reach its position at exactly the right time, accounting for the animation delay.

[microjim]

Yes!