How often does an automatic watch need winding?
This is a question we get a lot here at C W Sellors and the answer depends greatly on the type of watch you have and how often you wear it. Automatic watches can be wound one of two ways: by turning the crown or by creating kinetic energy to turn the oscillating rotor within (otherwise known as wearing the watch and moving your wrist).
Every automatic watch has a power reserve. These can vary depending on the type of watch and movement you have but they are usually somewhere between 38 hours and 240 hours. This means that once the watch is fully wound, you will not have to wind it again for that length of time. If you are someone who wears their watch every day, having a shorter power reserve won’t be a problem, as you will be constantly winding it throughout the day as you move your wrist. If you are someone who takes there watch off for several days at a time however, you will either prefer a watch with a longer power reserve or you have to manually wind the watch up again via the crown.
How many times do I need to wind my automatic watch to get it powered again?
Most watch manufacturers suggest turning the crown between 30-40 times to get the watch fully wound again if it has lost all power. More often than not, you can also simply shake the watch a few times and let the oscillating rotor inside wind the mainspring to get power again. You will then need to wear the watch for at least 8-10 hours to ensure it is fully wound.
Can an automatic watch be overwound?
Another common question we get is can automatic watches become damaged if overwound? The answer is simply, no. All automatic watches are equipped with a mechanism within the movement that disengages the winding gears from the mainspring once it is fully wound. This way you can feel confident knowing that you are not causing any damage to the movement if you continue to turn the crown once it is fully wound.
How do I know when my watch is fully wound?
As we have said previously, if you are wearing a watch for more than 8-10 hours a day you can be pretty certain that you watch is fully wound. If you are winding the watch by turning the crown, some timepieces are equipped with a system where you will begin to feel some resistance once the watch is fully wound, others also make a faint ‘click’ sound. If your watch is not equipped with either of these features, you can just wind your watch between 30-40 times.
Some watches are also equipped with a power reserve indicator. This allows you to see how much power you have remaining in the watch by a clever feature on the dial.
