Continuing the series of publications about watch terms and recommendations for care and use, we will tell you how to wind a watch correctly, who needs to do this, and what else the winding crown can do.
What watch needs to be wound?
Only mechanical watches need to be wound manually, since in the absence of any other power source, their parts move only when they are given an impulse by a tightly wound spring. It gradually unwinds, the momentum weakens and eventually the clock stops. The mechanism does not work - the arrows are motionless.
Previously, watches were wound with a special key; today its function is performed by the crown, which in most models neatly protrudes from the side of the watch case. On pocket watches it was most often located at the top, and today, in addition to these two positions, there is also an oblique arrangement.
Why does a watch need a winding?
The winding of a modern spring watch mechanism works on the principle of a counterweight. Its simplest embodiment is the wheel clock that existed in ancient times. In them, a rope was wound around a horizontal shaft, to the end of which a weight was tied. Under the influence of gravity, the weight tended downwards, pulled the rope, and the rope accordingly set the shaft in motion. In turn, the shaft, rotating, forced a stick attached to it at an angle of 90 degrees to move - it acted as an arrow.
In modern watches, the motive power of dozens of interconnected parts of the mechanism is provided by a spiral spring. In the state of maximum winding, it is tightly twisted, and when unwinding, it acts on the gear drum. Through a system of teeth and gears, it sets the entire mechanism in motion.
Important: quartz and electronic watches powered by a battery or other type of electrical charging, with elements for converting and storing solar energy, manually wound dont need.
How to wind a watch correctly?
Turn the crown in the “clockwise” direction, that is, in the direction of its movement or “forward”. It is recommended to sometimes do a slight rotation back, counterclockwise, but not sharply or a full turn. This will help distribute the lubricant more evenly while preventing breakage.
Rotate the crown evenly, not too quickly, feeling the degree of tension of the spring with your fingers. As soon as the head starts to move tightly or slight clicks are heard, you have fully wound the spring. This requires an average of no more than 20 revolutions.
Signs that your watch needs to be taken to a watchmaker
The crown began to rotate too tightly. Perhaps the lubricant has thickened and needs to be renewed.
The crown rotates too easily, and the movement of the hands has a backlash that was unusual for them before, they seem to “jump”. This may mean that the arrow has become loose.
You need to wind the watch by removing it from your hand so that the rotation of the crown is uniform: the position of the rod acting on the spring must correspond to the norm, since in a mechanical watch the relative position of each part is vitally important.
Functions of the crown
The crown has several functions that are performed in different positions. In the standard position, it serves to wind the mechanism. In watches intended for diving or simply with a highly sealed case, it may be on a thread and in order to wind the spring or use other functions, the crown must first be unscrewed.
To control the hands, to set the exact time, or if the watch has stopped, the crown is pulled out. In watches with a calendar, it also has a third, most often intermediate or middle position, when the crown is pulled out, as it were, halfway.
Setting up a calendar
If you have a calendar and need to set the time, the hour hand can only be moved forward. If you scroll it back and make more than one revolution (more than 12 hours), this may lead to damage to the calendar mechanism.
The ability to change the date without rotating the clock hand is not available in all models. Where it exists, a separate crown position is provided for this purpose. It is best to change the date in a position where the hour and minute hands are at around 6 o'clock, then the mechanism is safe. If the position of the hands is close to the natural change of day, that is, to 12 o'clock, manually changing the date can also lead to failure.
Important: avoid placing the watch on the crown, this is not good for the mechanism. If, due to the characteristics of the strap or bracelet, it is inconvenient to place the watch with the dial up, it is better to place it “on the other side” or even on the glass (glass down). Of course, this should be done on a flat or soft surface and it is good if the glass protects the protruding bezel.
You can also set the date if there is a delay of several days, either by sequentially turning the hour hand for several days, or by using the features of the mechanism. In this case, you must strictly follow the instructions.
In some models, you can jump to the next day by turning the hour hand at the 12 o'clock position back to 8 o'clock and again to 12, when you hear the date change click. Another option is to move the hand back and forth between 10 and 2 o'clock.
On the calendar wheel you need to set the previous one from the date you need, and then scroll to the next day and current time, already controlling the hour hand.
Do I need to wind a self-winding watch?
Craftsmen sought to free the owner from the need for manual winding back in the 1931th century, and already in XNUMX Rolex released the first model of a wristwatch with automatic winding.
It is important that such a watch, being on your hand (or in a special rotating device, winder), always “runs”, so there is no need to wind it manually. Unless you wear your watch every day, it can still stop, then you just need to wind it down and put it on again. Automatic winding will start immediately.
If you don't wear your watch much, for example if you work at a computer and don't move your wrist much, your self-winding watch may stop quickly after you take it off.
How often should this be done?
Even if your watch model lasts up to 48 hours on one spring winding, for greater accuracy of the mechanism, it is recommended to operate the watch in a fully or nearly fully wound state. Therefore, the most common advice is to wind your watch at the same time every day. Along the way, they can be summed up if you notice a slight deviation in the current time.
A watch that you do not wear or wear very rarely should be wound at least once a month so that the lubrication of the mechanism parts does not harden. Like any other mechanism - the analogy most often used is a car engine - a clockwork needs to function in order to remain operational longer.
