To wind or not to wind
Do you wind your automatic watches by crown regularly when not in use, or do you let them run down and wind it only when in use?
I've tried to educate myself on what's best for maintaining the movement, but theres good arguments for both methods🤯 Please elaborate your answer in the comments🙏
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Andreas
Got love for all types of movements, but the mechanical watch is closest to my heart ⚙️❤️⚙️
Randaberg, Norway
Member since
Last active: 1 hr ago
6.89” / 17.50 cm
I let them run down until I wear them again. Haven;t had an issue in 50 years.
I let them run down until I wear them again. Haven;t had an issue in 50 years.
Thank you for elaborating🙏
IMO as a modern watch is a sealed unit and the modern oils don't age it must make a watch last longer the less it's running.
Let it run down, fewer things to regularly maintain and you get devoted special ritual when you decide to wear the watch.
I only need it to tell me the time when I'm wearing it, so let 'em run down.
Got a watch winder , never used it.
The only time I'm ever tempted by a watch winder is every time I set this one - time, day, date, month, moonphase. Takes a while!
Most of the time I only wind my automatic watches when it's impossible not to - i. e. screwing the crown down. When I pick up a stopped watch, I just wear it unset until it starts running.
For watches with at least a date, I’d rather keep them running on a winder vs needing to reset the time and date.
Winders let you dictate where the wear occurs on your watch - either the setting mechanisms, which are designed for occasional use, or the standard timekeeping mechanisms, which are designed for constant use. I’d prefer the latter.
Let them run down, it’s not a big deal. Letting them run is like idling your car - not bad for it but it will shorten the service interval. Excessively winding or leaving a watch on the winder can also damage/wear out the winding and/or auto mechanism. Probably not a bad idea to run them once a month if you let them sit.
Source: am a watchmaker
According to philippe dufour if your watch is a safe queen you should consider winding it couple of times a month. This is for the oils and lubes to stay in place. I rotate though most of my collection daily the ones I don't wear that frequently I hand wind once a month.
Let them run down, it’s not a big deal. Letting them run is like idling your car - not bad for it but it will shorten the service interval. Excessively winding or leaving a watch on the winder can also damage/wear out the winding and/or auto mechanism. Probably not a bad idea to run them once a month if you let them sit.
Source: am a watchmaker
Good anecdote🤩 That's good to know🙏
I've been considering getting a winder that will keep 2 or 3 watches running, just so I can pick a few watches for the week and not have to worry about setting them every day. Other than that they sit unwound.
I wind some of them that I wore and plan to wear in the next days while I let others run down 🤷🏼♂️
I let mine wind down, but I also never wind them either! Give 'em a little Seiko Shuffle and off you go! 😀