Have you ever wondered if automatic watches need to be manually wound?
How do automatic watch mainsprings work?
Yes, they do. Picture the mainspring inside a watch. When you first get an automatic watch, the spring is completely unwound. Moving the watch around will cause the rotor to spin, which in turn will begin winding the mainspring. While this will get the watch running it will not be enough to fully tighten the mainspring which would let you take advantage of the power reserve to its fullest capacity.
How to properly wind an automatic watch?
It is therefore important to first wind the crown about 30-40 times which is enough to completely wind the mainspring on most watches. Once the mainspring has been fully wound, and the watch is worn on an active wrist, the rotor will do its job by continuously winding the mainspring thereby topping off the watch's power reserve.
A widespread misunderstanding is that an automatic watch doesn't require winding. Assuming that simply wearing a watch that has stopped or is nearly out of power will automatically wind it up is a misconception. Although this might provide sufficient energy to keep the watch operating currently, and it may continue to function briefly when not worn, it might not have fully wound the mainspring. As a result, you'll encounter a reduced power reserve once you take the watch off your wrist.
Once you have manually wound and set a watch, it is prepared for use. If worn daily, the natural movement of an active wrist should suffice to keep the watch fully wound, even if it is removed overnight. However, it is recommended to fully wind the watch manually if it has not been worn for a significant portion of its power reserve.
Individuals who lead a more sedentary lifestyle, such as those who spend extended periods at a computer, may not move their wrists sufficiently to maintain a full wind. In such cases, it may be necessary to periodically wind the crown approximately 30 to 40 times to ensure optimal functionality.
