Basics

How to wind a mechanical watch

Take the watch off, unscrew the crown if it screws down, and turn it clockwise until you feel resistance (hand-wound) or for a few dozen turns (automatic). Then do it again at the same time tomorrow.

Hand-wound watches

1. Take it off your wrist. Winding at an angle puts sideways pressure on the crown stem.
2. Unscrew the crown if it's a screw-down, until it pops out to the winding position. Don't pull it further.
3. Turn it clockwise (away from you, when the crown faces you) in smooth strokes. You'll feel and hear the ratchet click.
4. Stop at the resistance. When the crown won't turn further, the mainspring is full. Never force it.
5. Screw the crown back in, gently, for water resistance.

Wind once a day, ideally at the same time. Morning is best: the mainspring delivers its most even power when it's near full, which is when you're wearing it.

Automatic watches

An automatic winds itself while you wear it, via a weighted rotor that swings with your wrist. If it has stopped, give it a head start before putting it on: 20 to 40 turns of the crown, where the movement allows hand-winding. Automatics have a slipping clutch, so you can't overwind them.

How long it runs off the wrist depends on its power reserve, usually 38 to 80 hours. A desk day charges it more slowly than an active one.

Mistakes to avoid

• Setting the date between 9pm and 3am. Here's why.
• Forcing a hand-wound crown past the point of resistance.
• Forgetting to screw down the crown before swimming.
• Winding while it's on your wrist.

Remembering to do it

With one watch, a daily habit is easy. With five, it isn't. Watch Winder tracks each watch's reserve, and you can log a wind by holding a virtual crown that clicks like the real one.