You’d be forgiven for thinking that your automatic watch doesn’t need winding – it’s “automatic”, after all. While automatic watches are in fact self-winding, there are times where you may need to wind yours by hand. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to wind your automatic watch to keep it ticking smoothly.
What’s an Automatic Watch and How Does it Work?
An automatic watch is a type of mechanical watch. But where mechanical watches traditionally need to be wound by hand via the crown, an automatic watch uses a clever mechanism called a rotor to wind your watch using movement. So, while you’re taking a lunchtime stroll, going for a jog, or even just spending your day at home, your watch is continually charging the mainspring to keep your timepiece ticking.
Usually, your automatic watch won’t need manual winding, but if your watch is able to be wound by hand, it might sometimes need a helpful boost of energy to keep it running smoothly and make sure it’s not “losing” time.
How to Wind Your Automatic Watch
Is it safe to wind an automatic watch? Yes! Even automatic watches need the occasional wind up. Winding your automatic watch is similar to winding a manual watch.
Typically, automatic watches can store about 48 hours of energy, meaning you can go a couple of days without wearing one before needing to wind it again. But when you do need to wind it up, here’s how you do it.
Step 1: Remove your watch
Sit in a chair or at a table and remove your watch to wind it. This ensures you don’t confuse the delicate mechanism with extra movement while you wind and you’re not twisting or tilting the crown oddly.
Step 2: Wind the crown
Holding your watch in your left hand, wind the crown with your right hand in a clockwise direction (away from you).
Step 3: When you meet resistance, stop winding
Once you’ve wound it a few times, the crown will give some resistance. It’s important to stop winding at this point to avoid damaging your watch.
Step 4: Reset the hands
As you prepared to wind your watch, you may have displaced the hands on the dial. No problem, simply use the crown to reposition them back to the correct time. Usually, you need to gently pull the crown out to rotate the hands, so just make sure it’s pushed back into position when you’re done.
Step 5: Go about your day as normal
Once you’ve wound your automatic watch, you’re ready to go about your day as normal. Because your watch will gain energy from your movements, you’re unlikely to need to wind it manually very often.
Use a watch winder
If you know you’re not going to be wearing your watch for a while, or like to switch between models but don’t want them to lose charge, you can use a watch winder when storing your automatic watch. A watch winder is a helpful device that keeps automatic watches wound when they are not being worn. They do this by imitating the movement of your arm, moving the watch in a circular pattern to ensure it stays wound even when you’re not wearing it.
Safety Tips for Winding Your Watch
Protecting and maintaining your watch ensures its longevity – a well-cared for watch can even make an excellent family heirloom so it’s important to follow some safety precautions.
- Put down a soft cloth – If you’re winding your watch over a table, putting down a soft cloth will prevent chips or scratches if you accidentally drop it.
- Always wind when sitting still – Not only will this minimize the risk of dropping your watch, it will also ensure the rotor isn’t trying to wind your watch at the same time which can potentially cause damage.
- Don’t overwind your watch – Most modern watches come with protection against being overwound but it’s important to make sure you're not doing it anyway. Overwinding can put too much pressure on the delicate inner workings of your timepiece, causing it to lose accuracy and potentially break.
- Don’t shake your watch – Your automatic watch won’t enjoy the shock of sudden movements like shaking it. Instead, smooth, slower movements are better for keeping your watch wound.
- Keep your watch away from magnets and water – Both can damage the delicate internal mechanisms, wheels, and cogs inside your watch.
- Avoid extreme temperatures – Allowing your watch to get too hot or too cold can affect how accurately it keeps time.
- Store your watch properly – If you know you’re not going to wear your watch for a while, make sure you store it correctly to protect it from dust, damage, and debris. This can either be in your watch’s box or in a watch winder.
Timex Automatic Watches
From sleek, smart designs ideal for finishing off a suit or work outfit to adventure-ready styles that keep up with your travels, Timex has an automatic watch for you.
Our range of automatic watches, such as the Marlin automatic watch collection, come with 170 years of watchmaking expertise. They are made with durable materials and boast power reserves that last – so you don’t have to worry about winding them every day. Designed with your busy lifestyle in mind, your Timex automatic watch can last you a lifetime.
Key Takeaway
Automatic watches are ideal for those who love the look of a mechanical watch, but don’t want to have to remember to wind it every day. An automatic watch stays wound by using energy created by the movement of your arms, and only needs manual winding occasionally, meaning you can spend less time worrying about losing time.
For more information about mechanical watches and how they work, check out our guide on Mechanical vs Automatic Watches.
SHOP THE AUTOMATIC WATCHES WE LOVE MOST RIGHT NOW:
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Marlin® Automatic 40mm Leather Strap Watch40 mm Black/Stainless Steel$259.00 -
Marlin® Automatic 40mm Leather Strap Watch40 mm Brown/Stainless Steel$259.00 -
Marlin® Sub-Dial Automatic 39mm Leather Strap Watch39 mm Brown/Stainless Steel/Silver-Tone$279.00 -
Marlin® Automatic 40mm Leather Strap Watch40 mm Black/Stainless Steel$259.00 -
Marlin® Sub-Dial Automatic 39mm Leather Strap Watch39 mm Blue/Stainless Steel/Silver-Tone$279.00
