Q: How far should I wind an automatic watch by hand?
If your automatic watch stops, and it has a manual winding mechanism, you can wind the mainspring by turning the crown. But how far should you wind it?
2025/9/12 update
A: It's best to keep it just long enough for the second hand to start moving.
Many people seem to be concerned about how much they should wind their automatic watch if it stops. Some manufacturers specify how many times they should wind the crown if their automatic watch stops. However, this is not always the case.
Personally, I don't recommend winding an automatic watch by hand. This causes wear on the parts connecting the crown wheel and the ratchet wheel, as well as the automatic winding mechanism. If you do wind it by hand, it's best to wind it until the second hand starts moving, then put it on your wrist and let it wind automatically. When doing so, wind the crown slowly, rather than as quickly as you would with a manual winding watch. Winding it slowly reduces the load on the automatic winding mechanism, which helps prevent wear.
Most automatic watches have a slipping attachment at the end of the mainspring to prevent it from being overwound. This allows the spring to slip inside the barrel even if the rotor turns while the mainspring is wound, preventing overwinding.
If you hear a clicking sound inside the barrel, the slipping attachment is slipping. If you are winding an automatic watch by hand and you hear a clicking sound, it is likely that it is overwound. When winding an automatic watch by hand, do so slowly and without overwinding.
A free-sprung balance adjusts the balance weight instead of the regulator that adjusts the gain or loss of a mechanical watch. This shock-resistant mechanism is ideal for sports watches. A while ago, only Patek Philippe and Rolex used it, but it has now become quite common. However, there are many shock-resistant movements that do not have a free-sprung balance.
