Most times when we purchase objects that are a bit on the expensive side, you would always want to know how exactly you should handle them. So when it comes to luxury timepieces, you might wonder how you should wind your manual wind watch properly. Too much of one thing is always dangerous. And the fear of over-winding is legit.
Believe it or not, this question occurs with astonishing and cyclically recurring frequency all over the internet and various watch forums. This is although most of these forums offer a search function that could produce dozens and dozens of relevant threads that would dispatch the question neatly before it was even raised. The recurrence of questions like this is among the reasons forums ceased to be as much fun to be quite frank.
1. Wind It Properly
However, to those few experienced collectors and those who grew up with mechanical watches, it’s almost like asking for advice for exacting methodologies for what is the ultimate best way to screw in a lightbulb. Properly, to be more specific. That means, not damaging it, not impeding its performance, not decreasing its useful lifespan or resale value. This is the case with many luxury watch models like the Ingenieur Portofino, Rolex Datejust, Patek Philippe Nautilus, and so on.
Most of the time, the fact is that the most simplistic approach is already sufficient. So to properly wind your watch, make sure to slowly keep winding until you feel the mechanisms inside stops. It’ll be pretty obvious and you will feel it. Remember. Do not continue winding after this point. That is all.
If you can remember this, your watch will be absolutely fine and continue performing exactly as it is designed. It’s no more complex than that.
That paranoia can get real deep. Especially for expensive things. Kind of like how you don’t want to drive a very expensive car. But dispelling the myths of over-winding a watch is a good start to quell the flames of fear when it comes to these luxury watches.
2. Never Drop It
Straight up, one of the easiest, and possibly the most common ways to damage your watch is dropping it. Damage can come from even just a quick drop or a greater height, depending on the landing surface and how the watch falls. Each time the watch slams against some random hard surface, it can potentially cause damage. And yes, this includes moments when it is being worn and collides with something hard. Keep in mind that watches, whether they’re of high luxury or not, are made up of small parts that can dislodge or get damaged with enough force.
For you to prevent dropping your watch, carefully remove it from your wrist or case and keep it away from places where it can fall. like ledges. Then if you’re planning on wearing your watch while potentially running into small spaces or walls even though many people where it could hit a bag or two, maybe consider taking it off first.
3. Store It Properly
Properly storing the watch using protective cases (and much-needed care) also helps keep the watch ticking and avoiding damage. Keeping the watch in extreme heat or cold can cause damage to the movement and its gaskets. A sudden transfer from excessively hot environments to cold places can cause parts to expand and contract. This will usually lead to water vapor entering the dial and movement and eventually cause damage. Heat can dry out the lubricant or even cause it to congeal. This would create friction on the gears. Like what was mentioned, watches have tiny parts. So storing them is very important.
4. Don’t Wind It on Your Wrist
Going back to that winding problem, you also should keep this part in mind. Although it is convenient, to wind or set the time on your watch while you are wearing it, you might do more harm in reality. Wearing the watch while winding it can accidentally pull the crown out or let you over-wind it. Something you might not want to happen. That’s because the angle you are moving the crown at can cause stress on the movement. So the safest thing to do is to remove the watch before setting both the time or winding it. This will allow you to feel the resistance better and pull the crown out at the right angle.
5. Make Sure the Function Settings Are Correct
If you incorrectly set the functions on your watch wrong, this will also cause damage to the watch’s movement and gears. Keep in mind that setting the date during the “danger zone” period can actually cause a level of misalignment of the date window and eventually break parts in the movement. The danger zone of watch setting is between the hours of 9 in the evening and 3 in the morning. During this time, the gears are in motion to switch the date.
Check if the date window is not aligned, because if it is, you may begin to see the date change early or even after midnight rather than right when the watch hits at 12 midnight. So always refer to the watch’s instruction manual for safe times and safe date-changing procedures. But basically, bringing the hour hands to the lower half of the dial will help you avoid the “danger zone.”
Keep Your Watch Safe
Damage is not completely avoidable, especially over time. But we can all certainly avoid the irreparable ones. We hope these tips help you in keeping your watch in mint condition. Your watch can last you a lifetime or more with proper care. Prolong its life by taking care of it with these tips!
