First, let's understand how mechanical watches work.
Mechanical watches are marvels comprised of springs, components, gears and screws which all work together to tell time.
At one point in history, all watches were mechanical and required manual winding in order to be powered. These watches were typically wound via the crown, which in turn tightens the mainspring inside the watch. The mainspring is the power source of all mechanical watches. Once wound, through a series of components and gears known as an escapement, the mainspring's tension is incrementally released which powers the watch.
What makes an automatic watch (also known as a self-wind watch) different is that it has a weighted rotor mounted to the back of the watch's movement. The rotor is usually shaped in a semi-circle and is connected to the mainspring via a series of gears. With the motion of your wrist, the rotor spins on an axle and in doing so, winds the mainspring which in turn powers your watch.
In fact, not only watch friends have doubts about this, watch practitioners or senior watch friends also have different opinions. Some recommend the use of a watch winder, and some believe that the watch winder will bring additional wear to the movement. The watch winder itself is a very small product. Most watch friends or practitioners do not know much about the watch winder, and even many shop assistants do not recommend customers to use the watch winder in order to avoid risks. misunderstanding. My point of view cannot be shared by others, you need to make a decision based on your actual usage.
Common concerns of watch friends:
- Will it be over-winding if it keeps turning?
- Will metal parts be magnetized?
- The continuous operation of the movement parts brings additional wear and tear
- Can a winder damage your automatic watch?
The first two problems are not a problem as long as it is not a cheap and shoddy meter winder on the market. Basically, it can be anti-magnetic. According to the winding direction of the movement and the number of turns per day, it will not be over-winding. The third problem may indeed exist, but it cannot be quantified. No one has studied the difference in wear between regular and infrequent movements of the movement. This is a false proposition.
Winder don’t cause any damage to automatic watch because its usually rotating at a slow speed, which will not cause any bad effect on your watch. In fact, wearing the watch will exert more force on it as our hand swings when walking can be much faster.
What problems will occur when mechanical watches are left for a long time?
- Long-term storage causes the movement of lubricants to condense
- Stop and re-wear the watch to be adjusted
Will the lubricating oil condense the movement bring more wear to the movement after it is wound again? No one has tested this, it cannot be quantified, and it is also a false proposition. A senior watch friend has suggested that if the watch is left for a long time, it needs to be manually wound once a month to avoid lubricating oil condensation. The second question is actually the pain point of using the watch winder. First, adjusting the time is a waste of time. Will frequent adjustment of the time increase the chance of damage to the movement? Or if you have a strong hand, you may accidentally pull the crown off.
Speaking of this, the benevolent sees the benevolent and the wise see the wisdom, should you use the meter winder or should combine your actual use.
It is recommended that you use the watch winder in the following situations:
- Complicated watches, such as annual calendar and perpetual calendar, need to be returned to the factory when adjusting the perpetual calendar
- Replace with two watches or more
- If a single watch has a power reserve of less than 50 hours, it will stop if it is not worn for 1-2 days on weekends.
For watches that are collected or worn infrequently, you can manually wind the watch once a month without using a watch winder. In addition, the watch needs to be maintained every 3-5 years. Note that when using the watch winder, the watch itself must operate normally before putting it in. It is best to have more than half of the kinetic energy, because the watch winder keeps the watch running, and the stopped watch may not be able to drive.
