Mechanical - How Often to Wind

Winding Your Mechanical Watch

Mechanical watches require winding almost on a daily basis. Although mechanical watches have a power reserve of 40 hours, many watch experts feel it is a good practice to wind your watch on a daily basis at a fixed time each day. 

Most watch experts concur that is best to wind your mechanical watch in a clockwise manner, winding the crown towards the upper face of the dial towards the 12 o'clock hour. Some mechanical watch wearers prefer winding their watches in a back and forth movement. This is also an effective manner to keep your watch properly wound. 

It is best to avoid winding your watch counter clockwise towards the 6 o'clock hour, since this is considered a neutral gear mode and may not be effective in keeping your watch effectively wound.  

As a rule, it takes approximately 20 to 30 turns of winding to keep your mechanical watch running smoothly. Most manual wound watches offer resistance at the crown when they are properly wound. It is best to avoid winding your mechanical watch any further when you experience this resistance to avoid over-winding your watch, which could seriously damage the mechanism inside.