How to Wind an Antique Pocket Watch

An antique pocket watch is a mechanical winding watch, which means it runs once its springs are wound. A mechanical watch is unlike a quartz watch, which is battery powered, or a form of automatic watch, such as an eco-drive or kinetic watch, which are powered automatically from natural movement or sunlight. An antique pocket watch must be wound every one to two days to prevent it from stopping. Does this Spark an idea?

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Instructions

- 1
  
  Determine whether you must unscrew the crown before winding it. Try to turn the crown counterclockwise to unscrew it. If the crown pops out away from the watch, pull the crown out one notch after you have unscrewed it. Not all crowns need to be unscrewed.
- 2
  
  Put your thumb and forefinger on the crown and rotate the crown clockwise. Wind the watch until you feel resistance. This could take between 20 and 40 rotations.
- 3
  
  Stop winding the watch once you feel resistance. Push down on the crown and screw it back into the watch by twisting it clockwise.

Tips & Warnings

It is recommended to wind the watch every day, so the watch does not stop working. Mechanical problems can result if the watch is left unwound for a period of time.

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Comments

Pepita Ridgeway Feb 14, 2011
Thank you. My Bulova pocket watch needs a lot of winding and often, maybe twice a day.
Pepita Ridgeway Feb 14, 2011
Thank you. My Bulova pocket watch needs a lot of winding and often, maybe twice a day.
laughingspider Jan 24, 2010
Thanks for this info. I do a living-history presentation in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where I play Professor Thomas Jaggar, the first individual to conceive of a worldwide network of observatories dediated to saving human. His Father gave him a Waltham watch, which I have finally found. Anyway, I'm afraid of overwinding and it might just stick. So, whaI am going to do is follow your advice and wind it gently every day. Thanks, Peter Charlot
Magentaslb Sep 18, 2009
Good to know... thanks for sharing! 5*s

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How to Wind an Antique Pocket Watch

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