How to Keep My Self-Winding Watch Running or Make It Stop When Not Wearing It

Self-winding watches are wound through normal use.

Mechanical, or automatic watches, use the motion generated by normal wear and use of the watch to wind the watch and keep it powered. The motion winds the watch mainspring and the winding mechanism disengages when the mainspring is fully wound. Keeping an automatic watch running is fairly simple, as is stopping the watch when the watch is not in use.

Instructions

1. Place the mechanical watch on the wrist and fasten the clasp to secure the watch to the wrist.

2. Wear the watch normally throughout the day. Normal, everyday motion of the wrist will activate the winding of the mainspring to wind the watch.

3. Continue to wear the watch during everyday use to maintain the self-winding feature of the watch.

4. Remove the watch from the wrist and store in a safe, clean place when not in use. When the watch is not worn or moved, the winding mechanism will disengage. The watch will cease maintaining time within 24 hours of being removed from the user's wrist.

References

• Your Guide to Watches: Automatic Watch Winder Guide
• TimeZone: Mechanical Watch FAQ