How to Quickly Determine if a Mechanical Watch is Fully Wound
Mechanical watches are broadly categorized into two types: **manual** and **automatic**.
How to Quickly Determine if a Mechanical Watch is Fully Wound
Mechanical watches are broadly categorized into two types: **manual** and **automatic**.
For **manual mechanical watches**, it’s straightforward to tell if the mainspring is fully wound: simply wind the crown clockwise until it can no longer move. Be careful not to force it once resistance is felt, as excessive force can break the mainspring. If the watch has stopped, winding it fully typically requires 25-40 turns of the crown. Watches with longer power reserves will need more turns.
**Automatic mechanical watches** evolved from manual ones, meaning they too can be wound by turning the crown clockwise, in addition to being wound by arm movement. A significant difference between automatic and manual watches is the automatic winding mechanism’s **slip clutch feature**, designed to prevent overwinding by allowing the mainspring to slip and avoid breaking. Consequently, the crown of an automatic watch can be turned indefinitely without ever becoming impossible to move. To gauge if the watch is fully wound, one might feel or hear a subtle “clicking” sound as excess tension is released. If this sensation is too subtle, winding the crown 25-40 turns should suffice.
.
.