How to Tell If the Mainspring of a Mechanical Watch is Fully Wound?
Mechanical watches fall into two main categories: man
How to Tell If the Mainspring of a Mechanical Watch is Fully Wound?
Mechanical watches fall into two main categories: manual and automatic.
Manual mechanical watches make it easy to tell when the mainspring is fully wound: simply turn the crown clockwise until it can’t move anymore. Do not force it once you meet resistance, as too much force could break the mainspring. If a manual watch has stopped, winding it fully usually takes about 25-40 turns of the crown. The longer the power reserve of a watch, the more turns it will require. For instance, the Hublot “LaFerrari” with its exceptionally long power reserve even comes with an electric winder.
Automatic mechanical watches: Originating from manual watches, automatic watches can also be wound manually by turning the crown clockwise, not solely relying on arm movement for winding. A significant difference between automatic and manual watches is the over-winding protection mechanism in automatic watches, which prevents the mainspring from breaking by disengaging when fully wound. Thus, the crown of an automatic watch can be turned indefinitely without reaching a stopping point. How can you tell if it’s fully wound? If you’re sensitive enough, you might hear a “click, click” sound as the mechanism releases excess energy. If not, simply giving the crown 25-40 turns should suffice.
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