How to Wind a Pocket Watch
Do you have a mechanical pocket watch and do you want to know how to wind it properly? You don’t know exactly how it works and you want to know more about it? You would like to follow a detailed tutorial, in order to be sure not to damage it?
Then welcome to your favorite shop: Bold Time! We are passionate about pocket watches and that’s why our shop is specially dedicated to them.
Moreover, we have helped many customers, so that they can maintain their watches, like real professionals. In doing so, we know exactly how to help you and that’s what we will do in this tutorial!
To wind your mechanical pocket watch, you’ll just need to gently turn its winding crown clockwise until you feel a slight resistance (beyond 30-40 turns). Once this is done, the mechanism will be completely wound and be able to use it on the first day.
In this tutorial, you will discover :
- How your watch works and its particularities,
- How to wind it without fear of damaging its mechanism,
- How to become a true watch enthusiast in a ritual.
After following this guide, your timepiece will no longer hold any secrets for you! You will know exactly what goes on inside its case and how to operate it in the rules of the art of watchmaking.
Are you ready? Then let’s discover how to wind a pocket watch and the best way to protect it together right now!
HOW DOES A WIND-UP POCKET WATCH WORK
Before getting into the heart of the matter, it is important to lay the groundwork by explaining how your watch works so that you know what will happen when you wind it up.
Unlike a quartz watch that works thanks to the piezoelectric effect, and that we have to open, in order to change its battery, a mechanical pocket watch works thanks to the mechanical energy contained in its barrel spring (2).
A mechanical pocket watch with manual winding and an automatic watch work exactly the same way, with the only difference that one is wound manually and the other automatically, thanks to its rotor (1). So we don’t need to open it.
In both cases, a watch with a mechanical movement works as follows:
When the mainspring (2) is wound to its maximum, it gives all its power back to the wheels of the watch, then to the escapement (3). The latter allows the energy supplied by its predecessor to be controlled and delivered stroke by stroke. Otherwise, the power reserve of the watch would no longer be 40 hours, but only a few seconds …!
Then, when the mechanical energy passes through the large escapement wheel, then its anchor, is directed to the balance wheel (4). The balance wheel serves to soften and smooth the jolts transmitted by the escapement.
In addition, the wheels (5) can send the energy received back to the time indicator (6), so that the hands can give an accurate and reliable time.
How to wind a mechanical Pocket Watch
Now that you know how your mechanical watch works, let’s discover together how to wind it while taking care not to damage its movement.
Winding your men’s or women’s gusset watch is an important step in ensuring its optimal functionality. The barrel system must store the maximum amount of energy from the compression of the spiral mainspring within the mechanism.
How many turns should you wind a pocket watch?
The stored power will then be released gradually and frequently so that the pocket clock can function properly. We must wind up the mechanical watches to the limit for better accuracy.
Since its creation in 1505, the pocket watch has improved enormously and become more reliable. There are precisely two ways to wind up a mechanical pocket watch with manual winding and we have listed them just below:
A. HAND-WOUND POCKET WATCHES
1. A POCKET WATCH WITH A WINDING CROWN
On some very old pocket watches, the crown is the only winding mechanism available. It has the same role as the pull tab on wristwatches. But rather a key. Here we will see how to wind a pocket watch without a key.
Watches with a winding crown are generally newer and easier to wind. Their crown is usually placed at 12 o’clock or at 3 o’clock, for savonnette watches.
For pocket timepieces, the winder is equipped with a ratchet system that prevents it from turning counterclockwise. Thus, there is no risk of the watch coming loose after winding it.
Now let’s find out how to wind yours:
- Place your watch facing you,
- Grasp the crown and keep turning it clockwise until you feel a slight resistance.
- When you feel that the crown cannot turn, do not force it (you could damage its movement)! This means that the barrel mainspring is fully extended.
- Your watch is now wound.
Can you Overwind a pocket watch?
When winding, if you hear an unusual noise (squeaking…) we recommend stopping the process to avoid damaging the internal parts. In such cases, ask a watch professional to check the interior to make sure your pocket watch is still in perfect condition.
Finally, to set the time on pocket watches with a crown, simply pull up the crown and set it to the corresponding numbers for the current time. To finalize the change, push the crown back into its original position with your thumb.
2. A POCKET WATCH WITH A KEY
Pendant watches that have a key winding feature have a small hole in the inner cover at the back of the case.
The key is the tool that it fits into this cavity and allows access to the mechanism to pull the mainspring. The adjustment is done according to the model and the mechanism of the prototype.
Pocket watches that are wound with a winding key are generally older (vintage) and more fragile. Therefore, you’ll have to be quite meticulous when you get ready to do the manipulation.
To do this:
- Place the back of the watch facing you,
- Take the winding key and insert it into the hole in the case,
- Turn the key clockwise until you feel a slight resistance.
- Once done, your watch will be fully wound.
This time, to set the time on your watch, simply insert the key into the hole in the case and turn it, then pull it towards you. This will activate the time indication.
Then, keep turning the hands until they indicate the desired time and perform the reverse action to remove the key.
B. POCKET WATCHES WITH AUTOMATIC WINDING
The automatic caliber is mainly used on the quartz watch. Here, the battery of this quartz pocket watch is the main source of energy for the good functioning of the timepiece. It is therefore unnecessary to wind the watch by hand. It is currently the first model that offers the best accuracy. This does not prevent some mechanical models from presenting a modern design very fashionable.
To set the time, just like the crown-wound versions, you’ll need to lift the dash and turn the hands to the Roman numerals that correspond to the correct time zone for your chronometer. Then put the crown back in its original location. Finally, check that the second hand is running smoothly to ensure that your timepiece is running smoothly. By the way, have you ever wondered why the number 4 is written IIII and not IV on some pocket watch dials?
WHEN TO WIND A POCKET WATCH?
As you can see, winding a pocket watch is a simple and quick action to do. It does not take you more than a few seconds to operate its mechanism. The ideal is to do it every morning, during breakfast for example.
Some amateurs see it as a real watchmaking ritual. They take pleasure in winding their timepiece every morning before starting a good day. Moreover, our mechanical pocket watches have a power reserve of more than 35 hours. This means that once you wind it, you won’t have to do it all day!
Now, we hope that our tutorial was helpful and that it helped you learn more about your watch.
However, if you still have any questions or issues that you would like to clarify, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help you!
Our shop offers the best pocket watches, wind or quartz, antique or modern, with an Albert chain or a moon dial, etc. But above all, you will be able to enjoy free shipping on the whole shop and worldwide.
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