Many automatic-watch owners are told that their watches should remain running at all times. That belief has helped turn the watch winder into one of the most commonly recommended accessories in the collecting world.
But does an automatic watch truly need to operate every hour of every day?
For most watches, the answer is no.
An automatic watch is a mechanical machine. Inside the case are gears, wheels, pivots, springs, jewels, lubricants and an escapement working together thousands of times every hour. When the watch is running, those parts are moving. When the watch stops, the movement is simply at rest.
A watch winder can be convenient, especially for certain complicated watches, but it should not automatically be treated as a maintenance requirement.
An automatic watch receives its energy from a mainspring. As you move your wrist, a weighted rotor turns inside the movement and winds that spring. The spring then releases its stored energy gradually through the gear train and escapement, allowing the hands to move and the watch to keep time.
While the movement is operating, numerous components are continuously interacting. Depending on its frequency, the balance may oscillate tens of thousands of times per hour. Gear teeth engage, pivots rotate in their bearings and the escapement repeatedly locks and releases.
High-quality lubricants are placed at important contact points to reduce friction and wear. Those lubricants are essential, but they do not make mechanical operation completely free of friction.
A running watch is a working machine.
A mechanical watch and a car are obviously very different machines, but the comparison helps explain the basic principle.
A car contains gears, bearings, oil and many moving components. Most owners would never leave a car idling in the garage continuously just because they were afraid it might stop. Running it without a purpose would add operating hours, consume energy and create unnecessary mechanical use.
An automatic watch works on a much smaller and more refined scale, but it still contains moving parts and lubricants. Keeping it running continuously means those components continue operating even when the watch is sitting inside a safe or watch box.
This does not mean that regularly wearing a watch is harmful. Watches are designed to be worn and enjoyed. It simply means that there is generally no need to manufacture additional running time when you are not planning to wear the watch.
Some collectors become concerned when an automatic watch reaches the end of its power reserve and stops. In most cases, nothing is wrong.
The mainspring has simply released its stored energy. The watch can normally be restarted by winding it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, setting the correct time and placing it back on the wrist.
Allowing a watch to stop does not automatically damage the movement. Automatic watches are designed to run, exhaust their power reserve and be restarted.
This is especially normal for collectors who rotate between several watches. A collection of five, ten or twenty watches cannot realistically remain on the wrist at the same time. Some pieces will naturally rest between uses.
There is no single schedule that applies to every watch, movement, lubricant or manufacturer. Always follow the instructions supplied with your particular timepiece, especially for vintage watches or highly complicated movements.
As a practical collector routine, however, it can be reasonable to operate an unused mechanical watch periodically.
At Rehaut 1775, we believe that giving an infrequently worn watch some running time approximately once a month is a simple and sensible routine. You can wind it properly, allow it to operate and confirm that the crown, hands and movement are functioning normally.
The purpose is not to keep the watch running continuously. It is simply an occasional check-in with a mechanical object in your collection.
This monthly routine should be understood as a general collecting practice rather than a universal service requirement. Some owners may rotate their watches more frequently, while others may store certain pieces for longer periods. Vintage watches and watches with known mechanical issues may require guidance from a qualified watchmaker.
A watch winder creates additional operating time. Every hour spent on the winder is another hour during which the movement, gear train and escapement are functioning.
That does not mean a quality watch winder will immediately damage a healthy automatic watch. Modern automatic movements are normally designed with a slipping mechanism that helps prevent the mainspring from being wound beyond its intended capacity.
However, protection from overwinding does not mean protection from all mechanical use. The watch is still running, and the moving components are still accumulating operating hours.
For a simple automatic watch that is worn only occasionally, keeping it in continuous operation may solve a problem that does not really exist.
The best way to think about a watch winder is as a convenience device.
It keeps an automatic watch wound so that it is ready to wear without resetting the time and other indications. That may be valuable to one collector and completely unnecessary to another.
For a basic three-hand watch with a simple date display, restarting the watch may take only a minute or two. Manually winding it, setting the time and correcting the date is generally straightforward.
Many enthusiasts even enjoy this process. Winding and setting a mechanical watch creates a moment of interaction between the collector and the machine.
In that situation, a watch winder is optional rather than essential.
Although most automatic watches do not need to remain running continuously, there are situations in which a watch winder can be genuinely useful.
A perpetual calendar tracks the date, day, month and leap-year cycle. Resetting one after it has stopped can take time and may require careful attention to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Keeping a frequently worn perpetual calendar running may be more convenient than repeatedly correcting its indications.
Annual calendars also contain multiple calendar indications. Although generally easier to reset than perpetual calendars, owners who rotate them regularly may appreciate having them ready to wear.
A moonphase display can be reset, but accurately determining and entering the current lunar phase may require extra effort. A winder can preserve that setting between periods of wear.
A collector who alternates between several automatic watches every few days may prefer to keep certain pieces running. In this case, the winder saves time and makes the collection easier to enjoy.
Some owners prefer to minimize repeated crown use, particularly on watches with complex setting procedures. A properly configured winder may reduce how often the crown needs to be unscrewed and adjusted.
You probably do not need a watch winder when:
A watch winder should solve a real inconvenience. It should not create anxiety about allowing a mechanical watch to rest.
A suitable, well-made and correctly programmed winder should not immediately harm a healthy compatible watch. Problems are more likely when the winder is poorly constructed or incorrectly configured.
Potential concerns include:
Before using one, identify the movement’s recommended turns per day and winding direction. Depending on the caliber, the correct direction may be clockwise, counterclockwise or bidirectional.
Do not guess based only on the brand name. Two watches from the same company may use different movements and require different settings.
If you decide that a winder fits your collection, choose one based on function rather than appearance alone.
Useful features include:
A beautiful wooden case cannot compensate for incorrect programming or an unreliable motor.
Collectors sometimes hear that a watch must remain in constant motion to prevent its lubricants from settling or drying out.
Watch lubricants do age, which is one reason mechanical watches eventually require servicing. However, continuously operating the movement does not stop the natural aging process. It also introduces additional mechanical operation.
Occasional running can be part of a reasonable storage routine, but that is very different from keeping every watch in a collection operating 24 hours a day.
The condition of the movement, the age of the lubricants, the quality of the previous service and the storage environment are more important than simply keeping the hands moving.
Whether a watch is running or resting, it should be stored responsibly.
For long-term storage, especially involving an important vintage or complicated watch, consult a qualified watchmaker familiar with that movement.
For most simple automatic watches, there is no need to keep the movement running every hour of every day.
Wear the watch when you want to enjoy it. When it is not being worn, allow it to rest. If a piece remains in storage for an extended period, winding and operating it approximately once a month can serve as a practical collector routine and an opportunity to confirm that everything is functioning.
A watch winder becomes valuable when it saves meaningful time, particularly with perpetual calendars, annual calendars, moonphase watches or watches that are frequently rotated.
A watch winder is a convenience, not a life-support machine for your watch.
Your automatic watch was designed to run when it has energy and stop when that energy is exhausted. Letting it rest is a normal part of owning a mechanical timepiece.
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