Timepiece Instructions

THE MECHANICS OF THE TIMEPIECE

All watches tell the time, but not all watches operate the same way. Understanding how your timepiece works is a crucial part of ownership and maintenance. If your watch has an automatic movement it will need more care and attention than one which features a quartz movement. Below we've outlined some of the key differences between automatic and quartz operated watches.  

 

AUTOMATIC TIMEPIECES

For an automatic self-winding watch to function properly the mainspring must build up a sufficient power reserve. Many people are unaware that a self-winding watch needs to be wound first manually before it will run automatically. This is called the initiation process; and without this, your timepiece will never operate properly or consistently.

To initiate the watch, turn the winding crown at the 3 o'clock position in a clockwise direction for about 20 revolutions. This startup wind is usually sufficient for most automatic watches. The initiation process will manually tighten the small spring inside of the watch, so that it builds up enough tension for the timepiece to operate. As the spring starts to unfurl itself it will pull along the cogs that, through intricate engineering, in turn, move the hands. Once the spring is completely unfurled then the watch will stop operating. 

After the initiation process has been completed the watch will wind itself automatically by means of an oscillation weight that moves every time the watch's position is changed. A self-winding watch should be worn for at least eight hours a day to maximize the power reserve. If this isn't possible, or if the watch has not been worn for more than 15 hours, the initiation process must be repeated.

 

QUARTZ / BATTERY POWERED TIMEPIECES

Unlike their mechanical counterparts, a watch with a quartz movement does not require any winding nor initiation. Because it utilizes a battery which sends an electrical signal through a tiny crystal of quartz, it requires relatively little upkeep and should keep the time regardless of how often it is worn.

 

INITIATING MOVEMENT OF THE TIMEPIECE

01 — PUSH THE CROWN IN

Make sure the crown is fully pushed in, so the winding mechanism is connected to the crown. If the crown is pulled out, the watch will be in time-setting mode.

02 — ROTATE THE CROWN

Rotate the crown in a clockwise direction (away from yourself) for around 20-30 full rotations. This should wind the mainspring enough so that it is fully charged.

 03 — REPEAT IF NOT WORN 
(FOR AT LEAST 15 HOURS)

A fully charged watch should last for around 10-15 hours without any movement 'topping it up'. If it's not worn for at least this period of time you will need to repeat the process.