What is the best way to charge up an automatic movement watch?

[Hotlux]

The "best way" meaning the safest method to charge up an automatic movement watch that has been sitting dormant enough so that the watch has stopped moving.

Should I:

1) Shake the watch in a left and right motion to have the rotor move?

or

2) Wind up the watch using the crown. Most of my watches can be wound after unscrewing the crown and and turning clockwise.

If using the wind up method with the crown how man turns should I make?

Also, can a watch be over stressed by winding up the crown too many turns? or the too many movements with the rotor?

 

[whocares]

Omega UPO should be avoided to wind them regularly through the crown.
For any other replica I would use the crown from time to time around 20 or 30 turns should give it enough power reserve. You can also do circle movement "swirls" rather than madly shaking it lol

 

[acharria]

The best way is buy a winder..

 

[whocares]

If you have many watches yes...however ALL winders will break down just a matter of time from cheap ones to Orbita included.

 

[Hotlux]

The best way is buy a winder..

... errrr... that doesn't answer my question in any way shape or form.. but thanks.

 

[fakemaster]

Get it started and wear it.

 

[whocares]

Just wear the damn watch lol like any replica or genuine...and stop over worrying.
If it is going to break or have any problems regardless of what you do it will happen. Should anything happen then you know, fix it then and service it voila matter closed

 

[AllergyDoc]

If it will start by gently shaking it, that's all you need. I usually give mine some slow winding as well.

 

[aceman_1]

I swirl mine like a glass of wine. Sometimes needs a tap on the crystal to get it started.

 

[jmd33]

I turn the crown about 20 times, then wear it for the day - that usually gets me about 40 hours of power reserve.

I also have a winder but don't use it.

 

[Patek986]

The right way is to wind it a good 20+ times smoothly and slowly, then wear it. If you just swirl it and put it on it's not good because you have the mainspring wound not enough, it's best for longevity to start it up with some good power off the bat. Your arm probably isn't "going" enough for quite some time to wind it up well enough. Also, don't us a winder, it's only good for keeping your calendars/date up to speed. It wears your watch out faster and that's what causes friction over time and what gets your oils contaminated.

 

[tommy_boy]

... errrr... that doesn't answer my question in any way shape or form.. but thanks.

Well, it wouldn't answer your question if you had specifically indicated that you're not interested in using a mechanical watch winder. :skeptical:

Some use them, some don't. See fakey's forum for his guidance on that subject. I have one that I like for my 7750 movements, for example.

 

[fakemaster]

You don't need to wind any auto that many times. A couple of turns is all you need. In the case of a 7750 maybe five or six.

 

[Hotlux]

I swirl mine like a glass of wine....

LOL... man this is great. I love it.

 

[hk45ca]

if i wind my genuine rolex's 20 times each day when i am not wearing them they will slowly but surely run down and stop after a cuple of weeks, apparently it's not enough. when i am going to wear one that has stopped i wind it 40 times and then wear it. that way no matter how long you wear it, it is fully charged. this is very important if you are wearing a chrono because if you start and reset your chrono with low power you take a big chance of screwing it up.

 

[Time4Direct]

Why does anyone need to keep the automatic running 24/7 when not using it ? It takes about 10 seconds to set it when you want to wear it. Couple of wind's on the crown and put it on and you are set to go

 

[ewatch]

Get it started and wear it.

I second that Fakey

 

[aceman_1]

Why does anyone need to keep the automatic running 24/7 when not using it ? It takes about 10 seconds to set it when you want to wear it. Couple of wind's on the crown and put it on and you are set to go

Good point T4D. However, each time I loosen/tighten the crown I get a little worried that I'm going to accidentally strip the crown tube or cause some other damage. I don't mind the "hassle" of setting the date/time, it's just the worry of causing some other damage in the process. If it were a gen I'd be less worried about it.

 

[hk45ca]

Why does anyone need to keep the automatic running 24/7 when not using it ? It takes about 10 seconds to set it when you want to wear it. Couple of wind's on the crown and put it on and you are set to go

because i keep a close eye on my genuine rolex's and i keep them running until the warranty is up. they cost allot to have serviced and if there is a problem i want to know about it before then. after that i let them stop but they run for the first 2 years i own them.

 

[narikaa]

Just give it a lill spool up on the commute into work

.