How To Wind A Pocket Watch, Now you know

  • By: David Sanchez
  • Time to read: 5 min.

Pocket watches contain a spring within and those help wind a pocket watch. They continue to run because of the tensile tension that winding produces in the spring. The spring can be wound to produce that tension. 

This mainspring is powered by the winding of a watch, which can be done manually or automatically.  The type of pocket watch you own will determine whether you require a key to wind the spring.

Older pocket watches usually have a lifespan of 24–28 hours per wind. Newer variants are capable of lasting up to 48 hours. Whether you own a historical clock or a brand-new luxury pocket watch, your piece should be wounded daily. 

It’s a good idea to develop a pattern of winding your watch every morning or night to improve the watch‘s accuracy, making winding a necessary part of your daily schedule. You will be more likely to overlook winding it if you do it this way.

Wind A Pocket Watch

This article will clearly explain the steps required for wind a pocket watch with and without keys. Go through the below detailed sections. 

Step 1: Locate the Winding Crown

In a technical sense, the crown connects the inside of the watch to the outside. Its function differs based on the type of watch and its characteristics.

You must remove the pocket watch’s rear cover if a key is required to wind it. The back cover shields your watch’s back. It is an entirely different component from the watch back.

Simply pull the back cover away from the body. The watch case and back cover are hinged together. It’s quite simple to open, and one can use a pen knife to open it if the back cover appears stuck. One can open it by gently pushing the back cover.

Once the rear cover has been opened, you will find the “winding crown.” 

Identification of the winding crown is easy; on the back of your watch, you will find a small hole that is nothing but a winding crown.

Step 2: Pull Out The Winding Crown

For manual winding, the crown needs to be pulled in different positions. Now gently pull the crown, and start rotating to check whether the clock’s dials are rotating.

Tips For Properly Pulling Out The Winding Crown.

  1. Simple press and pull the crown upward
  2. Only apply a little pressure for pulling.

Step 3: Wind The Watch

It’s time for you to retrieve the pocket watch’s included key. Then insert the key into the keyhole. After that, turn the key in a clockwise motion. The mainspring will start to wound up as you watch.

You must continue winding until you encounter some obstacle. The mainspring is wrapped up when you feel this resistance.

However, it is most certainly damaged if you encounter no resistance from the watch.

How Many Turns Are Typically Needed To Wind The Watch Fully?

The crown must be wounded up to 30 to 40 times on average for watches to reach their optimum power though, this can vary. The watch is wound completely when you encounter resistance. If your watch is brand-new and you need more confidence, try winding the crown 30 times to begin with, and increase from there.

Tips for winding the watch smoothly and evenly

  1. Don’t overwind the pocket watch as it damages the spring mechanism.
  2. Start winding the crown slowly in a clockwise direction 30 times; after that, you can increase the rotation speed. 

Step 4: Push In The Winding Crown

Once the winding process is done, press and push the crown to its previous position, and rotate it in an anticlockwise direction until it tightens up. 

Tips for properly pushing in the winding crown

  1. Don’t apply pressure on the crown while pushing.
  2. Rotate in an anticlockwise direction firmly.

Step 5: Tips To Wind The Watch Without Key

You can also wind your pocket watch without a key in a few simple steps.

The first step is to adjust the dials and remove the crown of your watch. You need to pull it until you notice or hear a clicking sound.

Now rotate the crown till the hands in the dial start moving. Now adjust the time to the current timing.

Push the crown inward once the time has been adjusted. The crown should then be turned halfway through each forward and backward rotation. The mainspring should wind as a result. You should notice a slight tightening as you rotate the crown. The crown will defy rotation once fully coiled.

After that, remove your fingers from the crown and check whether the watch is working.

Tips to Keep Your Pocket Watch in Perfect Condition

Maintaining a pocket watch is challenging if you don’t know how to handle it properly. Below given pointers will help you to maintain it in a tip-top state.

  • If you forget to wind it, it will impact your watch’s ability to display the time accurately. A watch’s spring mechanism will be harmed by overwinding, so it is not a good idea to do it. 
  • A pocket watch should only be wound once a day for the smooth keeping of any clock or watch’s internal mechanism in good operating condition. 
  • The proper winding techniques improve the watch’s efficiency. And it functions well with proper care and maintenance. 
  • For cleaning the pocket watch, use a microfiber cloth, and avoid using cleaners or water. 
  • Never keep the watch in combination with keys, coins, and pens, which may damage the watch. 
  • You must handle the pocket watches and their coverage with care. Never try to force the lid open or open it farther than necessary. Damage to the spring alignment or the hinge could prevent the cover from closing properly.
  • An effective way to store a pocket watch is in a pouch or box. On the other hand, a pocket watch stand is a nice way to show off a pocket watch while it is not in use. 
  • Deodorants and fragrances might harm your pocket watch. When getting ready, keep your pocket watch safely from all these.
  • Use a pocket watch chain to secure your pocket watch in a buttonhole, belt loop, or pants loop. Doing this can prevent dropping the pocket watch and causing damage.

Conclusion

The steps for winding the pocket watch are illustrated in detail in this article. Pocket watches have always provided a great appearance as a showcase. Despite not being worn on the wrist, they nonetheless offer glitz. But they require appropriate winding, sensitivity handling, and proper storage.

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