Mechanical timepieces and self-winding or automatic watches have movements engineered to stay functional at all times. As part of their maintenance, the practice of watch winding is necessary to keep the timepieces running.

Most watch enthusiasts believe that the watch's regular winding can maintain the rotor’s dynamic state, preventing it from an unexpected halt. The traditional mechanical watches need a manual winding while self-winding or automatic watches may need occasional winding.

What is watch winding?

Winding is the process to power a mechanical watch's movement manually. The same concept applies to an automatic watch that stops working because the wearer is not using it anymore.

Watch winding can be done either by wearing it, turning the crown, or by using a watch winder – a device used to keep mechanical and automatic watches running when not worn.

How to wind an automatic watch?

If you are wondering how to wind an automatic watch using either of the methods mentioned above, here are the steps to follow:

By Wearing the Watch – Carefully put on the watch, then move your wrist gently until you see the hands moving again. Do not forget to adjust the time and date.

By Turning the Crown – For Aquinus Immersius dive watch, the crown has four different positions with varied functions.

• Position I – when the crown is still screwed in; mainly used to prevent water from entering the watch
• Position II – when the crown is pulled once; it is used for manual winding
• Position III – when the crown is pulled twice; used primarily for date adjustment
• Position IV – when the crown is pulled thrice; it is intended for time adjustment

For manual winding, position the crown to II then rotate it following a clockwise (or counterclockwise) direction for about 30 to 40 times or until the second-hand starts moving.

For date adjustment, pull the crown and position it to III. Rotate it in a counterclockwise direction until you see the correct date on the window.

For time adjustment, pull the crown at position IV, rotate it in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction until you set the correct time.

Using a Watch Winder – If you want your timepieces to remain working even if not worn, then having a watch winder is a great idea. This device imitates an arm’s movement as if a person wears the watch. Getting a winder works best for watch collectors who have more than one self-winding watch. It usually ranges from $50 - $500.

Watch Winder Setting

The most important concept to understand about a watch winder is Turns Per Day (TPD). For self-winding watches, the general rule is between 650 – 900 TPD.

However, for Aquinus Immersius, the specific winder setting recommended for the Sellita SW200 movement should be between 650 – 800 TPD. Moreover, it can follow both clockwise and counterclockwise winding directions.