WHAT IS AN AUTOMATIC WATCH?
Nowadays, most of the mechanical timepieces available in the market are equipped with an automotive movement. What's fantastic about these watches is that they just need to be worn on a regular basis to keep running for years. If you are fond of automatic watches, you might have probably wondered how they self-wind. You might have even asked yourself if you require a watch winder if you just wear your timepiece from time to time.
There are several interesting facts about an automatic timepiece. Let's discover more about them below.
THE AUTOMATIC WATCH: UPCLOSE AND PERSONAL
Twisting the crown is required to wind manual watches. However, for automatic ones, it's a different story. Each automatic timepiece comes with a rotor made of robust material like gold, platinum, or tungsten. These materials are known to be powerful enough in winding the movement. The rotor swings even from the slight movement of the wearer’s arm. In turn, this sets all the gears and inner mechanisms in motion, which automatically winds the spring.
Does your watch feature a case back made of glass? Then, you can see this process in real-time by simply flipping it over.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO WIND AN AUTOMATIC TIMEPIECE BY HAND?
Well, it all boils down to the watch movement. It's worth noting that not all automatic timepieces feature a manual winding option. If or when they stop sticking, you must shake them a bit to get their gears and mechanism turning again. Yet, most recent timepiece movements can also be hand-wound. This is practical if you don't wear or move the watch often.
It also comes down to the movement whether your timepiece requires to be wound regularly. Usually, watchmakers give this information. However, in general, the components of an automatic timepiece will wear down slowly if you rely less on winding it manually.
HOW TO PREVENT THE MAINSPRING FROM GETTING DAMAGED?
Unlike manual timepieces, it's impossible to ruin or damage the mainspring by overly twisting the crown. All thanks to a slipping spring located at the end part of the mainspring. It glides around the barrel's interior once the timepiece is fully wound. Nothing happens to the movement, even if you twist as much as you desire. Once you hear the spring as it glides, that’s the sign your timepiece is fully wound, even lacking a power reserve indicator.
Are you a fan of unique and stylish timepieces that reflect your personality and lifestyle? Grayton offers a wide collection of automatic watches, featuring premium aesthetics and reliable movements.
Explore them here and choose the one that suits your taste.
