What should you do if a watch's second hand stops?

　　How should you handle a stopped second hand? Let us learn about it together below.

　　Methods for handling a stopped second hand

　　If it is a quartz watch, some large second hands do not run continuously. Generally, on three-subdial chronograph watches, the long second hand does not run normally during everyday wear and only moves when the chronograph is active; the small subdial that is constantly moving is the actual seconds hand for the time, which is a power-saving design used by most chronograph watches. Please consult the user manual for details.

　　If it is a mechanical watch, the timekeeping variance is relatively large and not as accurate as a quartz watch. Newly purchased automatic mechanical watches may suffer from insufficient power reserve within the first week due to insufficient daytime physical activity. Therefore, it is recommended that before putting the watch down for the night, you gently rock it horizontally from side to side for about 10 minutes to wind it and ensure normal timekeeping.

　　Self-winding mechanical watches rely on arm movement to automatically wind the mainspring, so they must be worn for more than 12 hours daily to ensure accurate timekeeping.

　　The simplest method is to take it in for repair, though it could be due to one of the following issues: a stuck mainspring or a loose second hand. Try shaking it a few times to see if it works; if not, you will have to send it for repair.

　　First, check whether only the second hand is stationary while everything else functions normally. If everything else is normal, the issue is likely a stuck mainspring.

　　Most self-winding watches can also be hand-wound. Especially when wearing them for the first time or after they have stopped, you should manually wind the mainspring fully rather than relying on the rotor to wind them completely. With manually wound watches, you can feel when the mainspring is fully wound, but with self-winding watches, you generally cannot feel it. Therefore, it is recommended to err on the side of caution when winding automatic watches, and about 40 turns will basically ensure it is fully wound. However, do not wind it manually too frequently, as this is harmful to the crown's waterproof gaskets and will affect the watch's water resistance.

　　Common questions regarding mechanical watch maintenance

　　a. Regularly use a soft cloth or silk to gently wipe away dirt and sweat stains from the case.

　　b. Manual-winding mechanical watches should be wound at a fixed time, preferably fully wound in one go. The speed of turning the crown when winding should be moderate, and do not wind it too tightly. If it is too tight, the mainspring can easily become stuck by the oil in the barrel. When the mainspring relaxes, it can easily break due to excessive tension.

　　c. Watches are most sensitive to violent vibrations; it is best to remove the watch when playing ball sports or hitting things with your hands.

　　d. Watches are also susceptible to water damage. Therefore, it is best to remove your watch when washing clothes, washing hands or doing other work that involves contact with water. If condensation or water droplets appear on the watch crystal, it should be serviced promptly to wipe away the condensation and water droplets, and dry the movement. However, if there is only a small amount of condensation, it will disappear on its own once the weather becomes dry.

　　e. Please do not bring the watch close to magnetic objects such as radios and televisions, so as not to affect accuracy.

　　f. Please do not allow the watch to come into contact with solvents, mercury, cosmetic sprays, cleaning agents, adhesives, paint, or camphor. Otherwise, the case, strap and other components may discolour, deteriorate or become damaged. Camphor is a highly volatile substance that easily thickens watch oil, causing it to lose its lubricating effect and consequently impairing the timekeeping accuracy.