THE JOURNAL

What to do if a mechanical watch stops?

News centrePublished 2014-04-25

Nowadays, more and more people are keen on mechanical watches, but they may not be clear about the basic knowledge and maintenance methods. Therefore, this question often appears on major websites and forums: what to do if a mechanical watch stops?

IWC Portofino 7750 automatic mechanical chronograph men's watch

Reasons why a mechanical watch stops:

There are many reasons why a mechanical watch stops, such as: impact, misalignment of the movement gears, magnetization of the watch, or the oil drying out after being left unused for a long time.

Recommendations for using a mechanical watch:

1. Watches with manual-winding movements should be wound once a day at the same time to ensure the watch has enough energy to operate for the next 24 hours.

2. For watches with automatic movements, energy is derived from the movement of the wearer's arm, so manual winding is not required under normal wearing conditions. Only when the wearer's activity level is insufficient to provide enough energy to the mainspring can manual winding be used to compensate, and the crown should be turned no more than twenty times.

3. For automatic watches that have not been worn for more than 40 hours, turn the crown twenty times when wearing it again to restart the movement's drive system.

4. To prevent moisture from entering the case and to maintain the watch's water resistance, please ensure the crown is always in the locked position.

Points to note

To ensure your watch operates normally and accurately, we recommend regular maintenance.

1. Have the watch tested for water resistance and the exterior cleaned once a year.

2. For mechanical watches, perform a full service every 3-5 years.

3. This not only keeps the watch in good running condition but also effectively extends its service life. However, the above maintenance services only apply to watches worn under normal conditions and do not include watches that have been worn abnormally or subjected to constant impact.

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