Before the 1980s, most people wore mechanical hand-wound watches, winding them each morning as part of their daily routine. Today, battery-powered quartz watches have become the norm, offering effortless accuracy and minimal upkeep. However, for those who appreciate the craftsmanship and heritage of a hand-wound mechanical watch, knowing how to properly wind and set it is essential. Using the correct winding and setting technique keeps your watch accurate and prevents damage—especially in calendar models that can be harmed by improper setting.
Winding and setting most mechanical watches is a straightforward process. Simply turn the crown clockwise until you feel it stop winding, which indicates the mainspring is fully wound, then pull the stem out to set the hands to the correct time. When winding an automatic watch there will be no definitive stopping point, as the mainspring has a slipping bridle that prohibits the spring from being overwound by the automatic module.
For most quick-set calendar watches, the date is adjusted by gently pulling the crown to the first position (halfway out) and turning it until the desired date appears. To prevent damage to the date mechanism, it’s best not to use the quick-set function between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., when the date-change gears are engaged. Once the date is set, pull the crown fully out to adjust the time, then press it back in to resume normal operation.
Antique Pocket Watches
When it comes to vintage and antique pocket watches, there are additional mechanisms to understand—particularly lever-set and key-wind/key-set watches, which operate quite differently. The following sections explain how each of these classic systems works.
Lever Set (LS): On a watch with a lever set, you have to remove the front bezel (the part with the glass) by unscrewing, or opening on a hinge. When you have this open, there should be a small groove with the end of the lever that can be gently pulled out with your finger nail. Be cautious not to bend or break the lever off, as it can be fragile. After the lever is out, you can use the crown to set the hands. After complete, simply push the lever back in.
Key Set (KS): For this older design, you simply have a key that is mated to a square arbor on in the middle of the dial on the hands, and turn the hands directly. Again, you have to remove the front bezel.
Key Wind (KW): Using the same key as setting, you open the back of the watch (there is usually an inner casing, and put the key on the square arbor and wind until resistance is felt).
Pin Set: Often there is a small button or “pin” on the one side or the other of the stem. In this case this pain is pushed in while turning the stem to set the hands.
If you would like to initiate the repair of your vintage timepiece, be sure to visit getting started. For additional information on watches we work on please visit these pages: Vintage Rolex repair, Vintage Breitling repair, Vintage Omega repair, and Vintage Heuer repair.