Winding An Automatic Watch

[DrRock]

OK - a question for you gurus:

 

I know that with automatic watches, the swiveling thingy can rotate in either direction, and it still winds the spring, due to the way the gears are arranged.

 

But - my question - does that also apply to the crown? In other words, does it matter which way I turn the crown to wind up an automatic watch?

 

Also, I've heard it said that you can't overwind an automatic watch - but again, the question is: does that also apply to winding via the crown, or only to the automatic movement?

 

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Pete, Brisbane
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[anilv]

Dear Pete,

The crown only winds in one direction... You will hear some clicks as you wind in the incorrect counterclockwise (viewed edge on) but that's the ratchet mechanism.

Practically all automatic watches will slip if wound past max, this applies even if hand wound. There are some early bumper watches which disengage the winding once full and if not set up correctly this can cause damage to the watch but these are rare.

Anil

[DrRock]

Hi Anil - many thanks for your reply :)

 

The watch in question is one I got for Christmas, an Ingersoll Bison (I admit to liking big watches!!)

 

And there is no ratchet feeling in either direction. The crown winds smoothly both ways. Note that the crown is on the LEFT of the dial - either for a right-wrist wearer, or, like me, a left-wrist wearer that prefers the sticky-outy bits pointing up the arm instead of jamming into the back of the hand.  So which is the correct way to wind this? It doesn't say in the manual - it just says to "wind up the watch with 8-10 turns of the crown". Is it clockwise looking from the left edge? Or is it anti-clockwise, winding it "upwards" towards the top of the dial? It certainly feels exactly the same in both directions. And it doesn't seem to tighten up, or come to any stop - it just keeps right on winding!

 

 

PS: you'll no doubt notice that the hand is missing from the Year sub-dial. That has been fixed under warranty already. It's a great-looking watch if you're into big watches... ;)

Edited January 31, 2015 by DrRock

[anilv]

Not too familiar with this watch .. but if it is using a movement derived from the Seiko automatics then there will be no option of hand-winding.

 

you just have to shake it..shake it like a polaroid picture! (apologies to outkast!)

 

Anil

[bobm12]

Hi Anil and Pete,

 

Not that I'm disagreeing with you Anil, but ...I would put in my two cents, older Seiko automatics can't be winded with the crown therefore Anil's response. Newer movements like the 4R36 not only can be winded through the crown but has a hacking seconds! Just replaced one in my old Seiko 5 case...beautiful substitution, works like a charm!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

 

PS: "Ingersoll Watches -- been around since 1892, founded by Charles and Robert Ingersoll in the United States.  With their company, they had one of the earliest (if not the earliest) automated assembly line for watch manufacture. Those watches weren’t just some cheaply thrown together piece of junk.  They developed a reputation for quality and precision; with the one dollar asking price (which was a days wage at the time), it quickly became known as “The Dollar Watch”. These watches were so popular, that even Teddy Roosevelt (US president), while travelling in Africa, was referred to as being from the country of the dollar watch. While they’re no longer an American company (they were purchased in the late 80s by British company Zeon), they embrace the history and lineage of the company, and as a result, they have an extremely impressive catalog (quite literally – it’s the largest watch catalog for a single company ... ever seen). Oh, and included in that family of watches?  The Mickey Mouse watch – Ingersoll was actually the first company to produce one back in 1933.  While we don’t have any of their current Disney watches for review (yet), we do have ones from their other lines slated for review, including Ingersoll, Swiss Eagle, and Original Penguin." From "the wristwatch review"

 

@Pete,

 

Apparently your watch has an Asian (probably Chinese from researching on line) movement which make me think it will only wind clockwise...one direction.

[DrRock]

I think the movement is their own. German-designed. And it definitely says to start the watch after a period of time when it has stopped, to wind it up with 8-10 turns of the crown.

 

So far, I've been hedging my bets, and winding it one way then the other :)

 

Thanks for the comments Bob. The watch blurb says "Designed in Germany, manufactured in China with strict quality control by Ingersoll".

 

Perhaps I'd better just keep doing what I've been doing, and wind it both ways....

 

--
Pete, Brisbane
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Edited January 31, 2015 by DrRock

[bobm12]

Yes, Pete, it is British owned, German designed and Chinese manufactured according to my research therefore the assumption: it is one way winding....it is a great looking piece and a great value/price according to the same sources.

 

By the way, Anil is correct, I'm only supplementing his information. I think the brand is doing great in todays economy which is a good indicator. Regretfully, no one is actually talking about the winding direction or the movement in detail.

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Rob]

Ingersoll is Hong Kong owned and incorporated in Bermuda. It has pretty much nothing to do with the original Ingersoll brand. They use basic Chinese movements.

[Geo]

Hi Pete, one way to confirm if your watch can be crown wound is let it fully run down and stop, then carefully without shaking it, wind the crown and see if it starts. If it does start then what Anil said earlier holds.

[clockboy]

Just adding one thing to be aware of is most auto Seiko watches do not wind from the crown and only wind from movement of the oscillating weight. There are some vids on youtube showing how to wind them

[anilv]

Hi Pete,

If the manual says wind then it will be winding in a clockwise direction looking down on the crown, irrespective of which side the crown is.

Enjoy the watch!

Anil

[DrRock]

Thanks Anil and everyone else. I'll wind it clockwise (seems appropriate - or should that be watchwise?). ;)

 

--
Pete, Brisbane
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