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Thread: Basic question on automatic watch

  1. #1
    Apprentice
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    Basic question on automatic watch

    Hi there,
    Apologies for the basic question but just bought my first Automatic watch (Cartier Ronde Solo).

    The sales guy explained to ensure the hands are pointing down (e.g. 6.30) before setting the date however I知 a little confused about whether they should also be in that position before winding the watch?

    Any advice and the best order of steps to take for winding, setting time and date would be MUCH appreciated!

    I知 wearing my watch everyday and only take off at night.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Winding is fine at any time. The salesman saying the hands should be down is decent advice, as for a lot of mechanical watches, if the date is manually changed while the hands have naturally gone round to the date change location around midnight it can damage the mechanism.

  3. #3
    Craftsman
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    The date mechanism can be damaged if setting the date when it's on changeover..... typically 2200hrs to 0200hrs.

    Adjusting the date with both hand pointing to 6 is usually safe

  4. #4
    Hey newbie!
    The date changes at midnight, meaning the gears begin to engage a little before and so if you change the date near to midnight you put stress on the mechanism and you may break something.
    6.30 pm is over cautious for me, I say after 9 pm no date changing.
    You dig?



    ...
    BUBI 0_0

  5. #5
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Just to add, manually moving the hands (as opposed to winding the movement) through 24 hour cycles until you reach the correct date is also fine, although using the quick-set date change function is obviously quicker and easier.
    Last edited by learningtofly; 17th November 2019 at 13:20.

  6. #6
    Journeyman
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    As others have said, changing the date using the quickest mechanism (rolling the date forward using the crown without moving the hands) can break the mechanism inside if it is already engaged a few hours before or after midnight. Some movements are more forgiving (I think the ETA 2824 and 2892 use a flexible spring for the date driver) so it's worth finding out which movement the watch is using.

    If it's an ETA movement you also ought to minimise hand winding as that mechanism is delicate too. Personally I would only hand wind to start it up if it's stopped and use the rotor to wind it up further whilst it's on your arm.

  7. #7
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Standard and sensible advice as others have stated.

  8. #8
    Apprentice
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    Thanks for the advice guys 🙏 🙏 and apologies for asking such a silly question.

    So for arguments sake, If I took my watch off at night and woke the next morning and it had stopped, assuming the date was fine, the steps would be:

    1) Wind manually in clockwise fashion
    2) Pull the crown out to time function and adjust time

    ?

    In theory I shouldn稚 have to adjust the data often if I知 wearing daily.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Watchnewbie88 View Post
    Thanks for the advice guys   and apologies for asking such a silly question.
    No such thing as a silly question, especially when asked nicely.

    Always ask, no shame in that.

    We're all learning, even some long-standing watchmakers

  10. #10
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Welcome to the forum.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  11. #11
    Journeyman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Watchnewbie88 View Post
    Thanks for the advice guys 🙏 🙏 and apologies for asking such a silly question.

    So for arguments sake, If I took my watch off at night and woke the next morning and it had stopped, assuming the date was fine, the steps would be:

    1) Wind manually in clockwise fashion
    2) Pull the crown out to time function and adjust time

    ?

    In theory I shouldn稚 have to adjust the data often if I知 wearing daily.
    Yes. If you are sure it was running correctly when you took it off at night and the date is correct in the morning, simply giving it a few winds to start it up and set the correct time. This shouldn't happen though if you were wearing the watch for the whole day unless you are extremely sedentary.

  12. #12
    Master
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    Good question. I have feared falling foul of this watch issue in the past. Thankfully all were unfounded but it's a good habit to be in. I know some movements are far more prone to problems than others but best to not test them!

    Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

  13. #13
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by bubi View Post
    Hey newbie!
    The date changes at midnight, meaning the gears begin to engage a little before and so if you change the date near to midnight you put stress on the mechanism and you may break something.
    6.30 pm is over cautious for me, I say after 9 pm no date changing.

    ...
    Though this also applies to most analogue quartz watches as well, not just automatic ones?
    Not all - my Citizen eco-drive perpetual calendar watches seem to work in a very different way to most others, rather like a digital watch with hands (if that makes any sense!)

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