Watch Winding Myths and Claims

[maitai11]

Here’s one for you guys:

I read or heard somewhere online of someone warning all pocket watch owners to “Not overwind the watch, ever!” He went on to qualify his definition of “overwind” as “winding it more than 8 or 9 times.”

I carry my Illinois 11 jewel sidewinder on a daily basis, and I wind it fully and completely – WITHOUT going beyond the stopping point. Once it stops – and, I should state that I wind it gently leading up to that point, which I can sense – I no longer try and force anything. It’s worked very well for me.

When I had surgery on both shoulders, I met a man who very boldly, and authoritatively stated, “Oh, you’ll never do that again,” referring to things like swimming, over-the-head activities, swinging an axe, etc. Boy, was he ever full of you-know-what…When I told the doctor, I remember him saying, “Tim, the whole goal of surgery is to RESTORE function so you can do exactly those activities you spoke of…” And, while it doesn’t exactly relate to winding a watch, I think the point is very similar – if I’m right.

So, my position is that the watch was designed to be wound, and if they wanted you to wind it 3/4 the way, they would’ve shortened the spring.

Any dissenting opinions?

Best,

Tim

[bernie weishapl]

Same thing with a clocks Tim. If they didn’t want you to wind them all the way they would have put stop works on them.

[randy]

You can’t overwind a watch.
It’s an old hold-over from when folks didn’t understand that when a mainspring would get some rust on it, it would bind when wound fully,..and of course the watch would stop.
Blue steel mainsprings were the main culprit…

[maitai11]

Very, very good fellas! I love these old wives tales and especially making an open shew of them!

Tim

[arutha]

Also in Victorian times when houses didnt have proper heating the watch would be left out in a cold room and in the morning the gent would pick the cold watch up, wind it and put it in a pocket where it would warm up expanding the spring while in a fully wound condition which could lead to it locking up.
So I am told
Paul.

[maitai11]

NICE, Paul! Gotta watch out for that contracting cold! Actually, being that in times of old, things didn’t really get warm until the fire was started, I can definitely see how that kind of temperature would come into play. Nice contribution!

Tim

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