Watches are intricate machines that often need a little finessing to keep telling time properly. Learning how to care for them correctly can help you avoid timekeeping issues in the future. As an authorized watch repair center, we regularly see questions about what happens when a watch is left unwound for extended periods.
You might wonder whether your watch will function properly if you leave it unwound, or if doing so can actually cause damage. Is this something to be concerned about, or just a minor inconvenience? Read on to find out.
Is it Bad to Leave a Watch Unwound?
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to leave your watch unwound for a long period of time. However, it also depends on the type of watch and how long you leave it unwound. For most watches, stopping is actually natural and is completely fine. However, there are some situations where leaving your watch unwound for too long could cause some problems. To understand why, let’s look at how your watch works.
Manual-Wind vs Automatic: Does Being Unwound Matter?
There are two primary categories of watches when it comes to winding: manual-wind and automatic.
Manual-Wind Watches
Manual watches need to be wound to keep time. If you do not wind your watch for a few days, your watch will stop, and you will have to wind it up to operate it again. There is no damage done by letting your watch go unwound for a period of time, but it can become annoying if you don’t maintain the winding.
Automatic Watches
Automatic watches will keep themselves wound as long as you wear them frequently. If you don’t wear your automatic watch for a couple of days, it will stop on its own. Unless you want to wear your watch every day, you do not need to worry about winding your automatic watch. Just like manual watches, you can leave your automatic watch unwound for long periods without damaging the movement. You will just have to wind it by hand to operate it.
The Risks of Letting Your Watch Sit Unwound
While unwinding your watch every so often doesn’t usually cause immediate harm, it can lead to some of these problems:
1. Oils settling or drying
The oils in a watch’s movement serve as lubricants to allow smooth operation of the moving parts. Watches that sit without winding for months will cause oils to settle or dry out. Oil deterioration can affect the movement’s accuracy and longevity if not maintained with regular winding. Regular use or periodic professional watch movement servicing helps keep these lubricants properly distributed and protects the movement over time.
2. Loss of timekeeping accuracy
When oil settles or parts grind against one another from the friction of not winding, it can cause timekeeping inaccuracies to occur. Depending on your watch, this could mean large jumps in time or small, gradual decreases in accuracy. Don’t let your nice watch lose time because you forgot to wind it for too long.
3. Calendar and complication resets
Speaking of time loss, if your watch has any calendar complications or chronographs, they will need to be reset when you wind your watch back up. This process can be tedious and may affect the accuracy of other complications.
4. Increased wear on restart
Trying to wind a watch that has stayed idle for long periods will cause more wear than if you were to regularly wind your watch as you should. This is particularly true for automatic watches that rely on a rotor to wind the movement. Jump-starting a stopped watch will wear down the gears.
5. Risk of moisture intrusion
Failure to properly seal a watch can cause moisture intrusion. When you do not wear your watch while leaving it unwound, oil can seep into the gaskets and seals, causing them to dry up. Over time, this allows for moisture to build up inside your watch. This is a significant issue for luxurious and water-resistant watches.
6. Power reserve imbalance
Automatic watches come with a power reserve that is typically displayed on the watch dial. Leaving your watch in an unwound state will cause an imbalance in your power reserve, creating inconsistency with your timepiece. Your balance spring and gearing can also be strained more when you go to restart your watch, causing it to malfunction if not properly maintained.
7. Rotor stiffness
The rotor in your automatic watch is what winds your movement as you move. If left unwound for too long, your rotor can become stiff or stuck. You will have to put more energy into winding your watch, which can be hard on your watch’s movement.
Watch Winders: Helpful or Overused?
A watch winder is used to wind automatic watches when they are not being worn. Winders can be very useful for watch owners, however, it’s not essential for everyone to own one.
Owning a watch winder is a good idea if you own a watch with lots of complications. Complications like perpetual calendars and chronographs sometimes require you to reset them if the watch is unworn for too long.
But if you own a simple three-hand automatic watch that you wear every day, you don’t need a watch winder. Simply winding your watch once per day when you’re not wearing it will be adequate.
How to Store Your Watch the Right Way
Storing your watch properly can prolong its life and keep it functioning properly for years to come. If you’re storing an automatic watch for extended periods, follow best practices for temperature, positioning, and winding matters, especially for mechanical movements. Follow these tips for proper watch storage:
- Keep in a cool, dry place: Heat or humidity can damage the internal workings of your watch, causing corrosion or the breakdown of lubricants. Keep your watch away from direct sunlight and consider storing it with silica gel packets, as they absorb moisture and will keep your watch nice and dry.
- Avoid magnetic fields: Watch movements can be affected by magnets, causing them to lose accuracy. Keep your watch away from electronics and magnets when storing.
- Store in a watch box or case: A box or case will protect your watch from scratches and dust. It’s also a good idea if you’re planning on traveling as it can reduce the risk of airport security damaging your watch.
- Secure the crown fully: Leaving the crown up can allow dust or moisture to enter your watch, so be sure that it’s pushed all the way in or screwed down when storing.
- Wind your manual watch periodically: Wind your manual watch every couple of days to ensure that it keeps time while in storage.
- Rotate your automatic watch occasionally: If you won’t be wearing your automatic watch often, you should rotate it every once in a while (perhaps every weekend) to ensure that it’s wound.
Keep Your Watch Running Perfectly
It is generally okay if you leave your watch unwound for a few days. Just make sure you don’t leave it that way for a long time. Above all, with basic care and the right handling, a quality timepiece can continue performing accurately for decades.
Do you need help winding your watch? Bring it to Precision Watches for professional handling. As an authorized watch repair center, we understand the specific requirements of luxury watches and treat every piece with the attention it deserves. Don’t waste your time fixing your watch yourself, let the experts do it for you. Contact us today for your watch repairs and service.
And if you decide that the timepiece no longer fits your collection, we also offer a trusted, straightforward way to sell your luxury watch with confidence. Get in touch with our team and we will provide a fair, transparent appraisal and purchase your luxury timepiece directly.
