How to Wind, Start and Set an Automatic Watch for the First Time

Your new automatic watch has arrived and it isn't running. That is normal: it has been sitting still in a box. Here is how to start it, wind it and set it properly, in about two minutes.

Step 1: Unscrew the crown (if it screws down)

Many sports watches, including dive and pilot watches, have a screw-down crown to keep water out. Turn it towards you, anticlockwise when looking at the dial, until it pops out gently. Don't force it and don't pull it yet.

Step 2: Wind it by hand

In this first position, turn the crown clockwise, away from you. You may feel a slight resistance or hear a faint whirr. Around 30 to 40 turns gives a good wind. The seconds hand will start moving after a few turns.

You can't overwind an automatic: once the mainspring is full, a slipping clutch lets it slide. If the crown suddenly feels different, simply stop.

Step 3: Set the date (if your watch has one)

Pull the crown out to the middle position. Turning it one way changes the date. Set it to yesterday's date for now. You'll see why in the next step.

The one rule: avoid changing the date between 9pm and 3am

Late in the evening, the date mechanism begins to engage to switch over at midnight. Forcing the date change during those hours can damage the gears in many movements. The safe habit: set the hands to around 6 o'clock first, then change the date.

Step 4: Set the time

Pull the crown out to the last position. Turn the hands forward until the date clicks over to today. You are now past midnight, in the morning. Keep turning to the correct time, remembering whether it is morning or afternoon.

Many movements, including the ones we use, stop the seconds hand when the crown is fully out. This is called hacking. Wait for the seconds hand to reach 12, set the minutes, then push the crown back in on the beep of a time signal and your watch is set to the second.

Step 5: Push in and screw the crown down

Push the crown back in, then, if it screws down, press gently and turn it clockwise until it is snug. Never tighten it hard. This step matters: an unscrewed crown means no water resistance.

Living with it

• Worn every day, it winds itself. No need to wind it daily.
• If you take it off for a weekend, it may stop. Wind it, set it and carry on.
• Keep it away from magnets such as phone cases and laptop speakers, which can make it run fast.

Want to know what is happening inside? Read how an automatic watch works.