zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: I also have an ETA based Swiss watch with a
: regular, non-scew crown that I don't wear
: everyday, however, I do wind it everyday to
: keep it running. How unhealthy is it to wind
: it everyday? What would you say is better?
: To leave the watch alone and let it stop, or
: to keep it constantly wound and running?
: Actually, I rarely wear the watch more than
: once in two weeks, sometimes even once a
: month.
: I'm aware that the best alternative is a
: winder, however, I don't have one YET. Maybe
: I'll get myself one someday in the future.

: Common man

I have some automatic watches that I don't wear much, so these I simply keep in a watch box and wind them only when I plan to wear them. It depends on the age of your watch and how old the lubricants are, but the newer lubricants that are used in modern movements don't have the same problems of "gumming up"/coagulating like older lubricants did. So, you can let a watch sit for months without winding it, as long as it isn't an older model that hasn't been serviced in ages.

By not winding it for the sole purpose of keeping it wound, you may actually increase the time the watch can go between servicings. If the watch isn't running all the time, the parts aren't wearing as quickly. That's why the only watches that stay on my winders are the ones I wear at least a couple of days a week. The others I simply let run down and wind them when I wear them. This has never caused me any problems.

-John