Have you purchased a new Rolex watch and are worried if you are overwinding it?
Owning a Rolex is a dream of many watch aficionados. When you finally manage to get your hands on one, it does not matter whether it is a Rolex Datejust, GMT, Submariner, Oyster Perpetual, or any other Rolex watch, you must want to take extra care of it. The happiness of owning a Rolex is often followed by worries. If you are in the same phase as well and are worrying about overwinding your Rolex then you are at the right place.
In this article, I will tell you everything that you need to know about winding your Rolex. You will find answers to the questions like:
- Can you overwind a modern or vintage Rolex watch?
- What happens if you overwind a watch?
- How can you know if the watch is fully wounded or not?
- How to wind a Rolex and how often should you wind it?
So do not worry and keep reading!
Quick Navigation
- Can You Overwind A Rolex Watch?
- Can You Overwind A Vintage Rolex?
- What Happens If You Overwind A Watch?
- How Do You Know When A Rolex Is Fully Wound?
- How To Wind A Rolex Watch?
- How Often Should A Rolex Be Wound?
- Should You Wind Your Rolex Every Day?
- FAQs
Can You Overwind A Rolex Watch?
Before we move to any other topic, let me put you at ease first. If you have purchased a brand new Rolex then you do not have to worry about overwinding it.
A modern Rolex watch has an inbuilt auto-cut mechanism that prevents the mainspring from getting overwound. As a result, when the mainspring gets fully wound, the winder starts slipping. So whether you own a mechanical or an automatic Rolex watch, you will not be able to overwind it even if you want to.
Can You Overwind A Vintage Rolex?
All the modern Rolex watches come with an auto-cut mechanism but do vintage watches have the same mechanism?
No, not all vintage Rolex watches have an auto-cut mechanism therefore there are chances that you can overwind them accidentally. So if you have purchased an old vintage Rolex watch then you should be careful while winding it.
What Happens If You Overwind A Watch?
Do you want to know what would happen if someday your fear of overwinding your Rolex, or any watch that you own, comes true?
Let us first understand in simple terms what winding in a watch actually means? Winding basically is a process of folding the mainspring (the mainspring is one of the most important parts of a watch). Once folded completely, the mainspring gets unfolded slowly and hence powering the watch mechanism.
Now answer this question, what happens when you push something to its limits?
It breaks, right? The same is the case with the mainspring of a watch. When it is already fully folded and you apply more pressure to it then there are chances that it will break after some point. And once it breaks then your watch will stop functioning and you will have to take it to a repair center.
How Do You Know When A Rolex Is Fully Wound?
As discussed, winding simply folds the mainspring. Therefore when any mechanical watch, be it of Rolex or any other brand, is not wound at all then it will be very easy to wind it initially. Because the tension in the mainspring will be very low. As the spring gets folded over and over again the tension starts to build up because the mainspring wants to get unfolded again. And you will be able to feel this pressure while winding the watch.
When you feel the pressure is at its peak, that is the point where you need to stop. At this point, your watch has been fully wound.
Today, many watches come with power-reserve indicators. It shows the amount of power left in the watch before it needs the winding again. You can simply look at this power reserve indicator and if it is at its fullest then it means the watch is fully wound.
How To Wind A Rolex Watch?
Now that we know about winding a little, let us now look at how to properly wind mechanical as well as automatic watches.
How To Wind An Automatic Rolex Watch?
Automatic Rolex watches are watches that get wound automatically. Therefore, as long as you are wearing them daily, you do not have to manually wind them.
However, you will have to manually wind them once they get fully discharged. To manually wind an automatic watch simply start turning the crown in a clockwise direction if your watch has a normal crown.
If your watch has a screw-down crown then rotate the crown in an anti-clockwise direction until it pops out. Once it is out then start rotating the crown in a clockwise direction to wind your watch.
You can also wind an automatic watch with a watch winder if you do not wear it daily.
How To Wind A Mechanical Rolex?
A mechanical Rolex watch needs manual winding, so if you want to keep your Rolex watch ticking then you will need to wind it. To wind a mechanical watch you simply have to rotate the crown in a clockwise direction. And if your watch has a screw-down crown then you already know what to do.
How Often Should A Rolex Be Wound?
The need for winding will vary from watch to watch. And if you want to know how often you should wind your Rolex watch then you need to know about its power reserve.
For example, if your watch has a power reserve of 48 hours then it will need winding approximately after 2 days. Similarly, if your watch has a power reserve of 80 hours then it will need winding approximately after every 3 days.
Therefore you can know the frequency of winding your watch based on the amount of power reserve it comes with.
Should You Wind Your Rolex Every Day?
As discussed, how often you should wind your Rolex will depend on the power reserve it has. If your Rolex comes with an automatic movement and you wear it daily then you do not have to worry about its winding ever again.
Having said that, if you want to wind your watch daily then you can definitely do that. It will not harm your Rolex in any way.
FAQs
How Often Should You Wind A Vintage Rolex?
Frequency of winding a vintage Rolex watch will depend on its power reserve.
Can You Shake Your Rolex To Wind It?
Yes, shaking your Rolex will wind it if it has an automatic movement. However, you should not shake a watch to wind it. It can damage your mainspring.
Can You Overwind A Rolex Datejust?
No, Rolex Datejust cannot be overwound.
Can You Overwind A Rolex GMT?
No, Rolex GMT will not get overwind.
Can You Overwind A Rolex Submariner?
No, you cannot overwind a Rolex Submariner.
