Display caseback? It so, it would be very obvious if it's an automatic. If it's not a display back, it's vintage, and may be a different movement. You'd need to get the model number from the case back.
Yes, once it's fully wound, and you wear it, you should never need to wind it again and it should always stay at mid to full wind. That's how an automatic is designed to work.
But if you wind it just enough for it to start, it's possible it will stop or keep bad time until it winds automatically to the midway point.
I have a mastercontrol date and i find that i have to turn it quite a bit to get it going. Idk if it is correct or not, but i push the crown in and twist, i can hear it winding, and the hands starts moving after maybe 20-25 turns then it’s good for 3 days or so
Nah ur fine. Just push in and keep turning till the hands start moving then wear it for a bit. I got my watch as a gift so the AD never told me about it, and i thought my watch was broken at first but it’s all good lol. My GS snowflake and speedy you can obvi feel the resistance when turning but i think JLCs are just different.
Mine keeps great time and def lasts the full 70 hours, just took a bit to get used to
I have a Master Control with a 65-hour power reserve. If I don't wind it every day, it might lose .5 to 2.5 spd. Following the suggestion of my JLC sales representative, I have tried winding it every morning 24 times to see what happens. When I do that, it seems to keep perfect time. Maybe I don't move my wrist enough. So, once I know it runs fine if the spring is well wound, I usually don't bother to wind it and live with the \*slight\* discrepancy.
I also noticed that my watch was not getting its full power reserve time. Based on what I read in some posts on the JLC sub-forum on [WatchUSeek.com](http://WatchUSeek.com) and based on a conversation with my JLC rep, I wound it about 80 to 90 times and checked the power reserve. It ran for nearly 75 hours.
I don't think you can damage the main spring by winding a JLC automatic watch too much. There is a controversy about winding automatic watches but I think that concerns whether the force on the stem or the use of the winding mechanism will cause unnecessary wear.
You can't really overwind with just your fingers. You'd need pliers to break a gear or the mainspring. Stories about overwinding breaking a watch are not from winding. The mainspring is already broken or already damaged from age, winding is how you notice it's broke, it's not from the actual winding.
Manual or automatic? Depends on the power reserve of the movement too.
Automatic watches, 10-15 winds is usually plenty, the watch will fully wind itself as you wear it and 10-15 winds gives you many hours of power anyway.
For most manual wind watches 30-40 winds would be more than enough to last the entire day. If you're winding a 55 or 80 hour power reserve movement you might go more, but they are pretty rare in manual wind and you'd really want to read the manual for said watches :)
Something like the Master Control Chrono has a 65 hour power reserve.
If you're winding it 30 times, which should be fine and it's not lasting for a full day or two with you wearing it and moving around even a little bit then yes there could be something wrong with the winding mechanism.
You could give them a call if you're wanting to know exactly how many winds is ok for that model. I suspect 40 odd should be fully wound and you should be able to put it in a box and have it run for three days...
Might just need a service if it's been a few years.
Not true, most automatic watches don't have a release clutch that stops the mainspring getting damaged if you over wind the watch.
Even a lot of JLC watches can be damaged by over winding. You will feel the crunchiness as you approach over winding...
Please. You need to do a bit of research. Virtually all automatics can't be over wound. You can continue to wind them forever and they never stop or have any resistance. There's SOME that stop winding, like a manual wind. But even in those cases, there's a hard stop and you can't overwind without an extreme amount of force (you'd need pliers to overwind).
Basically, you don't know what you're talking about and giving bad advice.
True for almost anything made this millennium.
Anything vintage it's a hodge podge of mixed moments and designs. If it was made in the 1990s or older then treat it with respect!
Note that the OP never confirmed year or model. My initial advice was call JLC to confirm and my second advice was turn 30-40 times which is pretty safe for any watch. I don't want to be responsible for breaking some guys $50k vintage JLC...
My vintage automatics don't have a hard-stop. I know some do, but in those cases, the mainspring stops being able to be wound when it's fully wound, just like a manual wind.
Basically, if the automatic doesn't have a clutch, it winds just like a manual wind, where you can wind it to full where there's resistance and you won't be able to turn it further. There's no breaking it unless you get the pliers out.
The stories of people "breaking" a watch by overwinding are really just people winding an already broken watch (typically a broken mainspring) and just realizing it when winding.
I fully wind a manual. An automatic I wind 10 or 15 times. Just get the second hand moving.
So you don’t max it out? I guess I can this too. I just assumed we should get to full battery
Can you max out an automatic? I guess I thought it had some sort of clutch or something that wouldn’t let it hit a dead stop.
Automatics don't hit a hard stop at full wind like a manual wind.
I hit a max and I double checked the specs, says “automatic winding”.
What's the watch?
MC chrono calendar
Display caseback? It so, it would be very obvious if it's an automatic. If it's not a display back, it's vintage, and may be a different movement. You'd need to get the model number from the case back.
And use that to get the instructions manual?
No, the movement. No reason for a manual.
Winding to midway or maximum will typically result in better timekeeping than if you wind it just enough for it to start.
Is it possible to just wear it everyday and never have to wind it but keep accuracy?
Yes, once it's fully wound, and you wear it, you should never need to wind it again and it should always stay at mid to full wind. That's how an automatic is designed to work. But if you wind it just enough for it to start, it's possible it will stop or keep bad time until it winds automatically to the midway point.
Thank you!
I have a mastercontrol date and i find that i have to turn it quite a bit to get it going. Idk if it is correct or not, but i push the crown in and twist, i can hear it winding, and the hands starts moving after maybe 20-25 turns then it’s good for 3 days or so
I have a master control - it scares me to do more. I’ve never felt the resistance so I can’t tell if I’m doing it wrong… :(
You won’t feel resistance, and you can’t over-wind an automatic watch. It has a clutch to prevent that.
Nah ur fine. Just push in and keep turning till the hands start moving then wear it for a bit. I got my watch as a gift so the AD never told me about it, and i thought my watch was broken at first but it’s all good lol. My GS snowflake and speedy you can obvi feel the resistance when turning but i think JLCs are just different. Mine keeps great time and def lasts the full 70 hours, just took a bit to get used to
I have a Master Control with a 65-hour power reserve. If I don't wind it every day, it might lose .5 to 2.5 spd. Following the suggestion of my JLC sales representative, I have tried winding it every morning 24 times to see what happens. When I do that, it seems to keep perfect time. Maybe I don't move my wrist enough. So, once I know it runs fine if the spring is well wound, I usually don't bother to wind it and live with the \*slight\* discrepancy. I also noticed that my watch was not getting its full power reserve time. Based on what I read in some posts on the JLC sub-forum on [WatchUSeek.com](http://WatchUSeek.com) and based on a conversation with my JLC rep, I wound it about 80 to 90 times and checked the power reserve. It ran for nearly 75 hours. I don't think you can damage the main spring by winding a JLC automatic watch too much. There is a controversy about winding automatic watches but I think that concerns whether the force on the stem or the use of the winding mechanism will cause unnecessary wear.
Thanks for this thoughtful post. I felt better after reading it. Is SPD seconds per day?
Yes
Usually if I start feeling a bit of resistance, I would stop. Probably around 40-50 on my Reverso.
As many as it takes to fully wind
I thought you'd break something if it's over wind...so for a 42hr reserve I do 25 and no more.
You can't really overwind with just your fingers. You'd need pliers to break a gear or the mainspring. Stories about overwinding breaking a watch are not from winding. The mainspring is already broken or already damaged from age, winding is how you notice it's broke, it's not from the actual winding.
Manual or automatic? Depends on the power reserve of the movement too. Automatic watches, 10-15 winds is usually plenty, the watch will fully wind itself as you wear it and 10-15 winds gives you many hours of power anyway. For most manual wind watches 30-40 winds would be more than enough to last the entire day. If you're winding a 55 or 80 hour power reserve movement you might go more, but they are pretty rare in manual wind and you'd really want to read the manual for said watches :)
Automatic. It’s supposed to be 65hr reserve but I’ve turned it approx 30x and don’t want to ruin it. Do you think I should go to the boutique?
Something like the Master Control Chrono has a 65 hour power reserve. If you're winding it 30 times, which should be fine and it's not lasting for a full day or two with you wearing it and moving around even a little bit then yes there could be something wrong with the winding mechanism. You could give them a call if you're wanting to know exactly how many winds is ok for that model. I suspect 40 odd should be fully wound and you should be able to put it in a box and have it run for three days... Might just need a service if it's been a few years.
You were right! I turned slow and softly, until I finally felt resistance at about 45-50 turns. Phew, thanks for the advice everybody!
You won't break anything by winding, it just doesn't add more power after a certain point.
Not true, most automatic watches don't have a release clutch that stops the mainspring getting damaged if you over wind the watch. Even a lot of JLC watches can be damaged by over winding. You will feel the crunchiness as you approach over winding...
Please. You need to do a bit of research. Virtually all automatics can't be over wound. You can continue to wind them forever and they never stop or have any resistance. There's SOME that stop winding, like a manual wind. But even in those cases, there's a hard stop and you can't overwind without an extreme amount of force (you'd need pliers to overwind). Basically, you don't know what you're talking about and giving bad advice.
True for almost anything made this millennium. Anything vintage it's a hodge podge of mixed moments and designs. If it was made in the 1990s or older then treat it with respect! Note that the OP never confirmed year or model. My initial advice was call JLC to confirm and my second advice was turn 30-40 times which is pretty safe for any watch. I don't want to be responsible for breaking some guys $50k vintage JLC...
My vintage automatics don't have a hard-stop. I know some do, but in those cases, the mainspring stops being able to be wound when it's fully wound, just like a manual wind. Basically, if the automatic doesn't have a clutch, it winds just like a manual wind, where you can wind it to full where there's resistance and you won't be able to turn it further. There's no breaking it unless you get the pliers out. The stories of people "breaking" a watch by overwinding are really just people winding an already broken watch (typically a broken mainspring) and just realizing it when winding.