How to Set and Wind Your Watch

Know your crown positions

Most watches have up to three crown positions: pushed in (winding, on mechanical watches), pulled out one step (setting the date, or a GMT hand) and pulled out fully (setting the time). If your watch has a screw-down crown, unscrew it counterclockwise until it pops out before you do anything else, and screw it back down gently afterwards.

Winding a mechanical watch

With the crown in its first position, turn it clockwise (away from you) with smooth, gentle turns. For a manual-wind watch, stop when you feel firm resistance; don't force it. An automatic that has stopped can be started with 20 to 40 turns of the crown, or by gently moving it, and then wearing it keeps it wound.

Setting the date safely

Many mechanical watches start changing the date in the hours around midnight. Changing the date manually while that mechanism is engaged, roughly between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on the dial, can strain or damage some movements. Move the hands to around 6 o'clock first, set the date, then set the time.

Remember that the date changes at midnight, not noon: set the time by moving forward past 12 and checking that the date flips, so you know you're in the morning.

Quick tips

• Pull the crown fully out at the top of a minute for a precise setting (most mechanical watches stop the seconds hand)
• Never operate the crown underwater
• Check your manual, since some movements have their own quirks