The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Each night I wind up my automatic watches as i don't have a watch winder.

Is it less bad to screw the crown out and back in each time and cause wear to the threads on the crown/case, or to leave the crown out and take the risk of ingress of atmospheic moisture? At present I leave the crowns out unless I'm going to wear the watch, but I'd be interested in informed views/comments.

Thanks,

B'ling

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Emergency + Co-Pilot
Navitimer Heritage
Chronomat Evolution
SuperOcean Heritage 46
Avenger Seawolf Ti
Colt 2 Automatic

Roff is probably better qualified to answer this, but AFAIK the crown stem is still sealed by at least one gasket even when pulled out. The second seal would come into play when the crown is screwed down.

On non screw down crowns I doubt it makes any difference at all

I leave my crowns pulled out after winding the watch if they're going straight back in the safe for the next day

There is no reisk of moisture getting in just because the crown isn't screwed in. The biggest risk is forgetting to screw the crown in before wearing and then causing damage while wearing.

I'd also say that all the screwing/unscrewing might put some undue stress on those threads. Every have an issue with stripped threads or overtightening?

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

The more common issue (Ti aside) is cross threading, but stripping can certainly happen.

If you must keep it wound I don't see any harm in leaving the crown unlocked.

I would just let the watch run down. Wind it and set it only when it needs it, if it's just a simple date adjustment it typically takes a few seconds to set.

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This is a Rochefoucauld, the thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design,hand-crafted in Switzerland.
In Philadelphia it's worth Fifty bucks.

A total newb here, so please forgive if I make a wrong assumption. If the watch has >40 hours of reserve, then leaving it off overnight would not deplete the winding any way, right? And when you wear it again in the morning the autowinding should keep it going. The whole point of an automatic watch would be that it keeps going as long as the watch moves a bit, right?

I don,t like sleeping with a watch on and would be disappointed if I had to wind the watch every day or have to buy a winder...

Just my opinion, folks

I went through a period of leaving it unlocked for about a week to prevent thread wear. Sure enough, first time I put it on it went straight under the sink, crown unscrewed. Do'h. No damage, fortunately, but its a lesson that its only a matter of time before it will happen to you if you leave it open.

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-RJ

No, yes or..yes no.

Yes.

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Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

I strongly suggest you get on eBay and buy a watch winder. Less than $100 bucks to get a decent one and it will simplify your life. Less wear and tear on the Ling as well!

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If loving Breitlings is wrong...I don't want to be right

SO Abyss Black
Chronomat GT
Chrono-Matic 24LE

I think that we have different definitions of "decent"

No need to be a winder snob Roff!

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If loving Breitlings is wrong...I don't want to be right

SO Abyss Black
Chronomat GT
Chrono-Matic 24LE

Not at all, I've just spent way too much money on cheaper winders that fail.

I just fell off...

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Al

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

As Al said (I think), yes and no. The whole point of an automatic watch is that it keeps going as long as you wear it enough to keep it wound, but that requires considerably more than "a bit" of motion. You've got to wear the watch all day, every day, to keep it at max power. (I don't know exactly how many hours constitutes "all day," but I think it's a good eight hours, at least.) And that presupposes that you are moving enough when you wear it that you will be keeping the rotor in motion. If you're a desk jockey whose motion during hours at a stretch is confined to moving a mouse with your right hand, the watch may not be getting enough motion to stay fully wound. This is when a power reserve indicator would really come in handy, but there aren't very many watches that have those.