Hand winding ETA/Sellita

discoblade · Post by **discoblade** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 1:40 pm

All,

Apols if this is old news, but I have been advised that I shouldn't hand wind my C60 Trident Pro, as the mechanism is somewhat delicate and failure-prone...any input?

Stuart

Amor Vincit Omnia · Post by **Amor Vincit Omnia** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 1:48 pm

I always give my automatics about 20 turns when starting them up from cold. Never had a problem yet.

Stuart1 · Post by **Stuart1** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:55 pm

I usually gently rock the watch so the the automatic winding function puts power in the main spring. Once the movement is working then I set. The same as older seiko’s that do not have handwinding. Not sure if it is correct but I never had any problems.

Amor Vincit Omnia · Post by **Amor Vincit Omnia** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:01 pm

Stuart1 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:55 pm Not sure if it is correct but I never had any problems.

Neither method is incorrect, Stuart. My intention in posting the above was to debunk some of the old wives’ tales that make people afraid to use their watches in accordance with even the manufacturer’s directions. To hear some people talk, everyday modern watches are so delicate that they really should be left in the box wrapped in cotton wool.

I’ve never damaged a watch by winding it, and that includes dozens of those manual watches that people seem petrified to “overwind”.

Don’t baby it, use it!

tikkathree · Post by **tikkathree** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:07 pm

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:01 pm
Stuart1 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:55 pm Not sure if it is correct but I never had any problems.
Neither method is incorrect, Stuart. My intention in posting the above was to debunk some of the old wives’ tales that make people afraid to use their watches in accordance with even the manufacturer’s directions. To hear some people talk, everyday modern watches are so delicate that they really should be left in the box wrapped in cotton wool.

I’ve never damaged a watch by winding it, and that includes dozens of those manual watches that people seem petrified to “overwind”.

Don’t baby it, use it!

So all that internet "Using the chrono function of a chronograph WILL wear it out" theory is lost on you?

Amor Vincit Omnia · Post by **Amor Vincit Omnia** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:13 pm

tikkathree wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:07 pm So all that internet "Using the chrono function of a chronograph WILL wear it out" theory is lost on you?

Driving your car will cause wear to the tyres, clutch and other parts.

Walking long distances in your new shoes may cause the soles and heels to wear down.

Using your nonstick pan every day for several years may cause a deterioration in the nonstickiness.

discoblade · Post by **discoblade** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:21 pm

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:01 pm
Stuart1 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:55 pm Not sure if it is correct but I never had any problems.
Neither method is incorrect, Stuart. My intention in posting the above was to debunk some of the old wives’ tales that make people afraid to use their watches in accordance with even the manufacturer’s directions. To hear some people talk, everyday modern watches are so delicate that they really should be left in the box wrapped in cotton wool.

I’ve never damaged a watch by winding it, and that includes dozens of those manual watches that people seem petrified to “overwind”.

Don’t baby it, use it!

Thanks, and I don't "baby" my watches, but I'm asking specifically about this movement, which has a significant level of online advice to not use the handwinding function, my C60 is the only watch I don't handwind, I use the Seiko shuffle if it's stopped...wondering if anyone has experience of this one?

Amor Vincit Omnia · Post by **Amor Vincit Omnia** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:29 pm

discoblade wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:21 pm Thanks, and I don't "baby" my watches, but I'm asking specifically about this movement, which has a significant level of online advice to not use the handwinding function, my C60 is the only watch I don't handwind, I use the Seiko shuffle if it's stopped...wondering if anyone has experience of this one?

No worries, and sorry if that sounded patronising – it wasn’t meant to be. I do have experience of these movements; I have owned a C60, I currently own an original C5 and a C63, in addition to other watches that use ETA/Sellita auto movements.

I have always hand wound them from stopped. Maybe I just bucked the trend and got lucky.

discoblade · Post by **discoblade** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:40 pm

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:29 pm
discoblade wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:21 pm Thanks, and I don't "baby" my watches, but I'm asking specifically about this movement, which has a significant level of online advice to not use the handwinding function, my C60 is the only watch I don't handwind, I use the Seiko shuffle if it's stopped...wondering if anyone has experience of this one?
No worries, and sorry if that sounded patronising – it wasn’t meant to be. I do have experience of these movements; I have owned a C60, I currently own an original C5 and a C63, in addition to other watches that use ETA/Sellita auto movements.

I have always hand wound them from stopped. Maybe I just bucked the trend and got lucky.

Thanks, no worries, I just wanted to be clear that it was this movement...
Now, which CW should I buy next?!!

Amor Vincit Omnia · Post by **Amor Vincit Omnia** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:58 pm

^^^ Well, there are some exciting things coming up very soon, though your friendly neighbourhood Forum Admin Team is subject to a monastic vow of silence.

Back to the movement; your concern is understandable, especially given that the Internet is the world’s greatest feeder of phobias. Well, this is watch user Internet right here, and I would be very interested to know if any forum member has damaged a CW auto by hand-winding it. I don’t recall hearing of any, and the members x watches equation must run into the thousands.

Anyway, welcome on board and enjoy your eventual purchase!

PS. With five posts under your belt you should be able to see Sales Corner now. Pop over and see what’s cooking.

exHowfener · Post by **exHowfener** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 5:14 pm

My take on "advice" is that it depends on who is giving it. For example with my classic Land Rover, I'll take heed of advice from my local independent specialist, that bloke in Halfords ... not so much. Internet chatter - sometimes it's sharing knowledge, sometimes it's pooling ignorance.

For what it's worth, if I can, I almost always wind my automatic watches when first using them for the first time in a while. OK so far.

WileyECoyote · Post by **WileyECoyote** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 6:23 pm

I can only speak from my own experience but do own more than one C60 watch. I have always followed the owner’s manual instructions to wind the watch 20 times from a cold or dead start. I have done this with all of my automatics with no ill results. My watches have kept excellent time with no warranty issues. I would echo Steve’s sentiments that things are made to be used. Almost anything mechanical will wear out in time. Christopher Ward makes dependable quality watches, so I see no problem in following their instructions to start an automatic by winding. At the same time, I would keep the winding to 20 & not over wind!

Delmar

richtel · Post by **richtel** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 6:24 pm

The 2824/SW200 is a solid economical movement which has been made for decades and in huge numbers and as with any product sold in their hundreds of thousands, you'd expect to hear of bad experiences. But that absolutely doesn't mean that there are disproportionate problems for that movement, more that problems are disproportionatly reported and easily discovered online.

The main issues that get reported include rotor 'stick' and ratchet wheel damage. The former happens (I've had two)- and it's a quick and easy fix. Annoying when it happens, not to mention bad luck, but it's not as common as you might worry about by reading up on the issue online. CW will fix it within warranty without quibble unless the watch is due a service anyway.

The second issue is invariably caused when the first problem has occured, yet the blockheaded owner persists on cranking that crown regardless of the warning signs of the winding action feeling 'sticky', of increased winding resistance or the obvious sound and feel of the rotor spinning. The weakest point is then the crown wheel engagement with the ratchet wheel and teeth get sheared off- and a full service and new gears are now needed.

Most watches need a certain amount of power in the mainspring before they start performing well**. Not putting in those turns into a stopped watch before wearing it might affect timekeeping a little until such time as the watch is wound more through wearing on the wrist. If that's important, go ahead and wind 15-20 slow and steady turns, set the time and enjoy it. Just remember if that if winding the watch feels somehow different- Stop Winding!

If to-the-second accuracy doesn't matter one jot, wind it or wave the watch around just enough to coax it into life, set the time and enjoy it.

The moral is- don't worry about it, enjoy the watch, but be sensible if something feels 'off'.

** This might be of interest- general-discussion/how-much-winding-to- ... ag#p812393

discoblade · Post by **discoblade** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:31 pm

Excellent...thank you for that extremely well expressed answer, eminently sensible, I shall follow that advice!

Stuart.

cincfleet · Post by **cincfleet** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:51 pm

I do enjoy posts about "Hand Winding" automatics, simply because it reinvigorates the topic and potentially something new might turn up that affects our daily/weekly/monthly winding routine. I have only been in the automatic CW domain since 2014, I do now have different auto brands, some get wound straight out their "Sleepy Hollow" others get strapped on and by the time the kettle has boiled I just set the time, so far so good

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