How to Care for Your Automatic Watch The Complete Ownership Guide

You've Bought the Automatic Watch. Now Keep It Running Properly.

An automatic watch is not a passive object. It responds to how you treat it. Wear it right, store it right, service it on schedule and it will run for decades without drama. Neglect the basics and the movement that seemed indestructible will start to drift, slow, or stop entirely.

How a Self-Winding Movement Actually Works

An automatic watch winds itself through the movement of your wrist. Inside the case, a semi-circular rotor pivots as your arm moves winding the mainspring that powers the movement. When the mainspring is fully wound, a slipping clutch prevents over-winding. Most automatic movements have a power reserve of 38 to 72 hours.

How to Wind an Automatic Watch Manually

If your automatic has stopped, don't shake it. Unscrew the crown if it's screw-down, pull it to the winding position, and rotate it clockwise approximately 20 to 30 times. Put it on your wrist and the motion will keep it wound from that point. Never wind an automatic watch while wearing it on your wrist  the angle creates lateral stress on the crown stem.

Daily Wear: What Your Automatic Can Handle

  • Magnets: Keep your automatic away from phone speakers, bag clasps with strong magnets, and tablet cases with magnetic covers. Magnetic fields can magnetise the hairspring, causing the watch to run fast or slow.
  • Shock: Dropping an automatic watch on a hard surface is the most common cause of movement damage. Take off high-value automatics before any activity where impact is likely.
  • Water: Check your specific watch's ATM rating and stay within it. 3 ATM: splash-resistant only. 5 ATM: safe for rain and handwashing. 10 ATM: safe for swimming.

Storing Your Automatic Watch

If you own one automatic that you wear daily, storage is simple: anywhere dry, away from magnets and direct sunlight. If you own multiple automatics and rotate between them, consider a watch winder for the pieces you're not wearing. If you don't use a winder, manually wind any automatic that's been stopped for more than a week before wearing it.

The Service Schedule

Automatic watches require periodic servicing a full disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and reassembly of the movement. The industry standard is every five to seven years for a watch in regular use. Signs that a service is due earlier: the watch is running more than two minutes fast or slow per day, the power reserve has shortened noticeably, or the movement feels rough when winding.

The Tomell Automatic Range

Every Tomell automatic: 316L stainless steel case, sapphire crystal glass, fully serviceable self-winding movement.

Supreme Aqua Automatic £350

Aqua blue dial. Self-winding. 316L steel.
→ Shop Supreme Aqua  £350

VOYAGER BROWN Automatic £320

Brown leather strap. Self-winding. Daily character wear.
→ Shop VOYAGER BROWN £320

365 Gold Skeleton Automatic £345

Square gold case. Skeleton dial showing the movement. Self-winding.
→ Shop 365 Gold Skeleton £345

Free UK delivery on all orders. Packed personally by Tomas. Handwritten note in every order.
→ Browse all automatics at tomellwatches.co.uk

Further Reading

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